अथ चेदशुभो भावस्त्वां योजयति संकटे । प्राक्तनस्तदसौ यत्नाज्जेतव्यो भवता बलात् ॥ २७ ॥
atha cēdaśubhō bhāvastvāṁ yōjayati saṁkaṭē | prāktanastadasau yatnājjētavyō bhavatā balāt || 27 ||
Translation
But if a bad disposition drives you into trouble, then that old thing must be overcome by you with effort, by force.
Word by word
- atha
- but
- cēd
- (cet) if
- aśubhō
- (aśubhaḥ) a bad
- bhāvas
- (bhāvaḥ) disposition
- tvāṁ
- you
- yōjayati
- drives
- saṁkaṭē
- into trouble
- prāktanas
- (prāktanaḥ) old
- tad
- (tat) then
- asau
- that
- yatnāj
- (yatnāt) with effort
- jētavyō
- (jetavyaḥ) must be overcome
- bhavatā
- by you
- balāt
- by force
Meaning
Second case. If what moves you is harmful, it has to be beaten (jetavya), and the word is "by force" (balāt). The commentary adds practical sense: tendencies do not awaken by themselves; something rouses them. If bad company or the like stirs one, set against it its opposite by keeping good company and studying good scripture, and so raise a contrary tendency to push it out. That is advice one can use. One seldom beats a craving head on. One changes what wakes it, and feeds what opposes it.