Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १८) / 18.100
18.100
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
न धावति जनाकीर्णं नारण्यमुपशान्तधीः ।
यथातथा यत्रतत्र सम एवावतिष्ठते na dhāvati janākīrṇaṃ nāraṇyam upaśāntadhīḥ |
yathātathā yatratatra sama evāvatiṣṭhate
The line
He whose mind is quieted does not run to a place crowded with people, nor to the forest. In whatever way, in whatever place, he simply remains even.
नेपालीमा
शान्त बुद्धि भएको जनभीडतिर पनि दौडदैन, अरण्यतिर पनि दौडदैन। जस्तो त्यस्तै, जहाँ तहाँ, सम भएर नै रहन्छ।
Where it sits
Aṣṭāvakra (अष्टावक्र) is still speaking, and this is the last verse of the chapter, closing on the quiet mind that remains where it is.
Split: na (न) + dhāvati (धावति) + janākīrṇam (जनाकीर्णम्) + na (न) + araṇyam (अरण्यम्) + upaśāntadhīḥ (उपशान्तधीः) + yathātathā (यथातथा) + yatratatra (यत्रतत्र) + samaḥ (समः) + eva (एव) + avatiṣṭhate (अवतिष्ठते)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| dhāvati (धावति) | present third person singular | runs. From dhāv (धाव्). |
| janākīrṇam (जनाकीर्णम्) | accusative singular, neuter | what is crowded with people. ākīrṇa (आकीर्ण) is crowded. jana (जन) is people. Object of dhāvati (धावति). |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. Joined with araṇyam (अरण्यम्) as nā (ना). |
| araṇyam (अरण्यम्) | accusative singular, neuter | the forest. Second object of dhāvati (धावति). Joined by m (म्) to u (उ). |
| upaśāntadhīḥ (उपशान्तधीः) | nominative singular, masculine | one whose mind is quieted. dhī (धी) is the mind. upaśānta (उपशान्त) is quieted. Subject of both verbs. |
| yathātathā (यथातथा) | indeclinable | in whatever way, just as it is. |
| yatratatra (यत्रतत्र) | indeclinable | in whatever place, just where it is. |
| samaḥ (समः) | nominative singular, masculine | even. Agrees with upaśāntadhīḥ (उपशान्तधीः). |
| eva (एव) | indeclinable | simply. Joined with avatiṣṭhate (अवतिष्ठते) as evā (एवा). |
| avatiṣṭhate (अवतिष्ठते) | present third person singular | remains, stands. From sthā (स्था) with ava (अव). |
The phrases
upaśāntadhīḥ (उपशान्तधीः) is the subject of na (न) dhāvati (धावति) and of avatiṣṭhate (अवतिष्ठते). janākīrṇam (जनाकीर्णम्) and araṇyam (अरण्यम्) are the two places he does not run to. yathātathā (यथातथा) and yatratatra (यत्रतत्र) give manner and place of avatiṣṭhate (अवतिष्ठते), and samaḥ (समः) eva (एव) agrees with the subject.
Sanskrit in this line
na (न) plus araṇyam (अरण्यम्) is nāraṇyam (नारण्यम्), and araṇyam (अरण्यम्) plus upaśāntadhīḥ (उपशान्तधीः) joins m (म्) to u (उ). eva (एव) plus avatiṣṭhate (अवतिष्ठते) is evāvatiṣṭhate (एवावतिष्ठते), a (अ) plus a (अ) becoming ā (आ).
Say it back
Where does the quiet mind not run, and how does he remain?