na tu śakyó 'bivaktum vaktum
“It is not possible to speak or to recount.”
Structure
na tu śakyó abhivaktum vaktum
śakyó (it is possible) na (not) tu (indeed) abhivaktum (to speak) vaktum (to speak)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| tu | tu | indeclinable | — | indeed, surely |
| śakyó | śakyá | verb | √śak · kṛt-participle | possible |
| abhivaktum | abhivaktum | verb | √vach · inf | to speak fully, to express |
| vaktum | vaktum | verb | √vach · inf | to speak |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): The verse 'na tu śakyó 'bivaktum vaktum' highlights the ineffability of the ultimate reality, Brahman. Shankara, in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, emphasizes that words can only deal with the phenomenal world and are inadequate to express the transcendent nature of Brahman. This verse underscores the limitations of language in describing the non-dual reality, pointing to the identity of Brahman and Ātman. Shankara's reasoning, as seen in his Upadesasahasri, stresses that the Ultimate Truth cannot be conveyed through words, as it transcends all duality and distinctions. This verse is a call to move beyond the constraints of language and intellect to realize the non-dual essence directly.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): In the Vaiṣṇava tradition, this verse is seen as an expression of the transcendent majesty of Īśvara, who is beyond human comprehension and verbal description. Rāmānujācārya, in his Śrī Bhāshya, interprets such verses as underscoring the dependence of the jīva on Īśvara, highlighting the devotional path as the means to approach the divine. The inability to speak or recount the divine is not a call to silence but an invitation to devotion and self-surrender. Madhvācārya, in his commentaries, would emphasize the distinction between the Lord and the soul, yet the soul's ability to experience and adore the Lord through devotional practices, despite the limitations of language and intellect.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): Swami Vivekananda, in his lectures and writings, often emphasized the practical and universal application of Vedantic principles in everyday life. This verse, to him, would symbolize the limitations of human knowledge and the futility of mere intellectual pursuits in the quest for ultimate truth. Vivekananda would urge his listeners to experience the truth directly through meditation and self-inquiry, rather than merely relying on scriptural descriptions or theological debates. Similarly, S. Radhakrishnan, in his philosophical works, interprets such verses as pointing to the universal human quest for the transcendent and the infinite, which goes beyond linguistic and cultural boundaries, calling for a deeper, experiential understanding of reality.