Ashtavakra Gita

सन्तुष्टोऽपि न सन्तुष्टः खिन्नोऽपि न च खिद्यते। तस्याश्चर्यदशां तां तां तादृशा एव जानते

Though content, he is not content; though afflicted, he does not grieve. Only those like him know his wondrous state.

कर्तव्यतैव संसारो न तां पश्यन्ति सूरयः। शून्याकारा निराकारा निर्विकारा निरामयाः

Obligation alone is worldly existence; the wise do not see it, being of empty form, formless, changeless, and free from affliction.

अकुर्वन्नपि संक्षोभाद् व्यग्रः सर्वत्र मूढधीः। कुर्वन्नपि तु कृत्यानि कुशलो हि निराकुलः

Even without acting, due to agitation, the confused mind is restless everywhere; but acting, the skillful remains undisturbed.

सुखमास्ते सुखं शेते सुखमायाति याति च। सुखं वक्ति सुखं भुंक्ते व्यवहारेऽपि शान्तधीः

He sits happily, sleeps happily, comes and goes happily; he speaks happily, eats happily—the one whose mind is at peace, even while engaged in action.

स्वभावाद्यस्य नैवार्तिर्लोकवद् व्यवहारिणः। महाहृद इवाक्षोभ्यो गतक्लेशः स शोभते

He who, by his very nature, is untouched by suffering, unlike ordinary people engaged in the world, shines unmoved like a great lake, free from all distress.

निवृत्तिरपि मूढस्य प्रवृत्ति रुपजायते। प्रवृत्तिरपि धीरस्य निवृत्तिफलभागिनी

For the deluded, even withdrawal becomes a form of activity; for the wise, even activity bears the fruit of withdrawal.

परिग्रहेषु वैराग्यं प्रायो मूढस्य दृश्यते। देहे विगलिताशस्य क्व रागः क्व विरागता

Detachment from possessions is usually seen in the foolish; but for one whose hope in the body has fallen away, where is attachment and where is detachment?

भावनाभावनासक्ता दृष्टिर्मूढस्य सर्वदा। भाव्यभावनया सा तु स्वस्थस्यादृष्टिरूपिणी

The mind of the deluded is always attached to imagining or not imagining; but for the one who is established in himself, that very mind is free from any such vision, by the presence or absence of thought.

सर्वारंभेषु निष्कामो यश्चरेद् बालवन् मुनिः। न लेपस्तस्य शुद्धस्य क्रियमाणोऽपि कर्मणि

The sage who acts without desire in all undertakings, like a child, remains untouched by action, even while performing it, for he is pure.

स एव धन्य आत्मज्ञः सर्वभावेषु यः समः। पश्यन् शृण्वन् स्पृशन् जिघ्रन्न् अश्नन्निस्तर्षमानसः

He alone is blessed, the knower of the Self, who is equal in all situations, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, with a mind free from craving.

क्व संसारः क्व चाभासः क्व साध्यं क्व च साधनं। आकाशस्येव धीरस्य निर्विकल्पस्य सर्वदा

Where is the world, where is illusion, where is attainment, and where is practice—for the steadfast one who is always without distinctions, like the sky?

स जयत्यर्थसंन्यासी पूर्णस्वरसविग्रहः। अकृत्रिमोऽनवच्छिन्ने समाधिर्यस्य वर्तते

He is victorious, the renouncer of possessions, whose nature is full and spontaneous, whose uncontrived and unbroken absorption abides.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन ज्ञाततत्त्वो महाशयः। भोगमोक्षनिराकांक्षी सदा सर्वत्र नीरसः

What more needs to be said? The great one who knows the truth, desiring neither enjoyment nor liberation, is always indifferent everywhere.

महदादि जगद्द्वैतं नाममात्रविजृंभितं। विहाय शुद्धबोधस्य किं कृत्यमवशिष्यते

Having abandoned the dualistic world, which arises only as names from the great principle downwards, what duty remains for the one of pure awareness?

भ्रमभृतमिदं सर्वं किंचिन्नास्तीति निश्चयी। अलक्ष्यस्फुरणः शुद्धः स्वभावेनैव शाम्यति

For the one convinced that all this, up to the mind's wanderings, is only illusion and nothing truly exists, the pure, ungraspable radiance settles by its own nature.

