इत्येतद्यावदज्ञानं तावत्कार्यं ममाभवत् । नित्यमुक्तस्य शुद्धस्य बुद्धस्य च सदा मम ॥
ityetadyāvadajñānaṃ tāvatkāryaṃ mamābhavat | nityamuktasya śuddhasya buddhasya ca sadā mama ||
As long as there was this ignorance, so long was there something for me to do. For me, ever free, pure and always awake,
जब तक यह अज्ञान था, तब तक मेरे लिए करने को कुछ था। मुझ नित्यमुक्त, शुद्ध और सदा प्रबुद्ध के लिए,
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
Effort has its place while we are confused; it is a means, not a permanent identity as 'the striver'.
जब तक उलझन है, प्रयत्न का स्थान है; पर वह साधन है, 'साधक' होना कोई स्थायी पहचान नहीं।
Shankaracharya says that duties of practice belonged to him only while ignorance lasted; the sentence continues into the next verse.