Ashtavakra Gita

जनक उवाच॥ प्रकृत्या शून्यचित्तो यः प्रमादाद् भावभावनः। निद्रितो बोधित इव क्षीणसंस्मरणो हि सः

Janaka said: One whose mind is empty by nature, but who contemplates objects out of inadvertence, is like one asleep though awake, for his memory is exhausted.

क्व धनानि क्व मित्राणि क्व मे विषयदस्यवः। क्व शास्त्रं क्व च विज्ञानं यदा मे गलिता स्पृहा

Where are possessions, where are friends, where are sense objects for me? Where is scripture, and where is knowledge, when all desire has fallen away from me?

विज्ञाते साक्षिपुरुषे परमात्मनि चेश्वरे। नैराश्ये बंधमोक्षे च न चिंता मुक्तये मम

Having realized the witness-self, the supreme self, the Lord, and in the absence of hope, bondage, or liberation, I have no concern for liberation.

अंतर्विकल्पशून्यस्य बहिः स्वच्छन्दचारिणः। भ्रान्तस्येव दशास्तास्तास्तादृशा एव जानते

For one who is empty of inner concepts and moves freely outwardly, the states that arise are like those of a deluded person; only such a one knows them.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ यथातथोपदेशेन कृतार्थः सत्त्वबुद्धिमान्। आजीवमपि जिज्ञासुः परस्तत्र विमुह्यति

Ashtavakra said: By whatever means he is instructed, the wise person who has attained fulfillment is satisfied; but the seeker, even for a lifetime, remains confused about that.

मोक्षो विषयवैरस्यं बन्धो वैषयिको रसः। एतावदेव विज्ञानं यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु

Liberation is indifference to sense objects; bondage is the taste for sense objects. This alone is to be understood—act as you wish.

वाग्मिप्राज्ञानमहोद्योगं जनं मूकजडालसं। करोति तत्त्वबोधोऽयमतस्त्यक्तो बुभुक्षभिः

The realization of truth makes even the eloquent, wise, and energetic person mute, dull, and inactive; therefore, those who desire worldly enjoyment abandon it.

न त्वं देहो न ते देहो भोक्ता कर्ता न वा भवान्। चिद्रूपोऽसि सदा साक्षी निरपेक्षः सुखं चर

You are not the body, nor is the body yours; you are neither the enjoyer nor the doer. You are consciousness itself, always the witness, unattached—move about happily.

रागद्वेषौ मनोधर्मौ न मनस्ते कदाचन। निर्विकल्पोऽसि बोधात्मा निर्विकारः सुखं चर

Attachment and aversion are qualities of the mind; the mind is never yours. You are consciousness itself, without distinctions, unchanging—move about happily.

सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। विज्ञाय निरहंकारो निर्ममस्त्वं सुखी भव

Recognizing the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, become free of ego and possessiveness, and be happy.

विश्वं स्फुरति यत्रेदं तरंगा इव सागरे। तत्त्वमेव न सन्देहश्चिन्मूर्ते विज्वरो भव

In which this universe shines forth, like waves in the ocean—that alone is the truth, without doubt. O embodiment of consciousness, be free from distress.

श्रद्धस्व तात श्रद्धस्व नात्र मोऽहं कुरुष्व भोः। ज्ञानस्वरूपो भगवानात्मा त्वं प्रकृतेः परः

Have faith, dear one, have faith—do not be deluded here. The Self, your true nature, is knowledge itself, divine, and beyond nature.

गुणैः संवेष्टितो देहस्तिष्ठत्यायाति याति च। आत्मा न गंता नागंता किमेनमनुशोचसि

The body, enveloped by qualities, stands, comes, and goes. The Self neither goes nor comes—why do you grieve for it?

देहस्तिष्ठतु कल्पान्तं गच्छत्वद्यैव वा पुनः। क्व वृद्धिः क्व च वा हानिस्तव चिन्मात्ररूपिणः

Let the body remain until the end of an age, or let it go today—where is increase or decrease for you, who are pure consciousness alone?

