Sloka 259
Sloka 259
Original Text:
संसारकारागृहमोक्षमिच्छोर् अयोमायां पादनिबन्धशृङ्खलम् । वदन्ति तज्ज्ञाः पटु वासनात्रयं योऽस्माद्विमुक्तः समुपैति मुक्तिम् ॥ २७२ ॥
Certainly! Here's an analysis of the given sloka:
- **Transliteration:**
saṃsārakārāgṛhamokṣamicchor ayomāyāṃ pādanibandhaśṛṅkhalam | vadanti tajjñāḥ paṭu vāsanātrayaṃ yo'smādvimuktaḥ samupaiti muktim || 272 ||
- **Translation:**
Those who desire liberation from the prison of worldly existence are told by the wise that the threefold strong tendencies are like iron chains binding their feet. He who is liberated from these attains liberation.
- **Word Meanings:**
* saṃsāra - the cycle of worldly existence * kārāgṛha - prison * mokṣa - liberation * icchoḥ - of the one who desires * ayomāyām - iron-made illusion * pāda - feet * nibandha - binding * śṛṅkhalam - chains * vadanti - they say, declare * tajjñāḥ - those who are knowledgeable * paṭu - strong, sharp * vāsanā - tendencies, impressions * trayaṃ - threefold * yaḥ - whoever * asmāt - from this * vimuktaḥ - liberated * samupaiti - attains * muktim - liberation
- **Commentary:**
This verse speaks to the desire for liberation from the cycles of birth and death, likened here to a prison. The "chains" referred to in the sloka are the threefold tendencies or vāsanās: attachment, aversion, and ignorance. These are metaphorically described as being made of iron, indicating their strength and the difficulty in breaking free from them. The wise, or tajjñāḥ, are those with an understanding of the nature of reality, and they suggest that liberation (mokṣa) is achieved by freeing oneself from these deep-rooted tendencies. Hence, the path to true freedom involves not just external actions but an internal transformation and release from the binding impression of desires and habitual patterns. True liberation is hence internal and is attained when one's mind is free from these binding vāsanās. The sloka emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the necessity of overcoming internal barriers to attain spiritual freedom.
Further Readings: