Ashtavakra Gita

अहो अहं नमो मह्यं एकोऽहं देहवानपि। क्वचिन्न गन्ता नागन्ता व्याप्य विश्वमवस्थितः

Ah! I salute myself, for though I possess a body, I am one alone, never coming or going, pervading the universe and abiding everywhere.

अहो अहं नमो मह्यं दक्षो नास्तीह मत्समः। असंस्पृश्य शरीरेण येन विश्वं चिरं धृतम्

Ah! I salute myself, for there is no one as skillful as I; without touching the body, I have sustained the universe for so long.

अहो अहं नमो मह्यं यस्य मे नास्ति किंचन। अथवा यस्य मे सर्वं यद् वाङ्मनसगोचरम्

Ah! I salute myself, for nothing belongs to me; or else, everything that is within the range of speech and mind belongs to me.

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं तथा ज्ञाता त्रितयं नास्ति वास्तवं। अज्ञानाद् भाति यत्रेदं सोऽहमस्मि निरंजनः

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower—this triad does not truly exist; whatever appears here due to ignorance, I am that, stainless.

द्वैतमूलमहो दुःखं नान्यत्तस्याऽस्ति भेषजं। दृश्यमेतन् मृषा सर्वं एकोऽहं चिद्रसोमलः

Ah! Duality is the root of suffering; there is no other remedy for it. All that is seen is false; I alone am the pure essence of consciousness.

बोधमात्रोऽहमज्ञानाद् उपाधिः कल्पितो मया। एवं विमृशतो नित्यं निर्विकल्पे स्थितिर्मम

I am pure awareness; out of ignorance, I have imagined a limitation. Reflecting thus constantly, my state is ever free from distinctions.

न मे बन्धोऽस्ति मोक्षो वा भ्रान्तिः शान्तो निराश्रया। अहो मयि स्थितं विश्वं वस्तुतो न मयि स्थितम्

There is neither bondage nor liberation for me, nor confusion; peace is without support. Ah, the universe appears to abide in me, yet in truth, it does not abide in me.

सशरीरमिदं विश्वं न किंचिदिति निश्चितं। शुद्धचिन्मात्र आत्मा च तत्कस्मिन् कल्पनाधुना

It is certain that this universe, along with the body, is nothing. The Self is pure consciousness alone; so upon what can imagination now arise?

शरीरं स्वर्गनरकौ बन्धमोक्षौ भयं तथा। कल्पनामात्रमेवैतत् किं मे कार्यं चिदात्मनः

Body, heaven and hell, bondage and liberation, and fear—these are all mere imagination. What concern have I, who am consciousness itself?

अहो जनसमूहेऽपि न द्वैतं पश्यतो मम। अरण्यमिव संवृत्तं क्व रतिं करवाण्यहम्

Ah, even amidst crowds of people, I perceive no duality. It has become like a wilderness to me; where then shall I find delight?

नाहं देहो न मे देहो जीवो नाहमहं हि चित्। अयमेव हि मे बन्ध आसीद्या जीविते स्पृहा

I am not the body, nor does the body belong to me; I am not the individual soul—I am consciousness. My only bondage was the desire for life.

अहो भुवनकल्लोलैर्विचित्रैर्द्राक् समुत्थितं। मय्यनंतमहांभोधौ चित्तवाते समुद्यते

Ah, the waves of the world, diverse and swiftly arising, have emerged in me, the infinite ocean, stirred by the wind of mind.

मय्यनंतमहांभोधौ चित्तवाते प्रशाम्यति। अभाग्याज्जीववणिजो जगत्पोतो विनश्वरः

In me, the infinite ocean, when the wind of mind subsides, the world-boat, unfortunate merchant of life, perishes.

मय्यनन्तमहांभोधावाश्चर्यं जीववीचयः। उद्यन्ति घ्नन्ति खेलन्ति प्रविशन्ति स्वभावतः

In me, the infinite ocean, the waves of living beings are wondrous; they rise, fall, play, and merge, all by their own nature.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ अविनाशिनमात्मानं एकं विज्ञाय तत्त्वतः। तवात्मज्ञानस्य धीरस्य कथमर्थार्जने रतिः

Ashtavakra said: Knowing the Self to be one and imperishable in truth, how can a wise person, established in self-knowledge, be attached to the pursuit of worldly gain?