त्वय्यनंतमहांभोधौ विश्ववीचिः स्वभावतः। उदेतु वास्तमायातु न ते वृद्धिर्न वा क्षतिः

In you, the infinite ocean, the waves of the universe arise by their own nature; whether they rise or subside, there is neither gain nor loss for you.

तात चिन्मात्ररूपोऽसि न ते भिन्नमिदं जगत्। अतः कस्य कथं कुत्र हेयोपादेयकल्पना

Dear one, you are pure consciousness alone; this world is not separate from you. Therefore, for whom, how, and where can there be any notion of acceptance or rejection?

एकस्मिन्नव्यये शान्ते चिदाकाशेऽमले त्वयि। कुतो जन्म कुतो कर्म कुतोऽहंकार एव च

In you, the one, imperishable, peaceful, pure space of consciousness—how can there be birth, action, or even ego?

यत्त्वं पश्यसि तत्रैकस्त्वमेव प्रतिभाससे। किं पृथक् भासते स्वर्णात् कटकांगदनूपुरम्

Whatever you perceive, there you alone appear. Do bracelets, armlets, or anklets shine apart from the gold?

अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं विभागमिति संत्यज। सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य निःसङ्कल्पः सुखी भव

Abandon the division, 'This is me, this is not me.' Realizing that all is the Self, be free of all notions and be happy.

तवैवाज्ञानतो विश्वं त्वमेकः परमार्थतः। त्वत्तोऽन्यो नास्ति संसारी नासंसारी च कश्चन

Through ignorance, the world appears; in reality, you are one. There is no other who is bound or liberated apart from you.

भ्रान्तिमात्रमिदं विश्वं न किंचिदिति निश्चयी। निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो न किंचिदिव शाम्यति

Be certain that this world is mere illusion and nothing else. Free of desires, consisting only of awareness, you become as if nothing, and are at peace.

एक एव भवांभोधावासीदस्ति भविष्यति। न ते बन्धोऽस्ति मोक्षो वा कृत्यकृत्यः सुखं चर

In the one ocean of existence, there is only one—past, present, and future. For you, there is no bondage or liberation, nothing to do or not do—move about happily.

मा सङ्कल्पविकल्पाभ्यां चित्तं क्षोभय चिन्मय। उपशाम्य सुखं तिष्ठ स्वात्मन्यानन्दविग्रहे

Do not disturb your mind with thoughts and doubts, O embodiment of consciousness. Be calm, remain happily in your own Self, the very form of bliss.

त्यजैव ध्यानं सर्वत्र मा किंचिद् हृदि धारय। आत्मा त्वं मुक्त एवासि किं विमृश्य करिष्यसि

Abandon meditation entirely; do not hold anything in your heart. You are the Self, already free—what will you accomplish by deliberation?

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ आचक्ष्व शृणु वा तात नानाशास्त्राण्यनेकशः। तथापि न तव स्वास्थ्यं सर्वविस्मरणाद् ऋते

Ashtavakra said: You may explain or listen to countless scriptures, my dear, yet you will not find your own ease except by forgetting everything.

भोगं कर्म समाधिं वा कुरु विज्ञ तथापि ते। चित्तं निरस्तसर्वाशमत्यर्थं रोचयिष्यति

Enjoyment, action, or meditation—do as you wish, wise one, yet your mind, freed from all desires, will delight exceedingly.

आयासात्सकलो दुःखी नैनं जानाति कश्चन। अनेनैवोपदेशेन धन्यः प्राप्नोति निर्वृतिम्

Everyone suffers from effort; no one knows this truth. By this very teaching, the fortunate attain peace.

व्यापारे खिद्यते यस्तु निमेषोन्मेषयोरपि। तस्यालस्य धुरीणस्य सुखं नन्यस्य कस्यचित्

He who is troubled even by activity in the blink of an eye is the foremost among the lazy; happiness belongs to him, not to anyone else.

इदं कृतमिदं नेति द्वंद्वैर्मुक्तं यदा मनः। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षेषु निरपेक्षं तदा भवेत्

When the mind is freed from the dualities of 'this is done, this is not,' it becomes indifferent to righteousness, wealth, pleasure, and liberation.