Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय ३) / 3.11
3.11
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
मायामात्रमिदं विश्वं पश्यन् विगतकौतुकः ।
अपि सन्निहिते मृत्यौ कथं त्रस्यति धीरधीः māyāmātram idaṃ viśvaṃ paśyan vigatakautukaḥ |
api sannihite mṛtyau kathaṃ trasyati dhīradhīḥ
The line
Seeing this world as mere appearance, his curiosity gone, how does the one of steady mind fear, even when death is present?
नेपालीमा
यो विश्व देखाव मात्र हो भनी हेर्ने, कौतुक हटेको, स्थिर बुद्धिको मानिस मृत्यु नजिक हुँदा पनि कसरी डराउँछ?
Where it sits
Astavakra is still speaking. Death present is the last pressure put on the steady mind.
Split: māyāmātram (मायामात्रम्) + idam (इदम्) + viśvam (विश्वम्) + paśyan (पश्यन्) + vigatakautukaḥ (विगतकौतुकः) + api (अपि) + sannihite (सन्निहिते) + mṛtyau (मृत्यौ) + katham (कथम्) + trasyati (त्रस्यति) + dhīradhīḥ (धीरधीः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| māyāmātram (मायामात्रम्) | accusative singular, neuter | mere appearance. |
| idam (इदम्) | accusative singular, neuter | this. Agrees with viśvam (विश्वम्). |
| viśvam (विश्वम्) | accusative singular, neuter | the world. |
| paśyan (पश्यन्) | present participle, nominative singular, masculine | seeing. |
| vigatakautukaḥ (विगतकौतुकः) | nominative singular, masculine | one whose curiosity has gone. |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| sannihite (सन्निहिते) | locative singular, masculine | when it is present. Agrees with mṛtyau (मृत्यौ). |
| mṛtyau (मृत्यौ) | locative singular, masculine | in death, when death is near. |
| katham (कथम्) | indeclinable | how? |
| trasyati (त्रस्यति) | present third person singular | fears. From tras (त्र). |
| dhīradhīḥ (धीरधीः) | nominative singular, masculine | the one of steady mind. |
The phrases
dhīradhīḥ (धीरधीः) and vigatakautukaḥ (विगतकौतुकः) are one subject. paśyan (पश्यन्) agrees and takes viśvam (विश्वम्), with māyāmātram (मायामात्रम्) and idam agreeing. api concessive with the locative absolute sannihite mṛtyau (मृत्यौ). katham questions trasyati.
Sanskrit in this line
māyāmātram (मायामात्रम्) before idam keeps the anusvara. No visarga in this line is rewritten.
Say it back
When does the question about fear arise?