Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय ८) / 8.4
8.4
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
यदा नाहं तदा मोक्षो यदाहं बन्धनं तदा ।
मत्वेति हेलया किञ्चिन् मा गृहाण विमुञ्च मा yadā nāhaṃ tadā mokṣo yadāhaṃ bandhanaṃ tadā |
matveti helayā kiñcin mā gṛhāṇa vimuñca mā
The line
When I am not, then there is liberation. When I am, then there is bondage. Having considered this, do not lightly take anything, and do not release anything.
नेपालीमा
जब म हुँदिनँ, तब मोक्ष हुन्छ। जब म हुन्छु, तब बन्धन हुन्छ। यो सोचेर कुनै कुरा हलुका रूपमा नलिऊ र नछोड।
Where it sits
Astavakra is still speaking. Chapter 8 ends by tying bondage to the I, and by the double prohibition.
Split: yadā (यदा) + na (न) + aham (अहम्) + tadā (तदा) + mokṣaḥ (मोक्षः) + yadā (यदा) + aham (अहम्) + bandhanam (बन्धनम्) + tadā (तदा) + matvā (मत्वा) + iti (इति) + helayā (हेलया) + kiñcit (किञ्चित्) + mā (मा) + gṛhāṇa (गृहाण) + vimuñca (विमुञ्च) + mā (मा)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| yadā (यदा) | indeclinable | when. |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. Joined to aham (अहम्) as nāham (नाहम्). |
| aham (अहम्) | nominative singular | I. |
| tadā (तदा) | indeclinable | then. |
| mokṣaḥ (मोक्षः) | nominative singular, masculine | liberation. Recited mokṣo (मोक्षो) before y (य्). |
| yadā (यदा) | indeclinable | when. Joined to aham (अहम्) as yadāham (यदाहम्). |
| aham (अहम्) | nominative singular | I. |
| bandhanam (बन्धनम्) | nominative singular, neuter | bondage. |
| tadā (तदा) | indeclinable | then. |
| matvā (मत्वा) | absolutive | having considered. From man (मन्). Joined to iti (इति) as matveti (मत्वेति). |
| iti (इति) | indeclinable | thus. |
| helayā (हेलया) | instrumental singular, feminine | lightly, with ease. |
| kiñcit (किञ्चित्) | accusative singular, neuter | anything. Recited kiñcin (किञ्चिन्) before m (म्). |
| mā (मा) | indeclinable | do not. |
| gṛhāṇa (गृहाण) | imperative second person singular | take. |
| vimuñca (विमुञ्च) | imperative second person singular | release. |
| mā (मा) | indeclinable | do not. |
The phrases
The first yadā (यदा) na aham is timed to mokṣaḥ (मोक्षः). The second yadā (यदा) aham is timed to bandhanam. matvā (मत्वा) iti takes that pair as considered. helayā (हेलया) marks both prohibitions. kiñcit (किञ्चित्) is the object of gṛhāṇa (गृहाण) and of vimuñca (विमुञ्च), each under mā (मा).
Sanskrit in this line
na plus aham is nāham (नाहम्). yadā (यदा) plus aham is yadāham (यदाहम्). matvā (मत्वा) plus iti is matveti. kiñcit (किञ्चित्) before mā (मा) is kiñcin (किञ्चिन्).
Say it back
When is there bondage, on his own account?