Ashtavakra Gita

व्यामोहमात्रविरतौ स्वरूपादानमात्रतः। वीतशोका विराजन्ते निरावरणदृष्टयः

When confusion ceases and one's true nature is simply accepted, those whose vision is unobstructed shine, free from sorrow.

समस्तं कल्पनामात्रमात्मा मुक्तः सनातनः। इति विज्ञाय धीरो हि किमभ्यस्यति बालवत्

The entire world is mere imagination; the Self is liberated and eternal. Knowing this, why would the wise practice like a child?

आत्मा ब्रह्मेति निश्चित्य भावाभावौ च कल्पितौ। निष्कामः किं विजानाति किं ब्रूते च करोति किम्

Having determined that the Self is Brahman, and that existence and non-existence are imagined, what does the desireless one know, say, or do?

अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं इति क्षीणा विकल्पना। सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य तूष्णींभूतस्य योगिनः

When the thought 'I am this, I am not this' has faded, and all is known as the Self, the yogi becomes silent.

न विक्षेपो न चैकाग्र्यं नातिबोधो न मूढता। न सुखं न च वा दुःखं उपशान्तस्य योगिनः

For the peaceful yogi, there is neither distraction nor concentration, neither excessive understanding nor ignorance, neither pleasure nor pain.

स्वाराज्ये भैक्षवृत्तौ च लाभालाभे जने वने। निर्विकल्पस्वभावस्य न विशेषोऽस्ति योगिनः

In sovereignty or in the life of a mendicant, in gain or loss, among people or in the forest, for the yogi whose nature is free of distinctions, there is no difference.

क्व धर्मः क्व च वा कामः क्व चार्थः क्व विवेकिता। इदं कृतमिदं नेति द्वन्द्वैर्मुक्तस्य योगिनः

Where is righteousness, where is desire, where is wealth, where is discrimination? For the yogi freed from dualities, there is no sense of 'this is done, this is not.'

कृत्यं किमपि नैवास्ति न कापि हृदि रंजना। यथा जीवनमेवेह जीवन्मुक्तस्य योगिनः

There is nothing to be done, nor any delight in the heart; for the yogi liberated while living, life here is simply as it is.

क्व मोहः क्व च वा विश्वं क्व तद् ध्यानं क्व मुक्तता। सर्वसंकल्पसीमायां विश्रान्तस्य महात्मनः

Where is delusion, where is the world, where is meditation, where is liberation? For the great soul resting at the limit of all thought, none of these remain.

येन विश्वमिदं दृष्टं स नास्तीति करोतु वै। निर्वासनः किं कुरुते पश्यन्नपि न पश्यति

Let the one by whom this world is seen declare it does not exist; the one without desires acts, yet sees without seeing.

येन दृष्टं परं ब्रह्म सोऽहं ब्रह्मेति चिन्तयेत्। किं चिन्तयति निश्चिन्तो द्वितीयं यो न पश्यति

Let one who has seen the supreme Brahman think 'I am Brahman.' But the one who is free from thought, who sees no second, what does he think?

दृष्टो येनात्मविक्षेपो निरोधं कुरुते त्वसौ। उदारस्तु न विक्षिप्तः साध्याभावात्करोति किम्

He who perceives agitation of the Self seeks to restrain it; but the noble one, not agitated and with nothing to be accomplished, does nothing.

धीरो लोकविपर्यस्तो वर्तमानोऽपि लोकवत्। नो समाधिं न विक्षेपं न लोपं स्वस्य पश्यति

The wise, though appearing contrary to the world and living among it, sees neither absorption, nor distraction, nor any loss of himself.

भावाभावविहीनो यस्तृप्तो निर्वासनो बुधः। नैव किंचित्कृतं तेन लोकदृष्ट्या विकुर्वता

The wise one, content and free from both existence and non-existence, without desire, does nothing at all, though he acts in the eyes of the world.

प्रवृत्तौ वा निवृत्तौ वा नैव धीरस्य दुर्ग्रहः। यदा यत्कर्तुमायाति तत्कृत्वा तिष्ठते सुखम्

Whether engaged in action or withdrawn, the wise is never confused; whatever comes to be done, he does it and remains at ease.

