Ashtavakra Gita [sanskrit]

by John Richards | 1994 | 2,996 words

Ashtavakra Gita is a Sanskrit text belonging to the Advaita Vedanta school of orthodox Indian philosophy, instructing the reader in some of the core concepts. Traditionally believed to be authored by sage Ashtavakra, it is presented in the form of a dialogue between him and Janaka, king of Mithila. Alternative titles: अष्टावक्रगीता, Aṣṭāvakragītā, Astavakragita, अष्टावक्र-गीता, Aṣṭāvakra-gītā.

Verse 18.49

यदा यत्कर्तुमायाति तदा तत्कुरुते ह्यृजु ।
शुभं वाप्यशुभं वापि तस्य चेष्टा हि बालवत् ॥ ४९ ॥

yadā yatkartumāyāti tadā tatkurute hyṛju |
śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ vāpi tasya ceṣṭā hi bālavat || 49 ||

The straightforward person does whatever arrives to be done, good or bad, for his actions are like those of a child.

English translation by John Richards (1994) Read online

Glossary of Sanskrit terms

Note: This extracts Sanskrit terms and links to English definitions from the glossary, based on an experimental segmentation of verse (18.49). Some terms could be superfluous while some might not be mentioned. Click on the word to show English definitions.

Yada, Yad, Yat, Kartu, Ayat, Tada, Tat, Tad, Kuruta, Riju, Shubha, Shubh, Vapi, Vapin, Vapya, Ashubha, Ceshta, Bal, Avat,

Analysis of Sanskrit grammar

Note: this is an experimental feature and only shows the first possible analysis of the Sanskrit text (Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.49). If the system was successful in segmenting the sentence, you will see of which words it is made up of, generally consisting of Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Participles and Indeclinables. Click on the link to show all possible derivations of the word.

  • Line 1: “yadā yatkartumāyāti tadā tatkurute hyṛju
  • yadā -
  • yadā (indeclinable adverb)
    [indeclinable adverb]
    yadā (indeclinable relative)
    [indeclinable relative]
    yadā (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
    yad (noun, masculine)
    [instrumental single]
  • yat -
  • yat (indeclinable relative)
    [indeclinable relative]
    yat (noun, masculine)
    [compound]
    yad (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single], [vocative single]
    yat (noun, neuter)
    [nominative single], [vocative single], [accusative single]
    i -> yat (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √i class 2 verb], [vocative single from √i class 2 verb], [accusative single from √i class 2 verb]
    yat (pronoun, neuter)
    [nominative single], [accusative single]
  • kartum -
  • kṛ -> kartum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √kṛ]
    kṛ -> kartum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √kṛ]
    kṛ -> kartum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √kṛ]
    kṛ -> kartum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √kṛ]
    kṛ -> kartum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √kṛ]
    kṛ -> kartum (infinitive)
    [infinitive from √kṛ]
    kartu (noun, masculine)
    [accusative single]
    kartu (noun, feminine)
    [accusative single]
  • āyāti -
  • āyāti (noun, feminine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    āyāti (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    āyāt (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
    āyāt (noun, feminine)
    [locative single]
    āyāt (noun, neuter)
    [locative single]
  • tadā -
  • tadā (indeclinable adverb)
    [indeclinable adverb]
    tadā (indeclinable correlative)
    [indeclinable correlative]
    tadā (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
    tadā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative single]
  • tat -
  • tat (indeclinable correlative)
    [indeclinable correlative]
    tad (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [nominative single], [accusative single]
  • kurute -
  • kurutā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative dual], [vocative single], [vocative dual], [accusative dual]
    kuruta (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
    kuruta (noun, neuter)
    [nominative dual], [vocative dual], [accusative dual], [locative single]
    kṛ (verb class 8)
    [present middle third single]
  • hyṛ -
  • hi (indeclinable particle)
    [indeclinable particle]
  • ṛju -
  • ṛju (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
    ṛju (indeclinable adverb)
    [indeclinable adverb]
    ṛju (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    ṛju (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single], [vocative single], [accusative single]
  • Line 2: “śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ vāpi tasya ceṣṭā hi bālavat
  • śubham -
  • śubha (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    śubha (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    śubhā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
    śubh (noun, feminine)
    [accusative single]
  • vāpya -
  • vāpi (noun, feminine)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative dual], [vocative dual], [accusative dual]
    vāpī (noun, feminine)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single], [vocative single]
    vāpin (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single]
    vāpin (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single], [vocative single], [accusative single]
    vāpya (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    vāpya (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    -> vāpya (participle, masculine)
    [compound from √]
    -> vāpya (participle, neuter)
    [compound from √]
    vap -> vāpya (participle, masculine)
    [compound from √vap]
    vap -> vāpya (participle, neuter)
    [compound from √vap]
    -> vāpya (absolutive)
    [absolutive from √]
    vap -> vāpya (absolutive)
    [absolutive from √vap]
    -> vāpya (participle, masculine)
    [vocative single from √]
    -> vāpya (participle, neuter)
    [vocative single from √]
    vap -> vāpya (participle, masculine)
    [vocative single from √vap]
    vap -> vāpya (participle, neuter)
    [vocative single from √vap]
  • aśubham -
  • aśubha (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    aśubha (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    aśubhā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
    śubh (verb class 6)
    [imperfect active first single]
  • vāpi -
  • vāpi (noun, feminine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    vāpī (noun, feminine)
    [adverb], [vocative single]
    vāpin (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    vāpin (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single], [vocative single], [accusative single]
  • tasya -
  • tas -> tasya (absolutive)
    [absolutive from √tas]
    ta (noun, masculine)
    [genitive single]
    ta (noun, neuter)
    [genitive single]
    tad (noun, neuter)
    [genitive single]
    sa (noun, masculine)
    [genitive single]
    tas (verb class 4)
    [imperative active second single]
  • ceṣṭā* -
  • ceṣṭa (noun, masculine)
    [nominative plural], [vocative plural]
    ceṣṭā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative plural], [vocative plural], [accusative plural]
  • hi -
  • hi (indeclinable particle)
    [indeclinable particle]
  • bāl -
  • bāl (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
  • avat -
  • avat (noun, masculine)
    [compound]
    avat (noun, neuter)
    [nominative single], [vocative single], [accusative single]
    u -> avat (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √u class 1 verb], [vocative single from √u class 1 verb], [accusative single from √u class 1 verb]

Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.49

Cover of edition (1994)

Ashtavakra Gita (song of Ashtavakra)
by John Richards (1994)

Or the Song of Ashtavakra, Ashtavakra Samhita

Cover of edition (2016)

Astavakra (Ashtavakra) Gita
by Swami Chinmayananda (2016)

Sanskrit Text, Transliteration, Word-to-Word Meaning, Translation and Detailed Commentary

Buy now!
Cover of edition (2013)

Ashtavakra Gita
by Kaka Hariom (2013)

Word-to-Word Meaning with Hindi Translation

Buy now!
Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: