नित्यं स्वपौरुषादेव लोकद्वयहितं भवेत् । ह्यस्तनी दुष्क्रियाऽभ्येति शोभां सत्क्रियया यथा ॥ ३७ ॥
nityaṁ svapauruṣādēva lōkadvayahitaṁ bhavēt | hyastanī duṣkriyā’bhyēti śōbhāṁ satkriyayā yathā || 37 ||
Translation
Good in both worlds comes always from one's own effort alone; as yesterday's misdeed is made beautiful by a good deed,
Word by word
- nityaṁ
- always
- sva
- one's own
- pauruṣād
- (pauruṣāt) from effort
- ēva
- alone
- lōka
- worlds
- dvaya
- in both
- hitaṁ
- good
- bhavēt
- comes
- hyastanī
- yesterday's
- duṣkriyā
- misdeed
- abhyēti
- is made
- śōbhāṁ
- beautiful
- satkriyayā
- by a good deed
- yathā
- as
Meaning
The argument returns to its opening example (verse 5), and the verse runs on into the next. Good for this world and the other (loka-dvaya-hita) comes from one's own effort alone. Verse 35 said that past effort brings good in both worlds. This verse says "always from one's own", which is the same effort, seen from now, when it can still be made. The misdeed of yesterday is said to reach beauty (śobhām abhyeti). That is a remarkable word. A wrong that has been repaired can be more than cancelled: the apology deepens the friendship, the failure teaches the skill. What was ugly becomes part of something fine, and the past itself is changed in meaning.