Word meanings
- yasya
- whose
- sarve
- every
- samārambhāḥ
- undertakings
- kāma
- desire for material pleasures
- saṅkalpa
- resolve
- varjitāḥ
- devoid of
- jñāna
- divine knowledge
- agni
- in the fire
- dagdha
- burnt
- karmāṇam
- actions
- tam
- him
- āhuḥ
- address
- paṇḍitam
- a sage
- budhāḥ
- the wise
Translations
He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and selfish purposes, and whose actions have been burned by the fire of knowledge, the wise call him a sage.
The wise call him a sage, for whatever he undertakes is free from the motive of desire, and his deeds are purified by the fire of wisdom.
The wise call him learned whose actions are all devoid of desires and their thoughts, and whose actions have been burned away by the fire of wisdom.
जिसके सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंके आरम्भ संकल्प और कामनासे रहित हैं तथा जिसके सम्पूर्ण कर्म ज्ञानरूपी अग्निसे जल गये हैं, उसको ज्ञानिजन भी पण्डित (बुद्धिमान्) कहते हैं।Commentary
A sage performs actions only with a view to set an example to the masses. Though he works, he does nothing as he has no selfish interests, as his actions are burnt by the fire of wisdom which consists in the realisaion of inaction in action, through the knowledge of the Self or Brahma-Jnana. Brahma-Jnana is a mighty spiritual fire which consumes the results of all kinds of actions (Karmas), good and bad, and makes the enlightened sage ite free from the bonds of action. The sage who leads a life of perfect renunciation does only what is reired for the bare existence of his body.
(Cf.III.19IV.10IV.37).