Quiz · 12.13–12.20
Who is dear
Cover the answer. Read the Devanagari of the verse before you open it.
1
In 12.13, what kind of compound is sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ (सम-दुःख-सुखः), and whom does it name?
Answer
A bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि). It names a person for whom duḥkha (दुःख) and sukha (सुख) are sama (सम), the same in sorrow and in joy. The last member carries the nominative. nir (निर्) on mama (मम) does the same kind of work beside it: nirmamaḥ (निर्ममः) is the one from whom "mine" is gone.
2
te (ते) stands in front of atīva (अतीव) in 12.20. What is recited, and which sandhi makes it?
Answer
te 'tīva (तेऽतीव). ए + अ e + a keeps the e (ए) and drops the a (अ) of atīva (अतीव). The ऽ marks that dropped a (अ). Before it, भक्ताः + ते bhaktāḥ + te is bhaktās te (भक्तास्ते): āḥ (आः) before t (त्) becomes ās (आस्). The run is bhaktās te 'tīva (भक्तास्तेऽतीव).
3
Say what 12.13 says, in one sentence.
Answer
He hates none of all beings, he is a friend and he is compassionate, he has no "mine" and no "I," he is the same in sorrow and in joy, and he is patient — the person 12.14 calls dear to me.
4
What is Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) doing in 12.13–12.20?
Answer
He draws the person who is dear to him. It begins with the one who hates no being, the friend, the compassionate one, the one with no "mine" and no "I," the same in sorrow and in joy. Verse after verse the nominatives pile up, and the sentence closes on me priyaḥ (मे प्रियः), dear to me. The last verse gathers those who take up this deathless dharma as it was said, trusting, holding him as supreme: they are exceedingly dear.
5
Say 12.13 back. Which word fails the sitting if he still has a claim of "mine"?
Answer
nirmamaḥ (निर्ममः). nir (निर्) strips mama (मम). If nirmamaḥ (निर्ममः) comes out as "mine," stay on 12.13. The same line has sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ (सम-दुःख-सुखः): sorrow and joy are the same for him.