Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १८) / 18.58
18.58
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
अकुर्वन्नपि सङ्क्षोभाद् व्यग्रः सर्वत्र मूढधीः ।
कुर्वन्नपि तु कृत्यानि कुशलो हि निराकुलः akurvann api saṅkṣobhād vyagraḥ sarvatra mūḍhadhīḥ |
kurvann api tu kṛtyāni kuśalo hi nirākulaḥ
The line
Even while not doing, the one of dull understanding is distracted everywhere from agitation. Even while doing what is to be done, the skilled one is untroubled.
नेपालीमा
नगरे पनि सङ्क्षोभले मूर्ख बुद्धि सर्वत्र व्यग्र हुन्छ। काम गर्दा पनि कुशल व्यक्ति निराकुल हुन्छ।
Where it sits
Astavakra is still speaking. Not doing agitates the dull understanding. Doing deeds leaves the skilled one untroubled.
Split: akurvan (अकुर्वन्) + api (अपि) + saṅkṣobhāt (सङ्क्षोभात्) + vyagraḥ (व्यग्रः) + sarvatra (सर्वत्र) + mūḍhadhīḥ (मूढधीः) + kurvan (कुर्वन्) + api (अपि) + tu (तु) + kṛtyāni (कृत्यानि) + kuśalaḥ (कुशलः) + hi (हि) + nirākulaḥ (निराकुलः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| akurvan (अकुर्वन्) | nominative singular, masculine | not doing. The print doubles n (न्) before api (अपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| saṅkṣobhāt (सङ्क्षोभात्) | ablative singular, masculine | from agitation. Recited saṅkṣobhād (सङ्क्षोभाद्) before v (व्). |
| vyagraḥ (व्यग्रः) | nominative singular, masculine | distracted. Agrees with mūḍhadhīḥ (मूढधीः). |
| sarvatra (सर्वत्र) | indeclinable | everywhere. |
| mūḍhadhīḥ (मूढधीः) | nominative singular, masculine | one of dull understanding. |
| kurvan (कुर्वन्) | nominative singular, masculine | doing. The print doubles n (न्) before api (अपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| tu (तु) | indeclinable | but. |
| kṛtyāni (कृत्यानि) | accusative plural, neuter | things to be done. |
| kuśalaḥ (कुशलः) | nominative singular, masculine | the skilled one. Recited kuśalo (कुशलो) before hi (हि). |
| hi (हि) | indeclinable | indeed. |
| nirākulaḥ (निराकुलः) | nominative singular, masculine | untroubled. Agrees with kuśalaḥ (कुशलः). |
The phrases
akurvan api (अकुर्वनपि) modifies mūḍhadhīḥ (मूढधीः), who is vyagraḥ sarvatra (व्यग्रः सर्वत्र) from saṅkṣobhāt (सङ्क्षोभात्). kurvan api (कुर्वनपि) modifies kuśalaḥ (कुशलः), object kṛtyāni (कृत्यानि), and he is nirākulaḥ (निराकुलः). tu (तु) and hi (हि) mark the contrast.
Sanskrit in this line
akurvan plus api and kurvan plus api double the n. saṅkṣobhāt (सङ्क्षोभात्) plus vyagraḥ (व्यग्रः) is saṅkṣobhād (सङ्क्षोभाद्) vyagraḥ (व्यग्रः). kuśalaḥ (कुशलः) plus hi is kuśalo (कुशलो) hi.
Say it back
Who stays untroubled while doing what is to be done?