17.21
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 17. Karmaphala (कर्मफल) / 17.21
कर्म नोत्पद्यते कस्मान् निःस्वभावं यतस् ततः यस्माच् च तदनुत्पन्नं न तस्माद् विप्रणश्यति
karma notpadyate kasmān niḥsvabhāvaṃ yatas tataḥ yasmāc ca tad anutpannaṃ na tasmād vipraṇaśyati
The line
An action, not arises, kasma (कस्म), a compound: niḥsva (निःस्व), and a state, from which, because, from that, then, because of from which, because and, that, anutpanna (अनुत्पन्न), not therefore. tasmāt (तस्मात्) before a voiced sound, in vipraṇaśyata (विप्रणश्यत).
Where it sits
In Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (मूलमध्यमककारिका), chapter 17. Karmaphala (कर्मफल). Act and fruit. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: karma (कर्म) + na (न) + utpadyate (उत्पद्यते) + kasmān (कस्मान्) + niḥsva-bhāvaṃ (निःस्व-भावं) + yataḥ (यतः) + tataḥ (ततः) + yasmāt (यस्मात्) + ca (च) + tad (तद्) + anutpannaṃ (अनुत्पन्नं) + na (न) + tasmād (तस्माद्) + vipraṇaśyati (विप्रणश्यति)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| karma (कर्म) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | an action |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| utpadyate (उत्पद्यते) | present, third person singular | arises |
| kasmān (कस्मान्) | accusative plural, masculine | kasma (कस्म) |
| niḥsva-bhāvaṃ (निःस्व-भावं) | accusative singular, masculine | a compound: niḥsva (निःस्व), and a state. Read it from the end |
| yataḥ (यतः) | indeclinable | from which, because |
| tataḥ (ततः) | indeclinable | from that, then |
| yasmāt (यस्मात्) | ablative singular | from which, because |
| ca (च) | indeclinable | and |
| tad (तद्) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | that |
| anutpannaṃ (अनुत्पन्नं) | accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter | anutpanna (अनुत्पन्न) |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| tasmād (तस्माद्) | indeclinable | therefore. tasmāt (तस्मात्) before a voiced sound |
| vipraṇaśyati (विप्रणश्यति) | locative singular, or nominative singular | vipraṇaśyata (विप्रणश्यत) |
The phrases
karma (कर्म) is an action. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. utpadyate (उत्पद्यते) is arises. It stands as present, third person singular. The line joins them as notpadyate. kasmān (कस्मान्) is kasma (कस्म). It stands as accusative plural, masculine. niḥsva-bhāvaṃ (निःस्व-भावं) is a compound: niḥsva (निःस्व), and a state. Read it from the end. It stands as accusative singular, masculine. yataḥ (यतः) is from which, because. It stands as indeclinable. The line writes it yatas. tataḥ (ततः) is from that, then. It stands as indeclinable.
yasmāt (यस्मात्) is from which, because. It stands as ablative singular. The line writes it yasmāc (यस्माच्). ca (च) is and. It stands as indeclinable. tad (तद्) is that. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. anutpannaṃ (अनुत्पन्नं) is anutpanna (अनुत्पन्न). It stands as accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. tasmād (तस्माद्) is therefore. tasmāt (तस्मात्) before a voiced sound. It stands as indeclinable. vipraṇaśyati (विप्रणश्यति) is vipraṇaśyata (विप्रणश्यत). It stands as locative singular, or nominative singular.
Sanskrit in this line
niḥsva-bhāvaṃ (निःस्व-भावं) is one compound. The hyphen is a teaching mark. Only the last member wears the case. The line joins them as notpadyate. The line writes it yatas. The line writes it yasmāc (यस्माच्).
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss karma (कर्म) and utpadyate (उत्पद्यते).