Aṣṭāvakra Gītā / Aṣṭāvakra (अध्याय १८) / 18.94
18.94
the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā (अष्टावक्र गीता)
सुप्तोऽपि न सुषुप्तौ च स्वप्नेऽपि शयितो न च ।
जागरेऽपि न जागर्ति धीरस् तृप्तः पदे पदे supto 'pi na suṣuptau ca svapne 'pi śayito na ca |
jāgare 'pi na jāgarti dhīras tṛptaḥ pade pade
The line
Even asleep, he is not in deep sleep, and even in dream he is not lying there. Even in waking he does not wake. The steady one is content at every step.
नेपालीमा
सुतेको भएर पनि गाढा निद्रामा छैन, सपनामा पनि शयान छैन, जागा अवस्थामा पनि जाग्दैन। धीर हरेक पाइलामा तृप्त छ।
Where it sits
Aṣṭāvakra (अष्टावक्र) is still speaking, and the untold inner experience is now the steady one who is content in sleep, dream, and waking alike.
Split: suptaḥ (सुप्तः) + api (अपि) + na (न) + suṣuptau (सुषुप्तौ) + ca (च) + svapne (स्वप्ने) + api (अपि) + śayitaḥ (शयितः) + na (न) + ca (च) + jāgare (जागरे) + api (अपि) + na (न) + jāgarti (जागर्ति) + dhīraḥ (धीरः) + tṛptaḥ (तृप्तः) + pade (पदे) + pade (पदे)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| suptaḥ (सुप्तः) | nominative singular, masculine | asleep. Recited supto (सुप्तो) with the avagraha. Agrees with dhīraḥ (धीरः). |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| suṣuptau (सुषुप्तौ) | locative singular, feminine | in deep sleep. |
| ca (च) | indeclinable | and. |
| svapne (स्वप्ने) | locative singular, masculine | in dream. |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. Kept by the avagraha after e (ए). |
| śayitaḥ (शयितः) | nominative singular, masculine | lying asleep. Recited śayito (शयितो) before n (न्). |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| ca (च) | indeclinable | and. |
| jāgare (जागरे) | locative singular, masculine | in waking. |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | even. Kept by the avagraha after e (ए). |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| jāgarti (जागर्ति) | present third person singular | wakes, stays awake. From jāgṛ (जागृ). |
| dhīraḥ (धीरः) | nominative singular, masculine | the steady one. Recited dhīras (धीर) before t (त्). Subject throughout. |
| tṛptaḥ (तृप्तः) | nominative singular, masculine | content. Agrees with dhīraḥ (धीरः). |
| pade (पदे) | locative singular, neuter | on a step, in a state. |
| pade (पदे) | locative singular, neuter | on a step. Repeated, so at every step. |
The phrases
dhīraḥ (धीरः) is the subject of the three denials and of the nominal tṛptaḥ (तृप्तः). suptaḥ (सुप्तः) api (अपि) is conceded, but na (न) keeps him out of suṣuptau (सुषुप्तौ). svapne (स्वप्ने) api (अपि) is conceded, but he is na (न) śayitaḥ (शयितः). jāgare (जागरे) api (अपि) is conceded, but na (न) jāgarti (जागर्ति). pade (पदे) pade (पदे) locates the contentment.
Sanskrit in this line
suptaḥ (सुप्तः) plus api (अपि) is supto (सुप्तो) with the avagraha. svapne (स्वप्ने) plus api (अपि) and jāgare (जागरे) plus api (अपि) keep the avagraha. śayitaḥ (शयितः) before n (न्) is śayito (शयितो). dhīraḥ (धीरः) before t (त्) is recited dhīras (धीर).
Say it back
In which three states is the steady one said not to be, and where is he content?