antar-bhuumi-gataM hy ambhaH
shraddadhaati naro yadaa
arthitve sati yatnena
tadaa khanati gaam imaam
= = = - - = = =
= - = - - = - =
= = = - - = = -
- = - - - = - =
12.33
When there is water under the ground
Wherein a man has confidence
And has need of water
Then, with an effort of will,
here the earth he digs.
COMMENT:
The treasure that lies buried might be water or might be gold, but its existence is not in doubt. The man who digs has neither the puffed-up self-confidence of the inflated ego, nor optimistic belief in what might not exist. He has total confidence in the existence of water, not as a concept but as a reality into which he was born; and he has belief that water may lie beneath the earth he is digging.
A family member of mine asked me if I wasn't a little concerned that scholars might ridicule my efforts to dive into this translation work, on the basis of only a few weeks study of Teach Yourself Sanskrit. My honest answer was that No, I was never even a bit concerned in that way. The opposite is true. This translation work has been serving as a confidence-rebuilding exercise. Before I started this work, I had been suffering from stomach pains for several months. Very soon after I started directing my energy into this work, the stomach pains cleared up. Finding and starting this work restored my confidence -- which is not to say that I don't still often wake up full of doubts and regrets about my own inadequacies.
The word I have translated as "has confidence," shraddadhaati, could equally well and maybe more elegantly have been translated as "believes": "When a man believes there is water under the ground and is need of it, then here he digs the earth with an effort of will."
I have engineered the verse as I have firstly as part of the ongoing effort to preserve the four-line structure, and secondly because I believe in the primacy of confidence. When a human being wishes, as a practical matter, to convey the energy of intention to a dog, or to a horse, or even to an elephant, or to another human being, or to a nail being hammered into an oak beam, or to a tennis racket transferring kinetic energy to a tennis ball, or to a sharp spade being trodden through tough turf, the primary thing is confidence.
In the work of directing energy in a consciously chosen direction, true confidence leads to success, and success breeds true confidence.
Conversely, belief in the form of unfounded optimism invites disappointment, and disappointment saps confidence.
First to stop the vicious circle, and thence to allow the virtuous circle, and thereby to cleanse the mind of the fearful taint of end-gaining, might be the teaching of the buddhas.
From here on this Canto, as I read it, is all about confidence.
EH Johnston:
For instance, when a man believes that there is water in the earth (at a particular spot) and he has need of it, then he makes the effort of digging the earth there.
Linda Covill:
When a man believes there is water underground, and is in need of it, then he digs the earth assiduously.
VOCABULARY:
antar: in the middle, in the interior
bhuumi: ground
gatam = accusative of gata: gone to, being in
hi: for
ambhaH (nominal): water
shraddadhaati = 3rd person singular of shrad-√dhaa: , to have faith or faithfulness , have belief or confidence , believe
naraH (nominal): a man
yadaa: (correlative of tadaa) at which time
arthitve = locative of arthitva: n. the condition of a supplicant
arthin: one who wants or desires anything ; longing for , libidinous ; m. a beggar , petitioner , suitor
-tva: (abstract noun suffix)
sati = present participle of as: to be
yatnena = instrumental of yatna: m. activity of will, volition, aspiring after ; performance, work ; effort, exertion, energy, zeal, trouble, pains, care
tadaa: at that time
khanati: he digs
gaam = accusative of go: f. the earth
imaam (f. accusative): this
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