Ashtavakra Gita

पततूदेतु वा देहो नास्य चिन्ता महात्मनः। स्वभावभूमिविश्रान्तिविस्मृताशेषसंसृतेः

Whether the body falls or stands, the great soul has no concern; resting in his own nature, he has forgotten all cycles of becoming.

अकिंचनः कामचारो निर्द्वन्द्वश्छिन्नसंशयः। असक्तः सर्वभावेषु केवलो रमते बुधः

Having nothing, moving as he wishes, free from duality and all doubts cut off, unattached to all things, the wise one delights in his own being.

निर्ममः शोभते धीरः समलोष्टाश्मकांचनः। सुभिन्नहृदयग्रन्थिर्विनिर्धूतरजस्तमः

The steadfast one shines, free from possessiveness, regarding clod, stone, and gold alike, with the knots of the heart completely broken and all passion and darkness dispelled.

सर्वत्रानवधानस्य न किंचिद् वासना हृदि। मुक्तात्मनो वितृप्तस्य तुलना केन जायते

For the one who is unattentive everywhere, no impressions remain in the heart; who can be compared to the liberated, contented self?

जानन्नपि न जानाति पश्यन्नपि न पश्यति। ब्रुवन्न् अपि न च ब्रूते कोऽन्यो निर्वासनादृते

Though knowing, he does not know; though seeing, he does not see; though speaking, he does not speak—who else is like this, except one free from all impressions?

भिक्षुर्वा भूपतिर्वापि यो निष्कामः स शोभते। भावेषु गलिता यस्य शोभनाशोभना मतिः

Whether a beggar or a king, the desireless one shines, whose mind has let go of judgments of good and bad in all things.

क्व स्वाच्छन्द्यं क्व संकोचः क्व वा तत्त्वविनिश्चयः। निर्व्याजार्जवभूतस्य चरितार्थस्य योगिनः

Where is freedom, where is restraint, or certainty of truth, for the yogi who is fulfilled, whose nature is pure, straightforward, and without pretense?

आत्मविश्रान्तितृप्तेन निराशेन गतार्तिना। अन्तर्यदनुभूयेत तत् कथं कस्य कथ्यते

For one satisfied in the self, without hope and free from suffering, whatever is experienced within—how can that be described, and to whom?

सुप्तोऽपि न सुषुप्तौ च स्वप्नेऽपि शयितो न च। जागरेऽपि न जागर्ति धीरस्तृप्तः पदे पदे

Even when asleep, he is not in deep sleep; even in dream, he does not lie there; even when awake, he does not awaken—the steadfast one is fulfilled at every step.

ज्ञः सचिन्तोऽपि निश्चिन्तः सेन्द्रियोऽपि निरिन्द्रियः। सुबुद्धिरपि निर्बुद्धिः साहंकारोऽनहङ्कृतिः

The wise one, though appearing thoughtful, is free of thought; though possessing senses, is as if without senses; though endowed with understanding, is as if without intellect; though having ego, is without egotism.

न सुखी न च वा दुःखी न विरक्तो न संगवान्। न मुमुक्षुर्न वा मुक्ता न किंचिन्न्न च किंचन

He is neither happy nor unhappy, neither detached nor attached; neither seeking liberation nor liberated; he is nothing, and not even nothing.

विक्षेपेऽपि न विक्षिप्तः समाधौ न समाधिमान्। जाड्येऽपि न जडो धन्यः पाण्डित्येऽपि न पण्डितः

Even amidst distraction, he is not distracted; in absorption, he is not absorbed; in dullness, he is not dull; in learning, he is not learned.

मुक्तो यथास्थितिस्वस्थः कृतकर्तव्यनिर्वृतः। समः सर्वत्र वैतृष्ण्यान्न स्मरत्यकृतं कृतम्

Liberated, established in his own nature, content with what is done and undone, equal everywhere due to freedom from craving, he does not recall what has or has not been done.

न प्रीयते वन्द्यमानो निन्द्यमानो न कुप्यति। नैवोद्विजति मरणे जीवने नाभिनन्दति

He is not pleased when praised, nor angered when blamed; he is not disturbed by death, nor does he rejoice in life.

न धावति जनाकीर्णं नारण्यं उपशान्तधीः। यथातथा यत्रतत्र सम एवावतिष्ठते

His mind at peace, he does not run toward crowds nor to the forest; however things are, wherever he is, he remains the same.

