Ashtavakra Gita 11.1 — Wisdom, Chapter 11, Verse 1

Devanagari script

अष्टावक्र उवाच ॥

भावाभावविकारश्च स्वभावादिति निश्चयी ।

निर्विकारो गतक्लेशः सुखेनैवोपशाम्यति ॥ ११-१॥

Transliteration

aṣṭāvakra uvāca ..

bhāvābhāvavikāraśca svabhāvāditi niścayī .

nirvikāro gatakleśaḥ sukhenaivopaśāmyati .. 11-1..

Translation

Aṣṭāvakra sprach: Wer gewiss ist, dass die Wandlungen von Sein und Nichtsein nur der eigenen Natur der Dinge entspringen, bleibt unveränderlich, frei von Leid, und findet mühelos Frieden.

Word by Word

• अष्टावक्रः: Ashtavakra
• अष्टावक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टावक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Akhyata/verb predicate (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भावाभावविकारः: change involving existence and non-existence
• भावाभावविकारः: Karta (कर्ता) in quoted idea
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव-अभाव-विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connective (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• स्वभावात्: from nature, by innate nature
• स्वभावात्: Apadana/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निश्चय-सूचक अव्यय

• निश्चयी: one who is certain
• निश्चयी: Karta (कर्ता) of उपशाम्यति
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्विकारः: unchanging, free from modification
• निर्विकारः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies निश्चयी

• गतक्लेशः: whose afflictions are gone
• गतक्लेशः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत-क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies निश्चयी

• सुखेन: easily, happily
• सुखेन: Karana/manner (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adverbial instrumental

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Emphatic particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• उपशाम्यति: becomes tranquil, subsides
• उपशाम्यति: Akhyata/verb predicate (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-शम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

• Aṣṭāvakra

Listener

• Janaka

Tags

• existence
• non-existence
• change
• unchanging
• peace
• suffering
• svabhava

Entities Mentioned

• Aṣṭāvakra
• bhava
• abhava
• vikara
• svabhava
• nirvikara
• klesha
• upashama

FAQs

What certainty is described in this verse?

The certainty that the changes of existence and non-existence are simply the nature of things.

What is the state of such a person?

Such a person remains unchanging, free from suffering, and easily becomes peaceful.

What does nirvikara mean?

Nirvikāra means unchanging or free from modification.