Verse 169

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

यथाकथंचिद्वृत्तिश्चेद्बुद्धिमत्ताऽस्य कीदृशी ।
नासमीक्ष्य यतः कार्यं शनकोऽपि प्रवर्त्तते ॥ १६९ ॥

yathākathaṃcidvṛttiścedbuddhimattā'sya kīdṛśī |
nāsamīkṣya yataḥ kāryaṃ śanako'pi pravarttate || 169 ||

If the functioning (of the spirit) be ‘somehow’ (unintentional),—then what sort of ‘intelligence’ is his?—since even the fisherman does not act without thinking over the effect of his action.—(169)

 

Kamalaśīla’s commentary (tattvasaṃgrahapañjikā):

The following might be urged;—“The Spirit may not act through Compassion, or through Amusement; but somehow it acts unintentionally (automatically)”.

The answer to this is given in the following Text:—[see verse 169 above]

How could such a Person be listened to by intelligent men,—being more ignorant and stupid than even such common people as the fisherman and the like.—‘Buddhimattā’ stands for intelligence.—‘Śanaka’ is the fisherman.—(169)