विरक्तो विषयद्वेष्टा रागी विषयलोलुपः। ग्रहमोक्षविहीनस्तु न विरक्तो न रागवान्
The detached one rejects sense objects; the passionate one craves them. But one who is free from grasping and releasing is neither detached nor passionate.
हेयोपादेयता तावत्संसारविटपांकुरः। स्पृहा जीवति यावद् वै निर्विचारदशास्पदम्
The notion of accepting and rejecting remains as long as desire lives—the sprout of worldly existence—until the state of pure inquiry is attained.
प्रवृत्तौ जायते रागो निर्वृत्तौ द्वेष एव हि। निर्द्वन्द्वो बालवद् धीमान् एवमेव व्यवस्थितः
Attachment arises in activity, aversion in inactivity; but the wise, free from duality, remain established like a child.
हातुमिच्छति संसारं रागी दुःखजिहासया। वीतरागो हि निर्दुःखस्तस्मिन्नपि न खिद्यति
The passionate seeks to abandon the world out of a desire to escape suffering; but the dispassionate, being free from sorrow, is not troubled even in it.
यस्याभिमानो मोक्षेऽपि देहेऽपि ममता तथा। न च ज्ञानी न वा योगी केवलं दुःखभागसौ
One who has pride even in liberation, and attachment to the body as 'mine,' is neither a knower nor a yogi, but merely shares in suffering.
हरो यद्युपदेष्टा ते हरिः कमलजोऽपि वा। तथापि न तव स्वाथ्यं सर्वविस्मरणादृते
Even if Shiva, Vishnu, or Brahma teaches you, you will not find your own ease except by forgetting everything.
अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ तेन ज्ञानफलं प्राप्तं योगाभ्यासफलं तथा। तृप्तः स्वच्छेन्द्रियो नित्यं एकाकी रमते तु यः
Ashtavakra said: He who has attained the fruit of knowledge and the fruit of yoga practice, whose senses are always pure and satisfied, delights alone.
न कदाचिज्जगत्यस्मिन् तत्त्वज्ञा हन्त खिद्यति। यत एकेन तेनेदं पूर्णं ब्रह्माण्डमण्डलम्
Never does the knower of truth grieve in this world, for by him alone this entire sphere of the universe is fulfilled.
न जातु विषयाः केऽपि स्वारामं हर्षयन्त्यमी। सल्लकीपल्लवप्रीतमिवेभं निंबपल्लवाः
No sense objects ever please one who delights in himself, just as neem leaves do not please an elephant fond of sallaki shoots.
यस्तु भोगेषु भुक्तेषु न भवत्यधिवासिता। अभुक्तेषु निराकांक्षी तदृशो भवदुर्लभः
Rare is the one who, when enjoying pleasures, is not affected, and when not enjoying, has no longing.
बुभुक्षुरिह संसारे मुमुक्षुरपि दृश्यते। भोगमोक्षनिराकांक्षी विरलो हि महाशयः
In this world, there are those who desire enjoyment and those who desire liberation; but rare is the great soul who is free from longing for both.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षेषु जीविते मरणे तथा। कस्याप्युदारचित्तस्य हेयोपादेयता न हि
For one of noble mind, there is no notion of accepting or rejecting in righteousness, wealth, pleasure, liberation, life, or death.
वांछा न विश्वविलये न द्वेषस्तस्य च स्थितौ। यथा जीविकया तस्माद् धन्य आस्ते यथा सुखम्
He has no desire at the dissolution of the universe, nor aversion at its existence; just as he lives, so he remains blessed, content as he is.
कृतार्थोऽनेन ज्ञानेनेत्येवं गलितधीः कृती। पश्यन् शृण्वन् स्पृशन् जिघ्रन्न् अश्नन्नस्ते यथा सुखम्
Fulfilled by this knowledge, with all thoughts dissolved, the accomplished one, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, abides content as he is.
शून्या दृष्टिर्वृथा चेष्टा विकलानीन्द्रियाणि च। न स्पृहा न विरक्तिर्वा क्षीणसंसारसागरे
His vision is empty, his actions are futile, his senses are impaired; there is neither longing nor detachment in one whose ocean of worldly existence has dried up.
