नाना मतं महर्षीणां साधूनां योगिनां तथा । दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमापन्नः को न शाम्यति मानवः ॥
nānā mataṃ maharṣīṇāṃ sādhūnāṃ yogināṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā nirvedamāpannaḥ ko na śāmyati mānavaḥ
Where is that man who having observed the diversities of opinions amongst the seers, sages, and yogis, and thus becoming completely indifferent, does not attain tranquillity?
~ Chapter 9, Verse 5
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Questioner: What is meant by ‘indifference’ here?
Acharya Prashant: The word that Ashtavakra uses is ’nirvēda’. Nirvēda here denotes ‘free of knowledge’. He is saying that once you see how there are just opinions and opinions—*nānā mataṃ, nānā mataṃ maharṣīṇāṃ sādhūnāṃ yogināṃ*—and if you are observant enough, you come to see that all we have is projections, perceptions, opinions disguising as Truth. And this is happening even in the case of the so-called learned man. Even the most learned of men are caught only in their perceptions.
