आबाल्यादलमभ्यस्तैः शास्त्रसत्संगमादिभिः । गुणैः पुरुषयत्नेन स्वार्थः संपद्यते हितः ॥ ३० ॥
ābālyādalamabhyastaiḥ śāstrasatsaṁgamādibhiḥ | guṇaiḥ puruṣayatnēna svārthaḥ saṁpadyatē hitaḥ || 30 ||
Translation
By virtues well practised from childhood, scripture, the company of the good and the like, with human effort, one's own true good is attained.
Word by word
- ābālyād
- (ābālyāt) from childhood
- alam
- well
- abhyastaiḥ
- practised
- śāstra
- scripture
- sat
- of the good
- saṁgama
- the company
- ādibhiḥ
- and the like
- guṇaiḥ
- by virtues
- puruṣa
- human
- yatnēna
- with effort
- sva
- one's own
- arthaḥ
- good
- saṁpadyatē
- is attained
- hitaḥ
- true
Meaning
The commentary introduces the verse: it repeats the matter to say that the growth of understanding takes a long effort. From childhood (ā-bālyāt), says the text; and well practised (alam abhyastaiḥ). That is the ideal, and parents and teachers may take note: what is begun early costs less. But the verse should not depress someone who comes late. Its real weight is on the length of the road, that this is not the work of a weekend. Hita, "beneficial", is added to svārtha to mark that one's own aim here is one's real welfare. What we want and what is good for us do not always coincide, and the practice brings them together.