यत्र क्वचन संस्थस्य स्वादर्शस्येव चिद्गतेः । प्रतिबिम्बो लगत्येव सर्वस्मृतिमयो ह्यलम् ॥ २५ ॥
yatra kvacana saṁsthasya svādarśasyēva cidgatēḥ | pratibimbō lagatyēva sarvasmṛtimayō hyalam || 25 ||
Translation
For, wherever the movement of awareness is placed, as in a clear mirror, a reflection made of every memory attaches itself to it fully.
Word by word
- yatra
- where
- kvacana
- ever
- saṁsthasya
- placed
- sva
- clear
- ādarśasya
- of a mirror
- iva
- as
- cid
- (cit) of awareness
- gatēḥ
- of the movement
- pratibimbō
- (pratibimbaḥ) a reflection
- lagati
- attaches itself
- ēva
- surely
- sarva
- every
- smṛti
- memory
- mayō
- (mayaḥ) made of
- hy
- (hi) for
- alam
- fully
Meaning
The commentary gives the objection behind the verse: let the seen become impossible by leaving the place where it is, so that where there is no seen, its impossibility is established. Rāma answers that he himself has already met this: as a clear mirror, wherever it is placed, takes a reflection, so in the seer, whose support is awareness, a reflection made of every memory surely falls. Another commentary: all things in the form of impressions are able to do their work. Going to a forest does not help: the mind carries its world with it, and the clearer the mirror, the better it reflects.