Verse 15

Sarvasara

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अज्ञानं तुच्छाप्यसती कालत्रयेऽपि पामराणां वास्तवी च सत्त्वबुद्धिर्लौकिकानामिदमित्थमित्यनिर्वचनीया वक्तुं न शक्या॥१५॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

अज्ञानम् । तुच्छम् । अपि । असती । काल-त्रये । अपि । पामराणाम् । वास्तवी । च । सत्त्व-बुद्धिः । लौकिकानाम् । इदम्-इत्थम्-इति । अनिर्वचनीया । वक्तुम् । न । शक्या ॥१५॥

IAST Transliteration

ajñānaṃ tucchāpy asatī kālatraye 'pi pāmarāṇāṃ vāstavī ca sattva-buddhir laukikānām idam-ittham ity anirvacanīyā vaktuṃ na śakyā ||15||

Translation

Ignorance (ajñāna)—though insubstantial and unreal—is, even in the three times, regarded by the ignorant as truly existent; for worldly people it is indescribable as “this is thus”; it cannot be definitively stated.

Academic Translation

Ignorance—though insubstantial and unreal—is, even in the three times, regarded by the ignorant as truly existent; for worldly people it is indescribable as ‘this is thus’; it cannot be definitively stated.

Verse Context

• Ajñāna as anirvacanīya and pragmatically compelling despite being ultimately unreal (mithyā)
• Mahavakya: Explains the obstacle removed by mahāvākya-knowledge: ajñāna that makes the identity of tvam and tat appear impossible
• Atharva
• Chandas: Prose