अस्वातन्त्र्यात् प्रधावन्ति पदार्थाः सर्व एव यत् । ब्रह्माण्डे पार्थिवो भागस्तदधस्तूर्ध्वमन्यथा ॥ ११ ॥
asvātantryāt pradhāvanti padārthāḥ sarva ēva yat | brahmāṇḍē pārthivō bhāgastadadhastūrdhvamanyathā || 11 ||
Translation
Since all things, not being free, rush toward it, the earthy part of a world-egg is "below", and the other way is "above".
Word by word
- asvātantryāt
- not being free
- pradhāvanti
- rush toward it
- padārthāḥ
- things
- sarva
- all
- ēva
- indeed
- yat
- since
- brahmāṇḍē
- of a world-egg
- pārthivō
- earthy
- bhāgas
- (bhāgaḥ) part
- tad
- (tat) that
- adhas
- (adhaḥ) below
- tu
- and
- ūrdhvam
- above
- anyathā
- the other way
Meaning
The second answer, within the illusion. Things are not free: each is drawn. Both commentaries speak of a power of attraction (ākarṣaṇa-śakti): things fall toward the earth because the earth draws them, as the stamens of a kadamba flower all point to the centre. So "below" is only "toward the earth", and "above" is away from it; the words need no up and down in the supreme space.