Set your browser to text-encoding UTF-8 to view devanagari script (sanskrit) (this is a work in progress) The Ashtaavakra Gita is considered by most to be the world's leading spiritual text, unsurpassed by any other. There are many paths to self-realization, however Ashtaavakra strikes at ignorance verse after verse. He maintains that all prayers, mantras, rituals, meditation, actions, devotion, breathing practices, etc are irrelevant. These distract the aspirant from self-knowledge. Knowledge/awareness is all that is required. Ignorance does not exist in itself, it is just the absence of knowledge/awareness. The light of knowledge/consciousness will dispel ignorance revealing the Self. The Self is merely forgotten, not lost, not to be attained. It is only to me remembered.
These teachings constitute a conversation between Ashtaavakra and his disciple King Janaka, who realized the Self during this conversation by merely hearing the truth. Thus, this text has been practically tested and proven to be successful in its very first application.
Admittedly this direct approach is not suitable for all. The extrovert perhaps would be more suited to the path of karma or bhakti. A very sharp, discriminating and inward-looking mind is required for this approach. Perhaps due to this, this text has not been popular with the lay person. Repeatedly he points to the aspirant that we are neither the mind nor the body, but pure consciousness, and this awareness is enough to reveal aatma-gnana.
This is advaita in its purest, most distilled form, devoid of stories, examples, arguments. The target audience consists of aspirants ready for the truth, not agitated souls like Arjuna in the Mahabharata.
The words of Ashtaavakra are unambiguous like mathematical equations; undoubtedly advaita at its zenith.
I would like to humbly suggest that the Ashtaavakra Gita not be read in one straight reading and discarded. For those of us, not as ripe as King Janaka, verses may be read on a daily basis, reflected upon and then given a day or two for absorption.
It is rarely in the history of man, that a guru like Sri Astaavakra and a disciple like King Janaka happen. To such a Sri Guru, who is like Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, who is himself the parabrahman, I offer my salutations!
जनक उवाच ।।
कथं ज्ञानमवाप्नोति कथं मुक्तिर्भविष्यति ।
वैराग्यं च कथं प्राप्तं एतद् ब्रूहि मम प्रभो ।। १-१ ।।
Janaka spoke:
How is (Self) knowledge to be gained, how is liberation attained,
and how is dispassion achieved. Tell me this, my Lord.
Comment: This document at the very start shows the maturity and readiness of the questioner. The aspirant does not plead with the guru to dispell pain or agitation. The aspirant is not deluded like Arjuna was in the Mahabharata. He has done enough tapas and study to know that dispassion is a necessary requirement, that liberation is the one and only meaningful objective of human life. The guru does not need to waste time in convincing him to give up material ways and seek liberation. Janaka is a true and earnest seeker for liberation.
अष्टावक्र उवाच ।।
Ashtaavakra spoke:
मुक्तिम् इच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान् विषवत्त्यज ।
क्षमार्जवदयातोषसत्यं पीयूषवद् भज ।। १-२।।
muktim ichchasi chet taat vishayaan vishavat tyaj
kshamaa aarjava dayaa tosha satyam piyushavad bhaja (1-2)
Son, if you desire liberation, give up sense objects like poison,
and nurture forgiveness, humility, compassion, contentment and truthfulness as antidote (1-2).
muktim ichchasi chet - liberation, you desire, if
taat - Son
vishayaan vishavat tyaj - sense objects, like poison, relinquish/give up
kshamaa aarjava - forgiveness, humility
dayaa tosha satyam - compassion, contentment, truth
piyushavad - like nectar/amrita
bhaja - nurture/cultivate
न पृथ्वी न जलं नाग्निर्न वायुर्द्यौर्न वा भवान् ।
एषां साक्षिणमात्मानं चिद्रूपं विद्धि मुक्तये ।। १-३ ।।
यदि देहं पृथक् कृत्य चिति विश्राम्य तिष्ठसि ।
अधुनैव सुखी शान्तो बन्धमुक्तो भविष्यसि ।। १-४ ।।
Having dis-identified from the body, if you remain resting in consciousness,
then now itself you will be content, peaceful, free from bondage (1-4).
yadii deham prithak kritya chiti vishramya tishthasi
adhunaiva sukhii shaanto bandhamukto bhavishyasi (1-4).
yadii - if
deham - body
prithak -separate
kritya - after doing, having done
chiti - in consciousness
vishramya - rest
tishthasi - you sit, remain
adhunaiva - now itself
sukhii - content, happy
shaanto - peaceful
bandhamukto - bondage, liberated
bhavishyasi - you will be
Comment: Knowing that relinquishing sense objects and cultivating attributes such as honesty, compassion and forgiveness can take time, Ashtaavakra gives King Janaka a short-cut to peace. Give up the notion of 'I am the body' and rest in 'I' or 'I Am' and you will instantly feel free!
