Ashtavakra Gita

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.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ विहाय वैरिणं काममर्थं चानर्थसंकुलं। धर्ममप्येतयोर्हेतुं सर्वत्रादरं कुरु

Ashtavakra said: Renounce desire, the enemy, and wealth, which is filled with misfortune; even righteousness, which arises from these two, regard with detachment everywhere.

स्वप्नेन्द्रजालवत् पश्य दिनानि त्रीणि पंच वा। मित्रक्षेत्रधनागारदारदायादिसंपदः

See the days—three or five—as like a dream or illusion: friends, lands, wealth, houses, wives, heirs, and possessions.

यत्र यत्र भवेत्तृष्णा संसारं विद्धि तत्र वै। प्रौढवैराग्यमाश्रित्य वीततृष्णः सुखी भव

Wherever there is craving, know that there is worldly existence; relying on mature dispassion, become happy, free from craving.

तृष्णामात्रात्मको बन्धस्तन्नाशो मोक्ष उच्यते। भवासंसक्तिमात्रेण प्राप्तितुष्टिर्मुहुर्मुहुः

Bondage consists only of craving; its destruction is called liberation. By mere non-attachment to existence, satisfaction is attained again and again.

त्वमेकश्चेतनः शुद्धो जडं विश्वमसत्तथा। अविद्यापि न किंचित्सा का बुभुत्सा तथापि ते

You alone are conscious, pure; the world is inert and unreal. Even ignorance is nothing; so why this curiosity of yours?

राज्यं सुताः कलत्राणि शरीराणि सुखानि च। संसक्तस्यापि नष्टानि तव जन्मनि जन्मनि

Kingdoms, sons, wives, bodies, and pleasures—even for one attached, these are lost in every birth of yours.

अलमर्थेन कामेन सुकृतेनापि कर्मणा। एभ्यः संसारकान्तारे न विश्रान्तमभून् मनः

Enough of wealth, desire, and even virtuous deeds; among these, in the desert of worldly existence, the mind has never found rest.

कृतं न कति जन्मानि कायेन मनसा गिरा। दुःखमायासदं कर्म तदद्याप्युपरम्यताम्

How many births have passed in body, mind, and speech, performing actions that bring suffering and toil? Let that cease today.

अष्टावक्र उवाच॥ भावाभावविकारश्च स्वभावादिति निश्चयी। निर्विकारो गतक्लेशः सुखेनैवोपशाम्यति

Ashtavakra said: Knowing that arising, non-arising, and change are all natural, one who is changeless and free from distress attains peace effortlessly.

ईश्वरः सर्वनिर्माता नेहान्य इति निश्चयी। अन्तर्गलितसर्वाशः शान्तः क्वापि न सज्जते

Knowing that the Lord is the creator of all and there is no other, one whose hopes have dissolved within is peaceful and does not become attached anywhere.

आपदः संपदः काले दैवादेवेति निश्चयी। तृप्तः स्वस्थेन्द्रियो नित्यं न वान्छति न शोचति

Knowing that misfortune and fortune come in time and by fate, one who is content and whose senses are steady never desires nor grieves.

सुखदुःखे जन्ममृत्यू दैवादेवेति निश्चयी। साध्यादर्शी निरायासः कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते

Knowing that happiness and sorrow, birth and death, are by fate, one who sees what is to be done, without effort, is not tainted even while acting.

चिन्तया जायते दुःखं नान्यथेहेति निश्चयी। तया हीनः सुखी शान्तः सर्वत्र गलितस्पृहः

Knowing that suffering arises from thought and not otherwise, one who is free from it is happy, peaceful, and everywhere devoid of longing.

नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽहमिति निश्चयी। कैवल्यं इव संप्राप्तो न स्मरत्यकृतं कृतम्

Knowing 'I am not the body, nor is the body mine; I am consciousness,' one attains isolation as if liberated, and does not remember what was done or not done.

आब्रह्मस्तंबपर्यन्तं अहमेवेति निश्चयी। निर्विकल्पः शुचिः शान्तः प्राप्ताप्राप्तविनिर्वृतः

Knowing 'I alone am,' from Brahma down to a blade of grass, one who is undivided, pure, peaceful, and free from concern for attainment or non-attainment.

नाश्चर्यमिदं विश्वं न किंचिदिति निश्चयी। निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो न किंचिदिव शाम्यति

Knowing 'This world is not wondrous, nor is anything,' one who is free from desires, consisting only of awareness, becomes peaceful as if nothing exists.

जनक उवाच॥ कायकृत्यासहः पूर्वं ततो वाग्विस्तरासहः। अथ चिन्तासहस्तस्माद् एवमेवाहमास्थितः

Janaka said: First, I was unable to perform bodily actions; then, unable to elaborate in speech; then, unable to think—thus, I have settled in this way.

प्रीत्यभावेन शब्दादेरदृश्यत्वेन चात्मनः। विक्षेपैकाग्रहृदय एवमेवाहमास्थितः

By absence of delight in words and the like, and by the invisibility of the self, with a heart undisturbed and concentrated, thus I have settled.

समाध्यासादिविक्षिप्तौ व्यवहारः समाधये। एवं विलोक्य नियमं एवमेवाहमास्थितः

Observing the rule that activity such as the practice of samadhi is itself a distraction from samadhi, I have thus settled in this way.

हेयोपादेयविरहाद् एवं हर्षविषादयोः। अभावादद्य हे ब्रह्मन्न् एवमेवाहमास्थितः

O Brahman, recognizing that joy and sorrow do not arise due to the absence of anything to accept or reject, I have thus settled in this way.