Ashtavakra Gita

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.

महोदधिरिवाहं स प्रपंचो वीचिसऽन्निभः। इति ज्ञानं तथैतस्य न त्यागो न ग्रहो लयः

I am like the great ocean; the world is like a wave. For one with this knowledge, there is neither renunciation nor acceptance—only dissolution.

अहं स शुक्तिसङ्काशो रूप्यवद् विश्वकल्पना। इति ज्ञानं तथैतस्य न त्यागो न ग्रहो लयः

I am like the mother-of-pearl; the world-appearance is like silver. For one with this knowledge, there is neither renunciation nor acceptance—only dissolution.

अहं वा सर्वभूतेषु सर्वभूतान्यथो मयि। इति ज्ञानं तथैतस्य न त्यागो न ग्रहो लयः

Whether I am in all beings, or all beings are in me—such is the knowledge of this one; for him, there is neither renunciation, nor acceptance, nor dissolution.

जनक उवाच॥ मय्यनंतमहांभोधौ विश्वपोत इतस्ततः। भ्रमति स्वांतवातेन न ममास्त्यसहिष्णुता

Janaka said: In the infinite ocean that is myself, the ship of the world drifts here and there, moved by the wind of its own mind; I have no impatience with this.

मय्यनंतमहांभोधौ जगद्वीचिः स्वभावतः। उदेतु वास्तमायातु न मे वृद्धिर्न च क्षतिः

In the infinite ocean that is myself, the wave of the world arises and subsides by its own nature; whether it rises or falls, there is for me neither gain nor loss.

मय्यनंतमहांभोधौ विश्वं नाम विकल्पना। अतिशांतो निराकार एतदेवाहमास्थितः

In the infinite ocean that is myself, the world is merely a notion; utterly peaceful, formless—this alone I abide in.

नात्मा भावेषु नो भावस्तत्रानन्ते निरंजने। इत्यसक्तोऽस्पृहः शान्त एतदेवाहमास्तितः

The Self is not in states, nor are states in That infinite, stainless One; thus, unattached, desireless, and at peace—this alone I abide in.

अहो चिन्मात्रमेवाहं इन्द्रजालोपमं जगत्। इति मम कथं कुत्र हेयोपादेयकल्पना

Ah! I am pure consciousness alone; the world is like a magic show. So for me, how, where, could there be any thought of rejection or acceptance?

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं किन्चिद् वांछति शोचति। किंचिन् मुंचति गृण्हाति किंचिद् दृष्यति कुप्यति

Ashtavakra said: Bondage is when the mind desires something, grieves, lets go of something, takes hold, sees distinctions, or becomes angry.

तदा मुक्तिर्यदा चित्तं न वांछति न शोचति। न मुंचति न गृण्हाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति

Liberation is when the mind neither desires nor grieves, neither lets go nor takes hold, neither rejoices nor becomes angry.

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं सक्तं काश्वपि दृष्टिषु। तदा मोक्षो यदा चित्तमसक्तं सर्वदृष्टिषु

Bondage is when the mind is attached to any perception; liberation is when the mind is unattached to all perceptions.

यदा नाहं तदा मोक्षो यदाहं बन्धनं तदा। मत्वेति हेलया किंचिन्मा गृहाण विमुंच मा

Liberation is when there is no 'I'; bondage is when there is 'I'. Knowing this, do not grasp or abandon anything, even carelessly.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ कृताकृते च द्वन्द्वानि कदा शान्तानि कस्य वा। एवं ज्ञात्वेह निर्वेदाद् भव त्यागपरोऽव्रती

Ashtavakra said: When are the pairs of opposites, action and inaction, ever at peace, and for whom? Knowing this, become indifferent here, devoted to renunciation, free from all vows.

कस्यापि तात धन्यस्य लोकचेष्टावलोकनात्। जीवितेच्छा बुभुक्षा च बुभुत्सोपशमः गताः

For some rare blessed one, merely by observing the ways of the world, the desire for life, for food, and for knowledge, along with all agitation, have vanished.

अनित्यं सर्वमेवेदं तापत्रयदूषितं। असरं निन्दितं हेयमिति निश्चित्य शाम्यति

All this is impermanent, tainted by the threefold suffering, unsubstantial, blameworthy, to be abandoned—knowing this, one becomes calm.

कोऽसौ कालो वयः किं वा यत्र द्वन्द्वानि नो नृणां। तान्युपेक्ष्य यथाप्राप्तवर्ती सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्

What time, what age, or what circumstance is there where the pairs of opposites do not exist for people? Ignoring them, acting as is fitting, one attains perfection.

ना मतं महर्षीणां साधूनां योगिनां तथा। दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमापन्नः को न शाम्यति मानवः

Not by the doctrines of sages, saints, or yogis—seeing this, who, having become dispassionate, does not become calm?

कृत्वा मूर्तिपरिज्ञानं चैतन्यस्य न किं गुरुः। निर्वेदसमतायुक्त्या यस्तारयति संसृतेः

Having realized the true nature of consciousness, who is not a teacher? By the method of dispassion and equanimity, one leads others beyond the cycle of birth and death.

पश्य भूतविकारांस्त्वं भूतमात्रान् यथार्थतः। तत्क्षणाद् बन्धनिर्मुक्तः स्वरूपस्थो भविष्यसि

See the transformations of the elements as merely the elements themselves, as they truly are; in that very instant, freed from bondage, you will abide in your own nature.

वासना एव संसार इति सर्वा विमुंच ताः। तत्त्यागो वासनात्यागात्स्थितिरद्य यथा तथा

Desires alone are the world—therefore, abandon them all. Renouncing desires, you will remain established today, in whatever way it may be.