Jethalal S. Zaveri
Prof. Muni Mahendra Kumar
ṇāṇῑ rāgappajaho hi savvadavvesu kammamajjhagado.
ṇo lippadi rajaeṇa du kaddamamajjhe jahā kaṇayaṃ..26
aṇṇāṇῑ puṇa ratto hi savvadavvesu kammamajjhagado.
lippadi kammarayeṇa du kaddamamajjhe jahā lohaṃ..27
(Ṇāṇῑ savvadavvesu rāgappajaho) An enlightened sage is undoubtedly free from attachment for all [alien] objects, i.e., non-self, (kammamajjhagado rajaeṇa du ṇo lippadi) Hence, though enveloped by the environment of karmic matter, he is not defiled/ corrupted by its dust (jahā kaddamamajjhe kaṇayaṃ) much in the same way as Gold, lying in slush, remains uncorroded.
(Puṇa aṇṇāṇῑ savvadavvesu hi ratto) On the other hand, an unenlightened/deluded person, who is undoubtedly attached to all alien objects i.e., non-self, (kamma-majjhagado kammarayeṇa du lippadi) and is also enveloped by the environment of karmic matter, [and is indulging in threefold activities] is defiled/corrupted by its dust (jahā kaddamamajjhe lohaṃ) much in the same way as Iron gets corroded by the slush which surrounds it.
Annotations:
In these verses, the author uses a simple analogy to distinguish between the [purified] psychic dispositions of an enlightened sage and an unenlightened [deluded] person. The conscious substance [soul] is always enveloped by an environment of inanimate dust of karmic matter in the worldly life. The author has already established—in the previous verse—that the bondage of karma occurs only when the soul's dispositions are afflicted with attachment/ affection. In the case of an enlightened sage, (Jñāni) there is total absence of attachment for any alien objects. And hence, just as the precious metal Gold is never corroded, though it may be enveloped by mire/slush, because it has no chemical affinity for the corroding potency of the slush, the enlightened sage remains unaffected, i.e., there is no bondage. On the other hand, in the case of an unenlightened [deluded] person, his dispositions are afflicted with attachment/affection for alien objects. And hence, just as the base metal Iron is corroded by the slush enveloping it, because it has chemical affinity for the corrosion, the unenlightened person collects the karmic matter and the bondage occurs.