शुद्धस्फुरणरूपस्य दृश्यभावमपश्यतः। क्व विधिः क्व वैराग्यं क्व त्यागः क्व शमोऽपि वा

For the one whose nature is pure radiance and who does not see objects as real, where is rule, where is renunciation, where is abandonment, or even tranquility?

स्फुरतोऽनन्तरूपेण प्रकृतिं च न पश्यतः। क्व बन्धः क्व च वा मोक्षः क्व हर्षः क्व विषादिता

For the one who shines in infinite forms and does not see nature as real, where is bondage, where is liberation, where is joy, and where is sorrow?

बुद्धिपर्यन्तसंसारे मायामात्रं विवर्तते। निर्ममो निरहंकारो निष्कामः शोभते बुधः

In the world of mind, which is limited by intellect, only illusion appears; the wise one, free from possessiveness, ego, and desire, shines.

अक्षयं गतसन्तापमात्मानं पश्यतो मुनेः। क्व विद्या च क्व वा विश्वं क्व देहोऽहं ममेति वा

For the sage who sees the Self as imperishable and free from suffering, where is knowledge, where is the universe, where is the body, or the notions 'I' and 'mine'?

निरोधादीनि कर्माणि जहाति जडधीर्यदि। मनोरथान् प्रलापांश्च कर्तुमाप्नोत्यतत्क्षणात्

If a dull-minded person abandons actions like restraint, he immediately begins to indulge in fantasies and idle talk.

मन्दः श्रुत्वापि तद्वस्तु न जहाति विमूढतां। निर्विकल्पो बहिर्यत्नादन्तर्विषयलालसः

The dull one, even after hearing the truth, does not give up his delusion; though outwardly undivided, he inwardly craves sense objects.

ज्ञानाद् गलितकर्मा यो लोकदृष्ट्यापि कर्मकृत्। नाप्नोत्यवसरं कर्मं वक्तुमेव न किंचन

One whose actions have fallen away through knowledge, though appearing to act in the eyes of the world, does not truly engage in action, nor does he have any occasion to speak of action.

क्व तमः क्व प्रकाशो वा हानं क्व च न किंचन। निर्विकारस्य धीरस्य निरातंकस्य सर्वदा

Where is darkness, where is light, where is rejection, or anything at all, for the unchanging, steadfast one who is always free from fear?

क्व धैर्यं क्व विवेकित्वं क्व निरातंकतापि वा। अनिर्वाच्यस्वभावस्य निःस्वभावस्य योगिनः

Where is courage, where is discernment, or even fearlessness, for the yogi whose nature is inexpressible and who is without any inherent nature?

न स्वर्गो नैव नरको जीवन्मुक्तिर्न चैव हि। बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन योगदृष्ट्या न किंचन

There is no heaven, nor hell, nor even liberation while living; what more needs to be said? From the perspective of yoga, there is nothing at all.

नैव प्रार्थयते लाभं नालाभेनानुशोचति। धीरस्य शीतलं चित्तममृतेनैव पूरितम्

He does not seek gain, nor does he grieve over lack; the mind of the steadfast one is cool and filled only with nectar.

न शान्तं स्तौति निष्कामो न दुष्टमपि निन्दति। समदुःखसुखस्तृप्तः किंचित् कृत्यं न पश्यति

The desireless one does not praise the peaceful, nor does he blame the wicked; content in pleasure and pain alike, he sees nothing to be done.

धीरो न द्वेष्टि संसारमात्मानं न दिदृक्षति। हर्षामर्षविनिर्मुक्तो न मृतो न च जीवति

The steadfast one does not hate the world, nor does he seek to see himself; free from delight and resentment, he is neither dead nor alive.

निःस्नेहः पुत्रदारादौ निष्कामो विषयेषु च। निश्चिन्तः स्वशरीरेऽपि निराशः शोभते बुधः

Without attachment to children or spouse, without desire for sense objects, unconcerned even for his own body, the wise one shines, free of hope.