अस्माभिरपरै राम पुरुषैर्मुनितां गतैः । पौरुषेणैव सम्प्राप्ता चिरं गगनगामिता ॥ २१ ॥
asmābhiraparai rāma puruṣairmunitāṁ gataiḥ | pauruṣēṇaiva samprāptā ciraṁ gaganagāmitā || 21 ||
Translation
We and others, Rāma, who became sages, gained the long-lasting power of moving through the sky by effort alone.
Word by word
- asmābhir
- (asmābhiḥ) we
- aparai
- (aparaiḥ) others
- rāma
- Rāma
- puruṣair
- (puruṣaiḥ) men
- munitāṁ
- sages
- gataiḥ
- who became
- pauruṣēṇa
- by effort
- ēva
- alone
- samprāptā
- gained
- ciraṁ
- long-lasting
- gagana
- through the sky
- gāmitā
- the power of moving
Meaning
Now Vasiṣṭha speaks of himself. In the last sarga he said he had his fruit from effort (2.7.14). Here he names a power (gagana-gāmitā, moving through the sky) which, to anyone else, would seem a marvellous gift. Those who have it say otherwise: it took long practice, says the commentary. Ciram can be taken with the power or with the effort, and the second is how the commentary reads it. When we see someone do a thing that appears miraculous, as a musician or a teacher does, we tend to call it talent. Those who can do it will usually tell you how many years it took.