Ashtavakra Gita

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.

यत् पदं प्रेप्सवो दीनाः शक्राद्याः सर्वदेवताः। अहो तत्र स्थितो योगी न हर्षमुपगच्छति

The state which even the highest gods like Indra long for, how amazing that the yogi established there feels no elation.

तज्ज्ञस्य पुण्यपापाभ्यां स्पर्शो ह्यन्तर्न जायते। न ह्याकाशस्य धूमेन दृश्यमानापि सङ्गतिः

For the knower of That, there is no inner contact with merit or sin, just as space, though appearing to touch smoke, is never truly affected.

आत्मैवेदं जगत्सर्वं ज्ञातं येन महात्मना। यदृच्छया वर्तमानं तं निषेद्धुं क्षमेत कः

Who could restrain the great soul who knows all this world as the Self, and lives as things come?

आब्रह्मस्तंबपर्यन्ते भूतग्रामे चतुर्विधे। विज्ञस्यैव हि सामर्थ्यमिच्छानिच्छाविवर्जने

From Brahma down to a blade of grass, in all four kinds of beings, only the knower has the power to be free from both desire and aversion.

आत्मानमद्वयं कश्चिज्जानाति जगदीश्वरं। यद् वेत्ति तत्स कुरुते न भयं तस्य कुत्रचित्

Whoever knows the Self as nondual, the Lord of the universe—whatever he knows, he does; he has no fear anywhere.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ न ते संगोऽस्ति केनापि किं शुद्धस्त्यक्तुमिच्छसि। संघातविलयं कुर्वन्नेवमेव लयं व्रज

Ashtavakra said: You have no attachment to anything—why, O pure one, do you wish to renounce? Dissolve the aggregation, and thus enter dissolution.

उदेति भवतो विश्वं वारिधेरिव बुद्बुदः। इति ज्ञात्वैकमात्मानं एवमेव लयं व्रज

The universe arises in you like a bubble in the ocean; knowing the Self to be one, thus enter dissolution.

प्रत्यक्षमप्यवस्तुत्वाद् विश्वं नास्त्यमले त्वयि। रज्जुसर्प इव व्यक्तं एवमेव लयं व्रज

Even though the world appears directly, it does not exist in you, the stainless one, just as a snake is seen in a rope; thus, enter dissolution.

समदुःखसुखः पूर्ण आशानैराश्ययोः समः। समजीवितमृत्युः सन्नेवमेव लयं व्रज

Being the same in pain and pleasure, full, equal in hope and hopelessness, and the same in life and death—thus, enter dissolution.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ आकाशवदनन्तोऽहं घटवत् प्राकृतं जगत्। इति ज्ञानं तथैतस्य न त्यागो न ग्रहो लयः

Ashtavakra said: I am infinite like space; the world is natural like a pot. For one with this knowledge, there is neither renunciation nor acceptance—only dissolution.