प्रागभ्यासवशाद्याता यदा ते वासनोदयम् । तदाऽभ्यासस्य साफल्यं विद्धि त्वमरिमर्दन ॥ ३५ ॥
prāgabhyāsavaśādyātā yadā tē vāsanōdayam | tadā’bhyāsasya sāphalyaṁ viddhi tvamarimardana || 35 ||
Translation
When, through the force of earlier practice, the tendency in you has come to rise, know, crusher of foes, that the practice has borne fruit.
Word by word
- prāg
- (prāk) earlier
- abhyāsa
- of practice
- vaśād
- (vaśāt) through the force
- yātā
- has come
- yadā
- when
- tē
- in you
- vāsanā
- tendency
- udayam
- to rise
- tadā
- then
- abhyāsasya
- of the practice
- sāphalyaṁ
- has borne fruit
- viddhi
- know
- tvam
- you
- arimardana
- crusher of foes
Meaning
A fine turn of perspective. When a pattern shows itself, it is evidence of a law: practice works. Another commentary: when your tendency thickens, know that the practice has borne fruit. Even a bad habit is proof that repetition has power, and the same power is at one's disposal. So the old habit that shames me is also good news about the way I am built. It got that strong in just the way a better one can.