Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १७) / 17.3
17.3
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
न जातु विषयाः केऽपि स्वारामं हर्षयन्त्यमी ।
सल्लकीपल्लवप्रीतमिवेभं निम्बपल्लवाः na jātu viṣayāḥ ke 'pi svārāmaṃ harṣayanty amī |
sallakīpallavaprītam ivebhaṃ nimbapallavāḥ
The line
These objects never gladden the one who delights in himself, as neem sprouts do not gladden an elephant fond of sallaki sprouts.
नेपालीमा
यी विषयहरूले आफूमा रमाउनेलाई कहिल्यै हर्षित पार्दैनन् जसरी निम्बका मुनाले सल्लकीका मुना मन पराउने हात्तीलाई पार्दैनन्।
Where it sits
Astavakra is still speaking. A simile sets sense objects next to neem sprouts.
Split: na (न) + jātu (जातु) + viṣayāḥ (विषयाः) + ke (के) + api (अपि) + svārāmam (स्वारामम्) + harṣayanti (हर्षयन्ति) + amī (अमी) + sallakīpallavaprītam (सल्लकीपल्लवप्रीतम्) + iva (इव) + ibham (इभम्) + nimbapallavāḥ (निम्बपल्लवाः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| jātu (जातु) | indeclinable | ever. |
| viṣayāḥ (विषयाः) | nominative plural, masculine | objects of sense. |
| ke (के) | nominative plural, masculine | which. With api (अपि) recited ke 'pi (केऽपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even, at all. |
| svārāmam (स्वारामम्) | accusative singular, masculine | one who delights in himself. |
| harṣayanti (हर्षयन्ति) | present third person plural | they gladden. Recited harṣayanty (हर्षयन्त्य्) before amī (अमी). |
| amī (अमी) | nominative plural, masculine | these. Agrees with viṣayāḥ (विषयाः). |
| sallakīpallavaprītam (सल्लकीपल्लवप्रीतम्) | accusative singular, masculine | one fond of sallaki sprouts. |
| iva (इव) | indeclinable | as. With ibham (इभम्) recited ivebham (इवेभम्). |
| ibham (इभम्) | accusative singular, masculine | an elephant. |
| nimbapallavāḥ (निम्बपल्लवाः) | nominative plural, masculine | neem sprouts. They play the part of viṣayāḥ (विषयाः) in the simile. |
The phrases
amī (अमी) viṣayāḥ (विषयाः) ke api are the subject of na harṣayanti (हर्षयन्ति), and svārāmam (स्वारामम्) is the object. iva sets nimbapallavāḥ (निम्बपल्लवाः) beside those objects and sallakīpallavaprītam (सल्लकीपल्लवप्रीतम्) ibham beside svārāmam (स्वारामम्).
Sanskrit in this line
kaḥ (कः) is not the form here. ke api is केऽपि, with the avagraha. iva ibham is ivebham.
Say it back
What fails to gladden the one who delights in himself?