Ashtavakra Gita · Verse 9.6 · Ashtavakra speaks
He who gains a knowledge of the true nature of Pure Consciousness by means of complete indifference to the world and equanimity, and thereby saves others from transmigration — is he not truly the spiritual guide?
Word by word
कृत्वा
kṛtvā
having gained, having accomplished
indeclinable participle (gerund)
मूर्तिपरिज्ञानं
mūrtiparijñānaṃ
knowledge of true nature
compound noun, neuter, accusative singular (mūrti + parijñāna)
Mūrtiparijñāna — 'complete cognition of the form/nature' of Pure Consciousness (caitanya). This signifies direct, realized knowledge, not theoretical. The verse implicitly disqualifies those with only scholarly or vow-based authority (see previous verse) as true gurus.
चैतन्यस्य
caitanyasya
of Pure Consciousness
noun, neuter, genitive singular
Caitanya — Pure Consciousness — is the core Advaita term for the ultimate nature of Ātman/Brahman. It is self-luminous, immutable, and the ground of all experience.
न किं
na kiṃ
is he not
negative + interrogative particle (rhetorical)
गुरुः
guruḥ
spiritual teacher, guide
noun, masculine, nominative singular
Not learned opinions but actual practice and realization are the sine qua non of a Guru. This verse disqualifies intellectuals and ritual specialists as spiritual guides, reserving the title for one who has realized Truth and can thereby liberate others.
निर्वेदसमतायुक्त्या
nirvēdasamatāyuktyā
by indifference and equanimity
compound noun, feminine, instrumental singular (nirvēda + samatā + yukti)
Samatā — equanimity — is evenness of mind in friendship and enmity, happiness and misery. Together with nirvēda (dispassion), it constitutes the inner instrument (yukti) through which realization is stabilized.
यः
yaḥ
who, he who
relative pronoun, masculine, nominative singular
तारयति
tārayati
causes to cross, liberates
verb, causative, present, 3rd person singular
संसृतेः
saṃsṛteḥ
from transmigration, from the world
noun, feminine, ablative singular
Saṃsṛti — the flow of conditioned existence, transmigration, the cycle of birth and death. Liberation (mokṣa) is precisely the crossing of this stream.