प्रत्यक्षप्रमुखैर्नित्यं प्रमाणैः पौरुषक्रमः । फलितो दृश्यते लोके देशान्तरगमादिकः ॥ १६ ॥
pratyakṣapramukhairnityaṁ pramāṇaiḥ pauruṣakramaḥ | phalitō dṛśyatē lōkē dēśāntaragamādikaḥ || 16 ||
Translation
The course of effort, by perception and the other means of knowing, is always seen in the world bearing fruit, as in going to another country and the like.
Word by word
- pratyakṣa
- by perception
- pramukhair
- (pramukhaiḥ) and the other
- nityaṁ
- always
- pramāṇaiḥ
- means of knowing
- pauruṣa
- of effort
- kramaḥ
- the course
- phalitō
- (phalitaḥ) bearing fruit
- dṛśyatē
- is seen
- lōkē
- in the world
- dēśa
- country
- antara
- to another
- gama
- going
- ādikaḥ
- and the like
Meaning
The appeal is to the means of valid knowledge (pramāṇa), perception first. Vasiṣṭha is arguing as a philosopher would: which of the two claims has evidence? Effort has it daily. The example is homely, going to another country (deśāntara-gama). The commentary asks how a man would reach another country if he did not take to effort. Nobody has ever arrived anywhere by believing in the journey. A long life may be spent waiting at the station of good intentions, and this simple image of feet on a road is a good answer to it.