Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Janaka (अध्याय २) / 2.17
2.17
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
bodhamātro 'ham ajñānādउpādhiḥ kalpito mayā | evaṃ vimṛśato nityaṃ nirvikalpe sthitir mama
The line
I am awareness alone. The overlay was imagined by me from unknowing. For me as I reflect in this way constantly, there is a standing in the undivided.
नेपालीमा
म बोध मात्र हुँ। अज्ञानका कारण उपाधि मैले नै कल्पना गरेको हो। यसरी सधैँ विचार गरिरहने मेरो स्थिति निर्विकल्पमा छ।
Where it sits
Janaka is still speaking. The overlay is his own imagining, and the standing is in the undivided.
Split: bodhamātraḥ (बोधमात्रः) + aham (अहम्) + ajñānāt (अज्ञानात्) + upādhiḥ (उपाधिः) + kalpitaḥ (कल्पितः) + mayā (मया) + evam (एवम्) + vimṛśataḥ (विमृशतः) + nityam (नित्यम्) + nirvikalpe (निर्विकल्पे) + sthitiḥ (स्थितिः) + mama (मम)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| bodhamātraḥ (बोधमात्रः) | nominative singular, masculine | awareness alone. bodha (बोध) is awareness. mātra (मात्र) is alone. Recited bodhamātro (बोधमात्रो) before aham (अहम्). |
| aham (अहम्) | nominative singular | I. |
| ajñānāt (अज्ञानात्) | ablative singular, neuter | from unknowing. Recited ajñānād (अज्ञानाद्) before upādhiḥ (उपाधिः). |
| upādhiḥ (उपाधिः) | nominative singular, masculine | an overlay, a limiting condition. |
| kalpitaḥ (कल्पितः) | nominative singular, masculine | imagined. Agrees with upādhiḥ (उपाधिः). Recited kalpito (कल्पितो) before mayā (मया). |
| mayā (मया) | instrumental singular | by me. |
| evam (एवम्) | indeclinable | thus, in this way. |
| vimṛśataḥ (विमृशतः) | genitive singular, masculine | of one who reflects. Present participle of vi (वि) plus mṛś (मृश्). |
| nityam (नित्यम्) | accusative singular, neuter | constantly. |
| nirvikalpe (निर्विकल्पे) | locative singular, neuter | in the undivided, in what has no alternative. |
| sthitiḥ (स्थितिः) | nominative singular, feminine | a standing, an abiding. Recited sthitir (स्थितिर्) before mama (मम). |
| mama (मम) | genitive singular | of me. |
The phrases
aham (अहम्) is bodhamātraḥ (बोधमात्रः). upādhiḥ (उपाधिः) is kalpitaḥ (कल्पितः) by mayā (मया) from ajñānāt (अज्ञानात्). sthitiḥ mama (स्थितिः मम) is in nirvikalpe (निर्विकल्पे), for vimṛśataḥ (विमृशतः), the one reflecting evam (एवम्), and nityam (नित्यम्) marks the constancy.
Sanskrit in this line
bodhamātraḥ (बोधमात्रः) plus aham is bodhamātro (बोधमात्रो) 'ham. ajñānāt (अज्ञानात्) before upādhiḥ (उपाधिः) is ajñānād (अज्ञानाद्), and this edition keeps the virama, so the consonant does not take the vowel of upādhiḥ (उपाधिः).
Say it back
What was imagined, and where is the standing?