Ashtavakra Gita · Verse 6.3 · Janaka speaks
That I am like mother-of-pearl; and the world-projection is like silver. This is Knowledge. So it has neither to be renounced nor accepted nor destroyed.
Word by word
अहम्
aham
I
pronoun, nominative singular, first person
सः
saḥ
that, indeed
demonstrative pronoun, masculine, nominative singular
शुक्तिसङ्काशः
śukti-saṅkāśaḥ
resembling mother-of-pearl
compound noun, masculine, nominative singular (śukti = oyster/pearl-shell + saṅkāśa = resembling, having the appearance of)
The stock Advaita adhyāsa (superimposition) analogy: a piece of mother-of-pearl (śukti) is mistaken for silver (rūpya) in poor light. The Self is the true substratum; the world is a misperception projected upon it.
रूप्यवत्
rūpyavat
like silver
indeclinable, comparative particle (rūpya = silver + vat)
The silver-illusion in the oyster-shell analogy represents māyā — the apparent reality of the world that dissolves upon correct non-dual knowledge. The reality of the silver is the pearl-oyster; the reality of the universe is the Self alone.
विश्वकल्पना
viśva-kalpanā
world-projection, imagined universe
compound noun, feminine, nominative singular (viśva = universe + kalpanā = imagination, mental projection)
Kalpanā signals that the world is a conceptual superimposition, a construction of mind, having no independent reality apart from the Self.
इति
iti
thus, this is
indeclinable, quotation particle
ज्ञानम्
jñānam
knowledge, gnosis
noun, neuter, nominative singular
तथा
tathā
so, therefore
indeclinable adverb
एतस्य
etasya
of this
demonstrative pronoun, genitive singular
न
na
not
indeclinable, negative particle
त्यागः
tyāgaḥ
renunciation
noun, masculine, nominative singular
ग्रहः
grahaḥ
acceptance
noun, masculine, nominative singular
लयः
layaḥ
dissolution
noun, masculine, nominative singular