श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । साधु राघव जानासि शृणु वक्ष्यामि तेऽखिलम् । दैवं नाऽस्तीति ते येन स्थिरा बुद्धिर्भविष्यति ॥ १२ ॥
śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | sādhu rāghava jānāsi śṛṇu vakṣyāmi tē’khilam | daivaṁ nā’stīti tē yēna sthirā buddhirbhaviṣyati || 12 ||
Translation
Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: Well said, Rāghava, you understand. Listen, and I will tell you all, by which your conviction that fate does not exist will be firm.
Word by word
- śrīvasiṣṭha
- Śrī Vasiṣṭha
- uvāca
- said
- sādhu
- well said
- rāghava
- Rāghava
- jānāsi
- you understand
- śṛṇu
- listen
- vakṣyāmi
- I will tell
- tē
- you
- akhilam
- all
- daivaṁ
- fate
- na
- not
- asti
- does exist
- iti
- that
- yēna
- by which
- sthirā
- firm
- buddhir
- (buddhiḥ) your conviction
- bhaviṣyati
- will be
Meaning
The teacher is delighted. Sādhu, "good!": the commentary has him grant that Rāma has grasped the conflict between the two positions. A true teacher welcomes the question that exposes the gap. And note the aim he states: not to win the point but that Rāma's understanding should become steady (sthirā buddhi). A conclusion accepted out of respect does not last. It has to be seen through from the bottom, or it will give way at the first real loss.