Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १५) / 15.1
15.1
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
यथातथोपदेशेन कृतार्थः सत्त्वबुद्धिमान् ।
आजीवमपि जिज्ञासुः परस् तत्र विमुह्यति yathātathopadeśena kṛtārthaḥ sattvabuddhimān |
ājīvamapi jijñāsuḥ paras tatra vimuhyati
The line
By a teaching of whatever sort, one whose understanding is clear has gained the aim. Another, a seeker even for a whole life, is bewildered there.
नेपालीमा
जस्तोसुकै उपदेशले सत्त्व बुद्धि भएको व्यक्ति कृतार्थ हुन्छ। अर्को जिज्ञासु चाहिँ जीवनभर नै त्यहाँ अलमलिन्छ।
Where it sits
Aṣṭāvakra (अष्टावक्र) speaks. aṣṭāvakra (अष्टावक्र) uvāca (उवाच) is printed before the verse and is not numbered. Chapter 15 opens by setting the clear mind against the lifelong seeker.
Split: yathātathopadeśena (यथातथोपदेशेन) + kṛtārthaḥ (कृतार्थः) + sattvabuddhimān (सत्त्वबुद्धिमान्) + ājīvam (आजीवम्) + api (अपि) + jijñāsuḥ (जिज्ञासुः) + paraḥ (परः) + tatra (तत्र) + vimuhyati (विमुह्यति)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| yathātathopadeśena (यथातथोपदेशेन) | instrumental singular, masculine | by a teaching of whatever sort. Read from upadeśena (उपदेशेन). yathā (यथा) plus tathā (तथा) is whatever way. |
| kṛtārthaḥ (कृतार्थः) | nominative singular, masculine | one who has gained the aim. |
| sattvabuddhimān (सत्त्वबुद्धिमान्) | nominative singular, masculine | one whose understanding is clear. Read from buddhimān (बुद्धिमान्). Agrees with kṛtārthaḥ (कृतार्थः). |
| ājīvam (आजीवम्) | accusative singular, neuter | for the whole of life. Adverb. Joined to api (अपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| jijñāsuḥ (जिज्ञासुः) | nominative singular, masculine | one who wishes to know. Agrees with paraḥ (परः). |
| paraḥ (परः) | nominative singular, masculine | another. Recited paras (पर) before tatra (तत्र). |
| tatra (तत्र) | indeclinable | there, in that. |
| vimuhyati (विमुह्यति) | present third person singular | is bewildered. From vi (वि) and muh (मुह्). |
The phrases
kṛtārthaḥ (कृतार्थः) sattvabuddhimān (सत्त्वबुद्धिमान्) is so by yathātathopadeśena (यथातथोपदेशेन). paraḥ (परः) jijñāsuḥ (जिज्ञासुः) is the subject of vimuhyati (विमुह्यति), even ājīvam (आजीवम्), and tatra (तत्र) is where.
Sanskrit in this line
yathā (यथा) plus tathā (तथा) plus upadeśena (उपदेशेन) is yathātathopadeśena (यथातथोपदेशेन). ājīvam (आजीवम्) plus api (अपि) joins m (म्) to a (अ). paraḥ (परः) before tatra (तत्र) is paras (पर).
Say it back
Who has gained the aim by any teaching, and who is bewildered?