साक्षिणि स्फार आभासे ध्रुवे दीप इव क्रियाः । सति यस्मिन् प्रवर्तन्ते चित्तेहाः स्पन्दपूर्विकाः ॥ ६८ ॥
sākṣiṇi sphāra ābhāsē dhruvē dīpa iva kriyāḥ | sati yasmin pravartantē cittēhāḥ spandapūrvikāḥ || 68 ||
Translation
While he, the witness, the vast light, the unmoving, simply is, the workings of the mind go on, each preceded by a stirring, as actions go on while a lamp shines.
Word by word
- sākṣiṇi
- the witness
- sphāra
- vast
- ābhāsē
- the light
- dhruvē
- the unmoving
- dīpa
- a lamp
- iva
- as
- kriyāḥ
- actions
- sati
- while is
- yasmin
- he
- pravartantē
- go on
- citta
- of the mind
- īhāḥ
- the workings
- spanda
- by a stirring
- pūrvikāḥ
- preceded
Meaning
The commentary: as a dance goes on while the lamp burns, so, while this unlimited light, the witness, the unchanging one, is there, the activities of the mind proceed, each beginning with a stirring. The lamp does not dance and is not touched by the dance, yet without it there would be no dance to see.