Ashtavakra Gita · Verse 11.1 · Ashtavakra speaks
One who has realized that existence, destruction and change are in the nature of things, easily finds repose, being unperturbed and free from pain.
Word by word
भावाभावविकारः
bhāvābhāva-vikāraḥ
existence, destruction, change
compound noun, masculine, nominative singular
Everything exists, changes, and is destroyed — this is the nature of everything. Nothing is permanent.
च
ca
and
indeclinable conjunction
स्वभावात्
svabhāvāt
from (one's own) nature
noun, masculine, ablative singular
svabhāva denotes the inherent, self-arising nature of phenomena — change is not an accident but the very constitution of conditioned existence.
इति
iti
thus, in this way
indeclinable particle (quotative)
निश्चयी
niścayī
one who knows for certain
adjective used as noun, masculine, nominative singular
niścaya (certainty, firm conviction) is the epistemological prerequisite for liberation in Advaita — not mere intellectual assent but unshakeable direct knowing.
निर्विकारः
nirvikāraḥ
unperturbed, without modification
adjective, masculine, nominative singular
A key Advaita epithet of the ātman — the Self is nirvikāra (changeless), and the jñānin who has identified with the Self likewise ceases to be disturbed by apparent changes.
गतक्लेशः
gata-kleśaḥ
free from pain/affliction
bahuvrīhi compound, masculine, nominative singular
सुखेन
sukhena
easily, with ease
noun, neuter, instrumental singular
एव
eva
indeed, verily
indeclinable emphatic particle
उपशाम्यति
upaśāmyati
finds repose, becomes calm
verb, present tense, 3rd person singular, upa-√śam