नाऽसौ स्वकारणाद्भिन्नो भवतीत्यनुभूयते । कारणानामभावेन तस्मादेष स्वयंभवः ॥ ३० ॥
nā’sau svakāraṇādbhinnō bhavatītyanubhūyatē | kāraṇānāmabhāvēna tasmādēṣa svayaṁbhavaḥ || 30 ||
Translation
is not other than its own cause: this is known by experience. Since the causes are absent, he is therefore self-born.
Word by word
- na
- not
- asau
- it
- sva
- its own
- kāraṇād
- (kāraṇāt) cause
- bhinnō
- (bhinnaḥ) other than
- bhavati
- is
- iti
- so
- anubhūyatē
- is known by experience
- kāraṇānām
- the causes
- abhāvēna
- since are absent
- tasmād
- (tasmāt) therefore
- ēṣa
- he
- svayaṁbhavaḥ
- self-born
Meaning
When a thing comes from a cause together with other conditions, it is a new thing, shaped by them. When it comes from its cause alone, with nothing added, it is the cause itself in another name, as a wave is water. The commentary: what arises in the absence of helping causes is not different from its cause; this is a matter of experience; and since he has no causes, he is self-born, svayambhū. The word is Brahmā's own name, and the story is now very near to saying so.