आत्माज्ञानादहो प्रीतिर्विषयभ्रमगोचरे। शुक्तेरज्ञानतो लोभो यथा रजतविभ्रमे

Ah, delight in the realm of sense objects arises from ignorance of the Self, just as greed arises from mistaking mother-of-pearl for silver.

विश्वं स्फुरति यत्रेदं तरङ्गा इव सागरे। सोऽहमस्मीति विज्ञाय किं दीन इव धावसि

The universe shines forth in that in which these waves arise, as in the ocean. Knowing 'I am That,' why do you run about as if distressed?

श्रुत्वापि शुद्धचैतन्य आत्मानमतिसुन्दरं। उपस्थेऽत्यन्तसंसक्तो मालिन्यमधिगच्छति

Even after hearing that the Self is pure, beautiful consciousness, one who is deeply attached to sensual pleasure acquires impurity.

सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि। मुनेर्जानत आश्चर्यं ममत्वमनुवर्तते

For the sage who knows the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, it is astonishing that the sense of 'mine' persists.

आस्थितः परमाद्वैतं मोक्षार्थेऽपि व्यवस्थितः। आश्चर्यं कामवशगो विकलः केलिशिक्षया

Established in supreme non-duality, even intent on liberation, it is astonishing that one, swayed by desire and impaired by the pursuit of pleasure, remains incomplete.

उद्भूतं ज्ञानदुर्मित्रमवधार्यातिदुर्बलः। आश्चर्यं काममाकाङ्क्षेत् कालमन्तमनुश्रितः

Though knowledge has arisen and the enemy of ignorance is recognized as exceedingly weak, it is astonishing that one still desires pleasure, even as time draws to its end.

इहामुत्र विरक्तस्य नित्यानित्यविवेकिनः। आश्चर्यं मोक्षकामस्य मोक्षाद् एव विभीषिका

For one who is detached here and elsewhere, who discriminates between the eternal and the transient, it is astonishing that, desiring liberation, he fears liberation itself.

धीरस्तु भोज्यमानोऽपि पीड्यमानोऽपि सर्वदा। आत्मानं केवलं पश्यन् न तुष्यति न कुप्यति

The wise person, whether being fed or afflicted, always perceives only the Self; he neither rejoices nor becomes angry.

चेष्टमानं शरीरं स्वं पश्यत्यन्यशरीरवत्। संस्तवे चापि निन्दायां कथं क्षुभ्येत् महाशयः

He who sees his own body as if it were another's, how would such a great soul be disturbed by praise or blame?

मायामात्रमिदं विश्वं पश्यन् विगतकौतुकः। अपि सन्निहिते मृत्यौ कथं त्रस्यति धीरधीः

Seeing this world as mere illusion, and with all curiosity gone, how would the wise mind be afraid, even with death at hand?

निःस्पृहं मानसं यस्य नैराश्येऽपि महात्मनः। तस्यात्मज्ञानतृप्तस्य तुलना केन जायते

For the great one whose mind is without desire, even in hopelessness, who is satisfied in self-knowledge—who can be compared to him?

स्वभावाद् एव जानानो दृश्यमेतन्न किंचन। इदं ग्राह्यमिदं त्याज्यं स किं पश्यति धीरधीः

Knowing by nature that all this seen is nothing, what does the wise mind perceive as to be accepted or rejected?

अंतस्त्यक्तकषायस्य निर्द्वन्द्वस्य निराशिषः। यदृच्छयागतो भोगो न दुःखाय न तुष्टये

For one who has abandoned inner passions, who is free from duality and expectation, any experience that comes by chance brings neither sorrow nor delight.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ हन्तात्मज्ञानस्य धीरस्य खेलतो भोगलीलया। न हि संसारवाहीकैर्मूढैः सह समानता

Ashtavakra said: Indeed, the wise one established in self-knowledge, playing with the enjoyment of the world, is never equal to the deluded who are carried along by worldly existence.