सच्छास्त्रादिगुणो मत्या सच्छास्त्रादिगुणान्मतिः । विवर्धते मिथोऽभ्यासात्सरोऽब्जाविव कालतः ॥ २९ ॥
sacchāstrādiguṇō matyā sacchāstrādiguṇānmatiḥ | vivardhatē mithō’bhyāsātsarō’bjāviva kālataḥ || 29 ||
Translation
The virtue that comes of true scripture and the rest grows by the mind, and the mind by that virtue. By practice over time they increase each other, like a lake and its lotuses.
Word by word
- sacchāstra
- of true scripture
- ādi
- and the rest
- guṇō
- (guṇaḥ) the virtue
- matyā
- by the mind
- guṇān
- (guṇāt) by virtue
- matiḥ
- the mind
- vivardhatē
- grows
- mithō
- (mithaḥ) each other
- abhyāsāt
- by practice
- sarō
- (saraḥ) a lake
- abjāv
- (abjau) and its lotuses
- iva
- like
- kālataḥ
- over time
Meaning
One of the loveliest images in the sarga. A lake is beautiful for its lotuses; lotuses live by the lake. Neither can be called the cause. So it is with understanding and the good qualities drawn from scripture and good company. The commentary follows the circle. As a person becomes intent on serving the teacher and on study, understanding grows; as understanding grows, faith in teacher and scripture grows; and with them joy, and one climbs from stage to stage. This answers a discouraged thought, that one lacks the intelligence to start, or the virtue. One need not have either in full. A little of each feeds the other, and all that is required is the time (kālataḥ) and the practice (abhyāsāt).