Self-realization perceived conceives
Your own timelessness surely attending.
By that Self attends the potency.
By its knowledge attends the eternal.
pratibodha-viditam matam
amritatvam hi vindate
atmana vindate viryam
vidyaya vindate 'mritam
Note: This was a tough nut. But I feel the clue lay in
amritatvam. Amritam alone, without the –tvam (you), means something along the
lines of immortality. But add the ‘you’ and you have your own existing
immortality. Thus there is a parallel with pratibodha, which most translate as
realization, but is seen here importantly as self-realization. In other words,
what is seen here is what you always are. Thus the last two lines indicate the
process, so to speak. Atman, your Self, provides the potency for it own self-discovery.
And its own knowledge is the eternal.
One other note. The word ‘vindate’ is translated by most as ‘attain.’
I’ve used ‘attend’ instead, to emphasize the pre-existing quality not available
in the other word. I feel it may be slightly awkward, but I prefer a little
clumsiness in the right direction rather than elegance in the wrong one.
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