जगति पुरुषकारकारणेऽस्मिन् कुरु रघुनाथ चिरं तथा प्रयत्नम् । व्रजसि तरुसरीसृपाभिधानां सुभग यथा न दशामशङ्क एव ॥ ३२ ॥
jagati puruṣakārakāraṇē’smin kuru raghunātha ciraṁ tathā prayatnam | vrajasi tarusarīsṛpābhidhānāṁ subhaga yathā na daśāmaśaṅka ēva || 32 ||
Translation
In this world, where effort is the cause, O lord of the Raghus, strive so long and so well, fortunate one, that without fear you never come to the state that goes by the name of tree or reptile.
Word by word
- jagati
- in this world
- puruṣakāra
- effort
- kāraṇē
- where is the cause
- asmin
- this
- kuru
- make
- raghunātha
- O lord of the Raghus
- ciraṁ
- long
- tathā
- so
- prayatnam
- strive
- vrajasi
- you come
- taru
- of tree
- sarīsṛpa
- or reptile
- abhidhānāṁ
- that goes by the name
- subhaga
- fortunate one
- yathā
- that
- na
- never
- daśām
- to the state
- aśaṅka
- without fear
- ēva
- indeed
Meaning
The closing verse, in a longer metre (puṣpitāgrā), is addressed to Rāma by two names of honour. The stakes are put in one picture: there are lives that do not have the possibility of this conversation. A tree cannot inquire; a snake cannot serve a teacher. The human state is one from which the work can be done, and it is not guaranteed to return. The word "long" (ciram) is the true end of the sarga: not a burst of effort, but the kind that lasts. And aśaṅka, "without fear", is a fine close to a talk on fate. The one who strives need not dread what is coming.