AVG 2.24

Chapter 2 (The Seekers Joy at Self-Cognizance): Verse 24
मय्यनंतमहाम्भोधौ चित्तवाते प्रशाम्यति ।
अभाग्याज्जीववणिजो जगत्पोतो विनश्वरः ॥ २-२४॥

PURPORT:
With the calming of the winds of knowledge
blowing over the limitless expanse
of the thought-ocean within my mind,
that sailing ark of name-and-form
owned and retailed by the self,
unfortunately meets devastation.

TRANSLITERATION:
मयि अनंत महाम्भोधौ चित्तवाते प्रशाम्यति ।
mayi anaṃta mahāmbhodhau cittavāte praśāmyati ।
अभाग्यात् जीववणिजः जगत्पोतः विनश्वरः ॥ २-२४॥
abhāgyāt jīvavaṇijaḥ jagatpotaḥ vinaśvaraḥ ॥ 2-24॥

MEANING:
mayi (मयि) = in me/within me
anaṃta (अनंत) = eternal/limitless
mahāmbhodhau (महाम्भोधौ) = in the form of the large expanse of the ocean3
cittavāte (चित्तवाते) = the wind of thought and knowledge (compound of citta (चित्त) meaning mind/knowledge and vāte (वाते) meaning wind
praśāmyati (प्रशाम्यति) = become calm and tranquil/be allayed or extinguished/be pacified or soothed।
abhāgyāt (अभाग्यात्) = through unfortunate circumstances/through misfortune
jīvavaṇijaḥ (जीववणिजः) = of Jiva the merchant-trader where Jiva is the finite self/life (compound of jīva (जीव) the finite self/life and vaṇijaḥ (वणिजः) meaning trader/merchant/dealer/retailer)
jagatpotaḥ (जगत्पोतः) = the ark of the universe* (compound of jagat (जगत) meaning universe and potaḥ (पोत) meaning ark/boat/ship)
vinaśvaraḥ (विनश्वरः) = apt to be devastated/ravaged/destroyed॥ 2-24॥

COMMENT:
As we near the end of this fascinating chapter, these beautiful verses convey a sense of tranquility that gently descends over Janaka's mind. A state of serene understanding where the roiling fluctuations of thought does not have the latent power to occupy Janaka's waking hours. A state of peace where the limitless ocean of the mind is stilled not by the willful expulsion of the ever-arising automatic wellspring of thoughts, but by the realization that a mind that is free of thought and unencumbered by conditioning (offered by a panoply of names and forms that we are constantly subjected to) can be achieved. The visual imagery in these lines are indeed stunning and seamlessly follows the imagery introduced in the previous verse. Firstly, the mind is compared to a limitless ocean that has the infinite potential to accommodate for thought-constructions of various varieties; secondly, the knowledge that comes from interacting with the name-and-form based culture we are subjected to is compared to winds that disturb the smooth surface of such a mind-ocean and thus produces waves of thought over the ocean; and thirdly, the various thought manifestations that arise in our interactions with the phenomenal world takes the form of an ark that sails on such an ocean. Finally, the stilling that happens within Janaka's mind as a result of his ability to understand his mind within impartial, choiceless awareness allows for that ark of name-and-form to sink and dissipate within the waters of such an ocean.

NOTES:
The universe here is taken to be the phenomenal universe that we conventionally interact with; a universe that nominally consists of names, forms and sundry appellations.