17.22
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 17. Karmaphala (कर्मफल) / 17.22
कर्म स्वभावतश् चेत् स्याच् छाश्वतं स्यादसंशयमकृतं च भवेत् कर्म क्रियते न हि शाश्वतम्
karma svabhāvataś cet syāc chāśvataṃ syād asaṃśayam akṛtaṃ ca bhavet karma kriyate na hi śāśvatam
The line
If you say that an action, a compound: an own-nature, and taśa (तश), then it would be. syāt (स्यात्) before c, chāśvata (छाश्वत), it would be. syāt (स्यात्) before a voiced sound, asaṃśaya (असंशय), akṛta (अकृत) and, would be, an action, is done, not permanent.
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) + svabhāva-taśa (स्वभाव-तश) + cet (चेत्) + syāc (स्याच्) + chāśvataṃ (छाश्वतं) + syād (स्याद्) + asaṃśayam (असंशयम्) + akṛtaṃ (अकृतं) + ca (च) + bhavet (भवेत्) + karma (कर्म) + kriyate (क्रियते) + na (न) + hi (हि) + śāśvatam (शाश्वतम्)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| karma (कर्म) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | an action |
| svabhāva-taśa (स्वभाव-तश) | a compound, the ending is on the last member | a compound: an own-nature, and taśa (तश). Read it from the end |
| cet (चेत्) | indeclinable | if you say, if |
| syāc (स्याच्) | optative, third person singular | it would be. syāt (स्यात्) before c |
| chāśvataṃ (छाश्वतं) | accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter | chāśvata (छाश्वत) |
| syād (स्याद्) | optative, third person singular | it would be. syāt (स्यात्) before a voiced sound |
| asaṃśayam (असंशयम्) | accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter | asaṃśaya (असंशय) |
| akṛtaṃ (अकृतं) | accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter | akṛta (अकृत) |
| ca (च) | indeclinable | and |
| bhavet (भवेत्) | optative, third person singular | would be |
| karma (कर्म) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | an action |
| kriyate (क्रियते) | present, third person singular | is done |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| hi (हि) | indeclinable | for, indeed |
| śāśvatam (शाश्वतम्) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | permanent |
The phrases
karma (कर्म) is an action. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. svabhāva-taśa (स्वभाव-तश) is a compound: an own-nature, and taśa (तश). Read it from the end. It stands as a compound, the ending is on the last member. cet (चेत्) is if you say, if. It stands as indeclinable. syāc (स्याच्) is it would be. syāt (स्यात्) before c. It stands as optative, third person singular. chāśvataṃ (छाश्वतं) is chāśvata (छाश्वत). It stands as accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter. syād (स्याद्) is it would be. syāt (स्यात्) before a voiced sound. It stands as optative, third person singular. asaṃśayam (असंशयम्) is asaṃśaya (असंशय). It stands as accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter. akṛtaṃ (अकृतं) is akṛta (अकृत). It stands as accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter.
ca (च) is and. It stands as indeclinable. bhavet (भवेत्) is would be. It stands as optative, third person singular. karma (कर्म) is an action. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. kriyate (क्रियते) is is done. It stands as present, third person singular. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. hi (हि) is for, indeed. It stands as indeclinable. śāśvatam (शाश्वतम्) is permanent. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter.
Sanskrit in this line
svabhāva-taśa (स्वभाव-तश) is one compound. The hyphen is a teaching mark. Only the last member wears the case.
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss karma (कर्म) and svabhāva-taśa (स्वभाव-तश).