18.3
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 18. Ātman (आत्मन्) / 18.3
निर्ममो निरहंकारो यश् च सोऽपि न विद्यते निर्ममं निरहंकारं यः पश्यति न पश्यति
nirmamo nirahaṃkāro yaś ca so 'pi na vidyate nirmamaṃ nirahaṃkāraṃ yaḥ paśyati na paśyati
The line
nirmama (निर्मम), nirahaṃkāra (निरहंकार), who, which and, he, that. saḥ (सः) before a voiced sound even, not is found, nirmama (निर्मम), nirahaṃkāra (निरहंकार), who, which, sees, not sees.
Where it sits
In Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (मूलमध्यमककारिका), chapter 18. Ātman (आत्मन्). The self. The chapter the āstika (आस्तिक) books are arguing with. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: nirmamo (निर्ममो) + nirahaṃkāro (निरहंकारो) + yaḥ (यः) + ca (च) + so (सो) + api (अपि) + na (न) + vidyate (विद्यते) + nirmamaṃ (निर्ममं) + nirahaṃkāraṃ (निरहंकारं) + yaḥ (यः) + paśyati (पश्यति) + na (न) + paśyati (पश्यति)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| nirmamo (निर्ममो) | nominative singular, masculine | nirmama (निर्मम) |
| nirahaṃkāro (निरहंकारो) | nominative singular, masculine | nirahaṃkāra (निरहंकार) |
| yaḥ (यः) | nominative singular, masculine | who, which |
| ca (च) | indeclinable | and |
| so (सो) | nominative singular, masculine | he, that. saḥ (सः) before a voiced sound |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | also, even |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| vidyate (विद्यते) | present, third person singular | is found |
| nirmamaṃ (निर्ममं) | accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter | nirmama (निर्मम) |
| nirahaṃkāraṃ (निरहंकारं) | accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter | nirahaṃkāra (निरहंकार) |
| yaḥ (यः) | nominative singular, masculine | who, which |
| paśyati (पश्यति) | present, third person singular | sees |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| paśyati (पश्यति) | present, third person singular | sees |
The phrases
nirmamo (निर्ममो) is nirmama (निर्मम). It stands as nominative singular, masculine. nirahaṃkāro (निरहंकारो) is nirahaṃkāra (निरहंकार). It stands as nominative singular, masculine. yaḥ (यः) is who, which. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. The line writes it yaś (यश्). ca (च) is and. It stands as indeclinable. so (सो) is he, that. saḥ (सः) before a voiced sound. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. api (अपि) is also, even. It stands as indeclinable. The apostrophe marks an a that was dropped. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable.
vidyate (विद्यते) is is found. It stands as present, third person singular. nirmamaṃ (निर्ममं) is nirmama (निर्मम). It stands as accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter. nirahaṃkāraṃ (निरहंकारं) is nirahaṃkāra (निरहंकार). It stands as accusative singular, masculine, or nominative or accusative singular, neuter. yaḥ (यः) is who, which. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. paśyati (पश्यति) is sees. It stands as present, third person singular. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. paśyati (पश्यति) is sees. It stands as present, third person singular.
Sanskrit in this line
The apostrophe is an avagraha. It marks an a that sandhi dropped. The sitting puts that a back. The line writes it yaś (यश्). The apostrophe marks an a that was dropped.
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss nirmamo (निर्ममो) and nirahaṃkāro (निरहंकारो).