23.14
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 23. Viparyāsa (विपर्यास) / 23.14
अनित्ये नित्यमित्येवं यदि ग्राहो विपर्ययः अनित्यमित्यपि ग्राहः शून्ये किं न विपर्ययः
anitye nityam ity evaṃ yadi grāho viparyayaḥ anityam ity api grāhaḥ śūnye kiṃ na viparyayaḥ
The line
In not eternal, always thus thus, if, grāha (ग्राह), the reverse, not eternal thus even, grāha (ग्राह), in empty, what, not the reverse.
Where it sits
In Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (मूलमध्यमककारिका), chapter 23. Viparyāsa (विपर्यास). The reversals, taking the impure for the pure and the rest. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: anitye (अनित्ये) + nityam (नित्यम्) + ity (इत्य्) + evaṃ (एवं) + yadi (यदि) + grāho (ग्राहो) + viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः) + anityam (अनित्यम्) + ity (इत्य्) + api (अपि) + grāhaḥ (ग्राहः) + śūnye (शून्ये) + kiṃ (किं) + na (न) + viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| anitye (अनित्ये) | locative singular, or nominative or accusative dual, neuter | not eternal |
| nityam (नित्यम्) | indeclinable | always |
| ity (इत्य्) | indeclinable | thus. iti before a vowel |
| evaṃ (एवं) | indeclinable | in this way |
| yadi (यदि) | indeclinable | if |
| grāho (ग्राहो) | nominative singular, masculine | grāha (ग्राह) |
| viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः) | nominative singular, masculine | the reverse |
| anityam (अनित्यम्) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | not eternal |
| ity (इत्य्) | indeclinable | thus. iti before a vowel |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | also, even |
| grāhaḥ (ग्राहः) | nominative singular, masculine | grāha (ग्राह) |
| śūnye (शून्ये) | locative singular, or nominative or accusative dual, neuter | empty |
| kiṃ (किं) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | what |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः) | nominative singular, masculine | the reverse |
The phrases
anitye (अनित्ये) is not eternal. It stands as locative singular, or nominative or accusative dual, neuter. nityam (नित्यम्) is always. It stands as indeclinable. ity (इत्य्) is thus. iti before a vowel. It stands as indeclinable. evaṃ (एवं) is in this way. It stands as indeclinable. yadi (यदि) is if. It stands as indeclinable. grāho (ग्राहो) is grāha (ग्राह). It stands as nominative singular, masculine. viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः) is the reverse. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. anityam (अनित्यम्) is not eternal. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter.
ity (इत्य्) is thus. iti before a vowel. It stands as indeclinable. api (अपि) is also, even. It stands as indeclinable. grāhaḥ (ग्राहः) is grāha (ग्राह). It stands as nominative singular, masculine. śūnye (शून्ये) is empty. It stands as locative singular, or nominative or accusative dual, neuter. kiṃ (किं) is what. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः) is the reverse. It stands as nominative singular, masculine.
Sanskrit in this line
viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः) is nominative singular, masculine. That ending is the work an English preposition would do.
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss anitye (अनित्ये) and nityam (नित्यम्).