Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १८) / 18.90
18.90
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
jānannapi na jānāti paśyannapi na paśyati | bruvannअपि na ca brūte ko 'nyo nirvāsanād ṛte
The line
Even while knowing he does not know. Even while seeing he does not see. And even while speaking he does not speak. Who else, apart from the one without lingering traces?
नेपालीमा
जान्दाजान्दै पनि जान्दैन, हेर्दाहेर्दै पनि हेर्दैन, बोल्दाबोल्दै पनि बोल्दैन। वासनारहित बाहेक अरू को हो?
Where it sits
Aṣṭāvakra (अष्टावक्र) is still speaking, and the one with whom no comparison arises is now the only one who knows without knowing.
Split: jānan (जानन्) + api (अपि) + na (न) + jānāti (जानाति) + paśyan (पश्यन्) + api (अपि) + na (न) + paśyati (पश्यति) + bruvan (ब्रुवन्) + api (अपि) + na (न) + ca (च) + brūte (ब्रूते) + kaḥ (कः) + anyaḥ (अन्यः) + nirvāsanāt (निर्वासनात्) + ṛte (ऋते)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| jānan (जानन्) | nominative singular, masculine | knowing. Present participle of jñā (ज्ञा). Recited jānann (जानन्न्) before api (अपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| jānāti (जानाति) | present third person singular | knows. From jñā (ज्ञा). |
| paśyan (पश्यन्) | nominative singular, masculine | seeing. Present participle of dṛś (दृश्). Recited paśyann (पश्यन्न्) before api (अपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| paśyati (पश्यति) | present third person singular | sees. From dṛś (दृश्). |
| bruvan (ब्रुवन्) | nominative singular, masculine | speaking. Present participle of brū (ब्रू). The file prints a doubled n (न्) and an independent a (अ) before api (अपि). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| ca (च) | indeclinable | and. |
| brūte (ब्रूते) | present third person singular | speaks. From brū (ब्रू), middle. |
| kaḥ (कः) | nominative singular, masculine | who? Recited ko (को) with the avagraha. |
| anyaḥ (अन्यः) | nominative singular, masculine | another. Recited nyo (न्यो) before n (न्), after the avagraha. |
| nirvāsanāt (निर्वासनात्) | ablative singular, masculine | from the one without lingering traces. Recited nirvāsanād (निर्वासनाद्) before the vowel. Ablative with ṛte (ऋते). |
| ṛte (ऋते) | indeclinable | apart from, except. Takes the ablative. |
The phrases
Three concessions with api (अपि): jānan (जानन्) yet na (न) jānāti (जानाति), paśyan (पश्यन्) yet na (न) paśyati (पश्यति), bruvan (ब्रुवन्) yet na (न) ca (च) brūte (ब्रूते). kaḥ (कः) anyaḥ (अन्यः) asks who else, and ṛte (ऋते) with nirvāsanāt (निर्वासनात्) names the only one who fits.
Sanskrit in this line
jānan (जानन्) plus api (अपि) is jānannapi (जानन्नपि), and paśyan (पश्यन्) plus api (अपि) is paśyannapi (पश्यन्नपि), the n (न्) doubled before the vowel in the usual way. bruvan (ब्रुवन्) is printed ब्रुवन्न् अपि, doubled n (न्) and an independent अ, so the recited line keeps that अ. kaḥ (कः) plus anyaḥ (अन्यः) is recited ko 'nyo, and anyaḥ (अन्यः) before n (न्) gives nyo. nirvāsanāt (निर्वासनात्) plus ṛte (ऋते) is nirvāsanād (निर्वासनाद्) ṛte (ऋते).
Say it back
What three actions fail even while he does them, and who alone is excepted?