Shloka 43

अव्यक्त-गुण-पुरुषविवेकः | Avyakta, Guṇas, and Discrimination of Puruṣa

Devanagari script

ममत्वेनावृतो नित्यं तत्रैव परिवर्तते

Transliteration

mamatvenāvṛto nityaṃ tatraiva parivartate

Translation

Ever veiled by the sense of “mine,” a person remains bound to that very sphere and keeps revolving there again and again—unable to move beyond attachment into freedom and right understanding.

Word by Word

• ममत्वेन: by/with possessiveness (sense of ‘mine’)
• ममत्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ममत्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आवृतः: covered, enveloped
• आवृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवृत (आ + √वृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• तत्र: there, in that (state/place)
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• एव: indeed, just, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• परिवर्तते: keeps revolving/turning about, continues to move about
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √वृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Possessive identification (‘this is mine’) obscures discernment and keeps one trapped in repetitive cycles of suffering; loosening mamatva is essential for ethical clarity and liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is instructing on the inner cause of bondage: the mind, covered by possessiveness, remains stuck in the same state and continues to revolve there, rather than progressing toward freedom through detachment and insight.