एवमित्थं महारम्भपूर्णमप्यजरं पदम् । अस्मद्दृष्ट्या स्थितं शान्तं शून्यमाकाशतोऽधिकम् ॥ ३६ ॥
ēvamitthaṁ mahārambhapūrṇamapyajaraṁ padam | asmaddṛṣṭyā sthitaṁ śāntaṁ śūnyamākāśatō’dhikam || 36 ||
Translation
So this ageless state, though full of the great undertaking, stands, as we see it, at peace, empty, more empty than space.
Word by word
- ēvam
- so
- itthaṁ
- thus
- mahā
- great
- ārambha
- undertaking
- pūrṇam
- full of
- api
- though
- ajaraṁ
- ageless
- padam
- state
- asmad
- our
- dṛṣṭyā
- as (we) see it
- sthitaṁ
- stands
- śāntaṁ
- at peace
- śūnyam
- empty
- ākāśatō
- (ākāśataḥ) than space
- adhikam
- more
Meaning
The commentary sums up what follows from all the answers: thus the principle that is Brahman, though full of the great elements and all that is made of them, free of age and death, stands in our sight more empty than space and without change. "Empty" here must be read with the whole sarga behind it. It is not the void that Vasiṣṭha denied in vv. 5-14; it is empty as space is empty, of things and of change, while being the fullness that holds the whole "great undertaking" (mahārambha) of the world. "As we see it" (asmaddṛṣṭyā) means in the sight of those who know.