निर्वासनो निरालंबः स्वच्छन्दो मुक्तबन्धनः। क्षिप्तः संस्कारवातेन चेष्टते शुष्कपर्णवत्

Without desire, without support, free and unbound, he moves as he wills; tossed by the winds of conditioning, he acts like a dry leaf.

असंसारस्य तु क्वापि न हर्षो न विषादिता। स शीतलहमना नित्यं विदेह इव राजये

For the one free from worldly involvement, there is neither joy nor sorrow anywhere; he rules with a cool mind, always as if bodiless.

कुत्रापि न जिहासास्ति नाशो वापि न कुत्रचित्। आत्मारामस्य धीरस्य शीतलाच्छतरात्मनः

Nowhere does the wise one, whose mind is cooler than cool and who delights in the Self, feel any desire to abandon or any sense of loss.

प्रकृत्या शून्यचित्तस्य कुर्वतोऽस्य यदृच्छया। प्राकृतस्येव धीरस्य न मानो नावमानता

For the steadfast one whose mind is naturally empty, whatever is done happens spontaneously; like an ordinary person, he neither feels pride nor humiliation.

कृतं देहेन कर्मेदं न मया शुद्धरूपिणा। इति चिन्तानुरोधी यः कुर्वन्नपि करोति न

He who thinks, 'This action is done by the body, not by me who am pure by nature,' even while acting, does not act.

अतद्वादीव कुरुते न भवेदपि बालिशः। जीवन्मुक्तः सुखी श्रीमान् संसरन्नपि शोभते

Even if he speaks or acts like others, the liberated one, happy and prosperous, shines forth even while moving through the world.

नाविचारसुश्रान्तो धीरो विश्रान्तिमागतः। न कल्पते न जाति न शृणोति न पश्यति

The wise one, thoroughly rested from inquiry and having attained repose, does not imagine, is not born, does not hear, does not see.

असमाधेरविक्षेपान् न मुमुक्षुर्न चेतरः। निश्चित्य कल्पितं पश्यन् ब्रह्मैवास्ते महाशयः

Neither distraction nor concentration, nor even the desire for liberation, remains; having determined all as imagined, the great-souled one abides as Brahman alone.

यस्यान्तः स्यादहंकारो न करोति करोति सः। निरहंकारधीरेण न किंचिदकृतं कृतम्

Wherever there is ego within, one acts; but for the wise one free of ego, nothing is done, nothing remains undone.

नोद्विग्नं न च सन्तुष्टमकर्तृ स्पन्दवर्जितं। निराशं गतसन्देहं चित्तं मुक्तस्य राजते

The mind of the liberated one, free from agitation and satisfaction, devoid of agency and movement, without hope and doubt, shines forth.

निर्ध्यातुं चेष्टितुं वापि यच्चित्तं न प्रवर्तते। निर्निमित्तमिदं किंतु निर्ध्यायेति विचेष्टते

If the mind does not engage in contemplation or activity, it is simply without cause; yet it contemplates and acts as if without motive.

तत्त्वं यथार्थमाकर्ण्य मन्दः प्राप्नोति मूढतां। अथवा याति संकोचममूढः कोऽपि मूढवत्

Hearing the truth as it is, the dull-witted becomes confused; or, if not confused, he contracts, though someone not confused may appear as if confused.

एकाग्रता निरोधो वा मूढैरभ्यस्यते भृशं। धीराः कृत्यं न पश्यन्ति सुप्तवत्स्वपदे स्थिताः

Single-pointedness or restraint is practiced intensely by the dull; the wise see no duty, remaining in their own state like one asleep.

अप्रयत्नात् प्रयत्नाद् वा मूढो नाप्नोति निर्वृतिं। तत्त्वनिश्चयमात्रेण प्राज्ञो भवति निर्वृतः

Through effort or lack of effort, the dull does not attain peace; the wise becomes peaceful merely by certainty of the truth.