Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १८) / 18.39
18.39
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
न शान्तिं लभते मूढो यतः शमितुमिच्छति ।
धीरस् तत्त्वं विनिश्चित्य सर्वदा शान्तमानसः na śāntiṃ labhate mūḍho yataḥ śamitum icchati |
dhīras tattvaṃ viniścitya sarvadā śāntamānasaḥ
The line
The dull one does not obtain peace, because he wants to become still. The steady one, having fully determined reality, is always of still mind.
नेपालीमा
शान्त हुन चाहेकोले मूढले शान्ति पाउँदैन। धीरले तत्त्व निश्चय गरेर सधैँ शान्त मनको हुन्छ।
Where it sits
Astavakra is still speaking. Wanting to become still is why the dull one misses peace.
Split: na (न) + śāntim (शान्तिम्) + labhate (लभते) + mūḍhaḥ (मूढः) + yataḥ (यतः) + śamitum (शमितुम्) + icchati (इच्छति) + dhīraḥ (धीरः) + tattvam (तत्त्वम्) + viniścitya (विनिश्चित्य) + sarvadā (सर्वदा) + śāntamānasaḥ (शान्तमानसः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| śāntim (शान्तिम्) | accusative singular, feminine | peace. |
| labhate (लभते) | present third person singular | obtains. |
| mūḍhaḥ (मूढः) | nominative singular, masculine | the dull one. Recited mūḍho (मूढो) before y (य्). |
| yataḥ (यतः) | indeclinable | because. |
| śamitum (शमितुम्) | infinitive | to become still. |
| icchati (इच्छति) | present third person singular | he wants. |
| dhīraḥ (धीरः) | nominative singular, masculine | the steady one. Recited dhīras (धीर) before t (त्). |
| tattvam (तत्त्वम्) | accusative singular, neuter | reality. |
| viniścitya (विनिश्चित्य) | gerund | having determined fully. |
| sarvadā (सर्वदा) | indeclinable | always. |
| śāntamānasaḥ (शान्तमानसः) | nominative singular, masculine | one whose mind is still. Agrees with dhīraḥ (धीरः). |
The phrases
mūḍhaḥ (मूढः) is the subject of na labhate (न लभते), object śāntim (शान्तिम्). yataḥ (यतः) with śamitum icchati (शमितुमिच्छति) is the reason. dhīraḥ (धीरः) is śāntamānasaḥ (शान्तमानसः) after viniścitya tattvam (विनिश्चित्य तत्त्वम्). sarvadā (सर्वदा) says when.
Sanskrit in this line
mūḍhaḥ (मूढः) plus yataḥ (यतः) is mūḍho (मूढो) yataḥ (यतः). dhīraḥ (धीरः) plus tattvam is dhīras (धीर) tattvam.
Say it back
Why does the dull one miss peace?