Atma Upanishad: Verse 13
नित्यतृप्तोऽप्यभुञ्जानोऽप्यसमः समदर्शनः । कुर्वन्नपि न कुर्वाणश्चाभोक्ता फलभोग्यपि ॥
नित्य-तृप्तः । अपि । अभुञ्जानः । अपि । असमः । सम-दर्शनः । कुर्वन् । अपि । न । कुर्वाणः । च । अभोक्ता । फल-भोगी । अपि ।
nityatṛpto 'py abhuñjāno 'py asamaḥ samadarśanaḥ | kurvann api na kurvāṇaś cābhoktā phalabhogy api ||
Woh hamesha khush hai, par aisa lagta hai jaise kuch le raha nahi. Koi uske barabar nahi, par sabko ek jaisa dekhta hai. Kaam karta hai, par karti uski nahi. Phal milta hai, par woh uska maza leta hai jaise koi aur ho.
Though ever satisfied, he is as though not enjoying; unequaled, yet seeing equally. Though acting, he is not an agent; though a non-enjoyer, he is as though an experiencer of results.
- nityatṛpto 'py = nityatṛptaḥ + api
- abhuñjāno 'py = abhuñjānaḥ + api
- kurvāṇaś cābhoktā = kurvāṇaḥ + ca + abhoktā (visarga sandhi; ca + a-)
- phalabhogy api = phala-bhogī + api (vowel sandhi)
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Akartṛtva/abhoktṛtva; samadarśana; jīvanmukta-lakṣaṇa
- The mahavakyas
- Aligns with ‘prajñānam brahma’ and ‘aham brahmāsmi’: as pure consciousness, the Self is not the agent/enjoyer though actions and experiences appear in the empirical field.
- Veda
- Atharva
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
Yoga and practice
Karma-yoga culminating in akartṛ-bhāva; meditation on witnesshood during action; equanimity (samatva) practice in pleasure/pain and success/failure.
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