NIMITTAM APRAYOJAKAM PRAKRITINAM VARANA BHEDASTU TATAH KSHETRIKAVAT ||3||
निमित्तमप्रयोजकं प्रकृतीनांवरणभेदस्तु ततः क्षेत्रिकवत् ॥३॥
nimittam-aprayojakaṁ prakṛtīnāṁ-varaṇa-bhedastu tataḥ kṣetrikavat ||3||
However, outer causes are not sufficient to bring about inner change, which can be likened to a farmer removing a sluice gate so as to allow water to irrigate his rice field so that rice can grow there. ||3||
nimitta = visible cause
aprayojakaṁ = non-causal; not relevant
prakṛti = nature; matter; creation; physical
varaṇa = a wall around a rice field, which is cleft when the field is irrigated, thus allowing water to flow onto the field.
bheda = removal; splitting
tu = but
tataḥ = thence
kṣetrikavat = like a farmer