na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api cāvaśiṣyate
“For not even for a moment does anyone remain without being absorbed”
Structure
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api cāvaśiṣyate
kaścit (anyone) na hi (not indeed) kṣaṇam api (even for a moment) cā (and) avaśiṣyate (will remain)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| hi | hi | indeclinable | — | for, indeed |
| kaścit | kaścit | pronoun | nominative · singular · masculine | anyone |
| kṣaṇam | kṣaṇam | noun | accusative · singular · neuter | a moment |
| api | api | indeclinable | — | also, even |
| cā | cā | indeclinable | — | and |
| avaśiṣyate | avaśiṣyate | verb | √śiṣ · laṭ-present · third | remains behind |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): The verse na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api cāvaśiṣyate underscores the non-dual nature of reality, pointing to the ultimate identity of brahman and ātman. According to Shankara, this verse implies that even for a moment, no one remains without being absorbed in the ultimate reality. In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, Shankara interprets this verse as highlighting the inseparability of the individual self from the cosmic Self. He argues that just as the waves are not separate from the ocean, the individual selves are not separate from the ultimate reality. This verse, therefore, reinforces the Advaita Vedānta notion that the distinctions between the individual and the cosmic are merely apparent, and that the ultimate truth is the non-dual brahman-ātman identity.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The Vaiṣṇava tradition interprets this verse in the context of the loving relationship between the jīva and Īśvara. Rāmānujācārya, in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, understands this verse as emphasizing the jīva's innate dependence on Īśvara. According to Rāmānuja, the verse suggests that even for a moment, the jīva cannot exist independently of Īśvara, and that its very existence is sustained by the divine. This reading underscores the Vaiṣṇava emphasis on the jīva's surrender to Īśvara and the cultivation of bhakti as the means to attain liberation. Madhvācārya, on the other hand, would interpret this verse as highlighting the ontological distinction between the jīva and Īśvara, while still affirming the jīva's essential dependence on the divine.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse, na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api cāvaśiṣyate, has profound implications for contemporary life. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on the Bhagavad Gītā, interpreted this verse as a call to spiritual awareness and self-realization. He saw this verse as emphasizing the universal and eternal nature of the Self, which is beyond the limitations of time and space. According to Vivekānanda, this verse encourages individuals to transcend their mundane concerns and aspire to a higher level of consciousness, where they can experience the unity and interconnectedness of all existence. Similarly, S. Rādhākrishnan, in his writings, connected this verse to the human quest for meaning and purpose, highlighting the importance of recognizing the ultimate reality that underlies all existence.