Ashtavakra Gita · Verse 15.9 · Ashtavakra speaks
The body, enveloped by the qualities of Nature, comes, stays and goes. The Self neither comes nor goes. Why then do you mourn it?
Word by word
गुणैः
guṇaiḥ
by the qualities (guṇas)
noun, masculine, instrumental plural
The guṇas of Prakriti, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, constitute and bind the body, but never touch the Self.
संवेष्टितः
saṃveṣṭitaḥ
enveloped, wrapped
past participle, masculine, nominative singular
देहः
dehaḥ
body
noun, masculine, nominative singular
तिष्ठति
tiṣṭhati
stays
verb, present, 3rd person singular
आयाति
āyāti
comes
verb, present, 3rd person singular
याति
yāti
goes
verb, present, 3rd person singular
च
ca
and
indeclinable
आत्मा
ātmā
the Self
noun, masculine, nominative singular
The Self is beyond the body and does not partake of its nature; the body changes, the Self does not. Cf. Gita ii.13 and 18.
न गन्ता
na gantā
does not go
phrase (agent noun, nominative singular)
न आगन्ता
na āgantā
does not come
phrase (agent noun, nominative singular)
किम्
kim
why
interrogative pronoun
एनम्
enam
this (body)
pronoun, masculine, accusative singular
अनुशोचसि
anuśocasi
do you mourn
verb, present, 2nd person singular