न जगर्ति न निद्राति नोन्मीलति न मीलति। अहो परदशा क्वापि वर्तते मुक्तचेतसः
He neither wakes nor sleeps, neither opens nor closes his eyes; ah, what a state—somewhere abides the one whose mind is liberated.
सर्वत्र दृश्यते स्वस्थः सर्वत्र विमलाशयः। समस्तवासना मुक्तो मुक्तः सर्वत्र राजते
Everywhere he is seen as self-possessed, everywhere with pure intention; freed from all desires, liberated, he shines everywhere.
पश्यन् शृण्वन् स्पृशन् जिघ्रन्न् अश्नन् गृण्हन् वदन् व्रजन्। ईहितानीहितैर्मुक्तो मुक्त एव महाशयः
Seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, taking, speaking, walking—freed from both action and inaction, the great-souled one is liberated indeed.
न निन्दति न च स्तौति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति। न ददाति न गृण्हाति मुक्तः सर्वत्र नीरसः
He neither criticizes nor praises, neither rejoices nor gets angry; he neither gives nor takes—liberated, he is indifferent everywhere.
सानुरागां स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा मृत्युं वा समुपस्थितं। अविह्वलमनाः स्वस्थो मुक्त एव महाशयः
Seeing a woman with affection or death approaching, his mind remains undisturbed, self-possessed—such is the liberated great-souled one.
सुखे दुःखे नरे नार्यां संपत्सु विपत्सु च। विशेषो नैव धीरस्य सर्वत्र समदर्शिनः
In pleasure and pain, in man or woman, in fortune or misfortune, there is no distinction for the wise one who sees equally everywhere.
न हिंसा नैव कारुण्यं नौद्धत्यं न च दीनता। नाश्चर्यं नैव च क्षोभः क्षीणसंसरणे नरे
No violence, no compassion, no arrogance, nor dejection; no wonder, nor agitation—such is the person whose wandering has ended.
न मुक्तो विषयद्वेष्टा न वा विषयलोलुपः। असंसक्तमना नित्यं प्राप्ताप्राप्तमुपाश्नुते
The liberated one is neither an enemy of sense objects nor attached to them; with a mind always unattached, he enjoys what comes and what does not.
समाधानसमाधानहिताहितविकल्पनाः। शून्यचित्तो न जानाति कैवल्यमिव संस्थितः
Thoughts of concentration, non-concentration, good and bad—his mind is empty, he knows nothing, established as if in absolute aloneness.
निर्ममो निरहंकारो न किंचिदिति निश्चितः। अन्तर्गलितसर्वाशः कुर्वन्नपि करोति न
Without possessiveness, without ego, firmly convinced that nothing is his, with all hopes dissolved within, even acting, he does nothing.
मनःप्रकाशसंमोहस्वप्नजाड्यविवर्जितः। दशां कामपि संप्राप्तो भवेद् गलितमानसः
Free from the illumination and confusion of mind, from the dullness of dream, whatever state he attains, he is one whose mind has dissolved.
अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ यस्य बोधोदये तावत्स्वप्नवद् भवति भ्रमः। तस्मै सुखैकरूपाय नमः शान्ताय तेजसे
Ashtavakra said: Until awakening arises, delusion is like a dream; to that one, whose nature is pure bliss, peaceful and radiant, I bow.
अर्जयित्वाखिलान् अर्थान् भोगानाप्नोति पुष्कलान्। न हि सर्वपरित्याजमन्तरेण सुखी भवेत्
Having acquired all wealth, one enjoys abundant pleasures; but without complete renunciation, one cannot be truly happy.
कर्तव्यदुःखमार्तण्डज्वालादग्धान्तरात्मनः। कुतः प्रशमपीयूषधारासारमृते सुखम्
For one whose inner self is burned by the sun of duty's suffering, how can there be happiness without the nectar-stream of peace?
भवोऽयं भावनामात्रो न किंचित् परमर्थतः। नास्त्यभावः स्वभावनां भावाभावविभाविनाम्
This existence is merely imagination, nothing in reality; for those who discern the distinction between being and non-being, there is no absence of their own nature.