जनक उवाच॥ तत्त्वविज्ञानसन्दंशमादाय हृदयोदरात्। नाविधपरामर्शशल्योद्धारः कृतो मया

Janaka said: Taking up the pincers of true knowledge from the cave of my heart, I have removed the thorn of mistaken notions.

क्व धर्मः क्व च वा कामः क्व चार्थः क्व विवेकिता। क्व द्वैतं क्व च वाऽद्वैतं स्वमहिम्नि स्थितस्य मे

Where is duty, where is desire, where is wealth, where is discrimination? Where is duality, where is nonduality, for me who abides in my own glory?

क्व भूतं क्व भविष्यद् वा वर्तमानमपि क्व वा। क्व देशः क्व च वा नित्यं स्वमहिम्नि स्थितस्य मे

Where is the past, where the future, or even the present? Where is place, where is eternity, for me who abides in my own glory?

क्व चात्मा क्व च वानात्मा क्व शुभं क्वाशुभं यथा। क्व चिन्ता क्व च वाचिन्ता स्वमहिम्नि स्थितस्य मे

Where is self, where is non-self, where is auspiciousness, where is inauspiciousness? Where is thought, where is absence of thought, for me who abides in my own glory?

क्व स्वप्नः क्व सुषुप्तिर्वा क्व च जागरणं तथा। क्व तुरियं भयं वापि स्वमहिम्नि स्थितस्य मे

Where is dream, where is deep sleep, where is waking, and where the fourth state or even fear, for me who abides in my own glory?

क्व दूरं क्व समीपं वा बाह्यं क्वाभ्यन्तरं क्व वा। क्व स्थूलं क्व च वा सूक्ष्मं स्वमहिम्नि स्थितस्य मे

Where is far, where is near, where is outside, where is inside? Where is gross, where is subtle, for me who abides in my own glory?

क्व मृत्युर्जीवितं वा क्व लोकाः क्वास्य क्व लौकिकं। क्व लयः क्व समाधिर्वा स्वमहिम्नि स्थितस्य मे

Where is death, where is life, where are worlds, where is worldly existence? Where is dissolution, where is absorption, for me who abides in my own glory?

अलं त्रिवर्गकथया योगस्य कथयाप्यलं। अलं विज्ञानकथया विश्रान्तस्य ममात्मनि

Enough of talk about the three aims of life, enough of talk about yoga; enough of talk about knowledge, for I rest in my Self.

जनक उवाच॥ क्व भूतानि क्व देहो वा क्वेन्द्रियाणि क्व वा मनः। क्व शून्यं क्व च नैराश्यं मत्स्वरूपे निरंजने

Janaka said: Where are the elements, where is the body, where are the senses, where is the mind? Where is emptiness, where is despair, in my stainless true nature?

क्व शास्त्रं क्वात्मविज्ञानं क्व वा निर्विषयं मनः। क्व तृप्तिः क्व वितृष्णात्वं गतद्वन्द्वस्य मे सदा

Where is scripture, where is self-knowledge, where is the desireless mind? Where is satisfaction, where is freedom from craving, for me who is always beyond duality?

क्व विद्या क्व च वाविद्या क्वाहं क्वेदं मम क्व वा। क्व बन्ध क्व च वा मोक्षः स्वरूपस्य क्व रूपिता

Where is knowledge, where is ignorance, where am I, where is this 'mine'? Where is bondage, where is liberation, for the true nature that is beyond all forms?

क्व प्रारब्धानि कर्माणि जीवन्मुक्तिरपि क्व वा। क्व तद् विदेहकैवल्यं निर्विशेषस्य सर्वदा

Where are actions already begun, where is even liberation while living? Where is that final disembodied freedom, for the one who is ever without distinction?

क्व कर्ता क्व च वा भोक्ता निष्क्रियं स्फुरणं क्व वा। क्वापरोक्षं फलं वा क्व निःस्वभावस्य मे सदा

Where is the doer, and where the enjoyer? Where is actionless radiance, and where anything else? Where is direct experience or its fruit, for me who am always without inherent nature?

क्व लोकं क्व मुमुक्षुर्वा क्व योगी ज्ञानवान् क्व वा। क्व बद्धः क्व च वा मुक्तः स्वस्वरूपेऽहमद्वये

Where is the world, where one seeking liberation, where the yogi, or where the knower? Where is the bound, and where the liberated, in my own nondual nature?