Ashtaavakra, the gnani, has ascertained that Janaka is a ripe aspirant. He knows that he can strike directly, without delay.
न त्वं विप्रादिको वर्ण: नाश्रमी नाक्षगोचर: ।
असङगोऽसि निराकारो विश्वसाक्षी सुखी भव ।। १-५ ।।
You are not a brahmin, or of any caste, or of any ashram (stage of life), nor are you anything the eye can see.
You are unattached, formless, the witness of all, so be happy.
Comment: If the eye can see anything, if the senses can sense anything, then you are not that.
You are not attached to anything!
You are a witness to everything, to the mind and body, to the senses; thus you are completely unaffected by whatever happens in the whole world. Thus, be happy.
धर्मा धर्मौ सुखं दुखं मानसानि न ते विभो ।
न कर्तासि न भोक्तासि मुक्त एवासि सर्वदा ।। १-६ ।।
dharma adharmau sukham dukham manasaani na te vibho,
na kartaasi na bhoktaasi mukta evaasi sarvadaa. (1-6)
Righteousness and unrighteousness, happiness and suffering, are of the mind, and are not yours, Lord.
Neither are you the doer, nor the reaper, you are eternally free. (1-6)
dharma adharmau - righteousness/virtue, unrighteousness
sukham dukham - contentment/happiness, sadness/suffering
manasaani - of the mind
na te - not yours
vibho - O Lord/Greatest
na kartaasi - not, doer you are
na bhoktaasi - not, reaper you are
mukta evaasi - liberated, already/itself, you are
sarvadaa - always
Comment - As always, Ashtaavakra cuts through delusion and disidentification in one stroke. All dualities exist in the mind. Happiness and pain are in the mind. And the mind is not yours!
First he removes the false identification with the body, and now with the mind.
Thus, you cannot do, you cannot enjoy or suffer. You are and always were free.
एको द्रष्टासि सर्वस्य मुक्तप्रायोऽसि सर्वदा ।
अयमेव हि ते बन्धो द्रष्टारं पश्यसीतरम् ।। १-७ ।।
अहं कर्तेत्यहंमानमहाकृष्णाहिदंशितः ।
नाहं कर्तेति विश्वासामृतं पीत्वा सुखं भव ।। १-८ ।।
एको विशुद्धबोधोऽहं इति निश्चयवह्निना ।
प्रज्वाल्याज्ञानगहनं वीतशोकः सुखी भव ।। १-९ ।।
यत्र विश्वमिदं भाति कल्पितं रज्जुसर्पवत् ।
अानन्दपरमानन्दः स बोधस्त्वं सुखं भव ।। १-१० ।।
मुक्ताभिमानी मुक्तो हि बद्धौ बद्धाभिमान्यपि ।
किंवदन्तीह सत्येयं या मतिः सा गातिर्भवेत ।। १-११ ।।
अात्मा साक्षी विभुः पूर्ण एको मुक्तश्चिदक्रियः ।
असंगो निःस्पृहः शान्तो भ्रमात्सणसंसारवानिव ।। १-१२ ।।
कूटस्थं बोधमद्वैतमात्मानं परिभावय ।
अाभासोऽहं भ्रमं मुक्त्वा भावं बाह्यमथान्तरम् ।। १-१३ ।।
देहाभिमानपाशेन चिरं बद्धोऽसि पुत्रक ।
बोधोऽहं ज्ञानखंगेन तः निकृत्य सुखी भव ।। १-१४ ।।
My son, you have been bound by the trap of identification with the body ('I am the body') for very long,
With the knife of knowledge that 'I am awareness' cut it (the trap) and be happy.
Comment: Ashtaavakra's simple and direct path for breaking bondage and illusion is the knowledge that 'I am awareness' and none else. No other practices are required.
निःसंगो निष्क्रियोऽसि त्वं स्वप्रकाशो निरंजनः ।
अयमेव हि ते बंघः समाधिमनुतिष्ठति ।। १-१५ ।।
त्वया व्याप्तमिदं विश्वं त्वयि प्रोतं यथार्थतः ।
शुद्धबुद्धस्त्वं मा गमः क्षुद्रचित्तताम् ।। १-१६ ।।
निरपेक्षो निर्विकारो निर्भरः शीतलाशयः ।
अगाधबुद्धिरक्षुब्धो भव चिन्मात्रवासन: ।। १-१७ ।।
You are without expectation, changeless, self-dependent (dependent on none), the resting place of peace, unfathomable awareness, imperturbable, so hold onto nothing but pure consciousness.
Comment: Being the aatma and not body or mind, there are no hopes, expections or desires you can have. Similarly, there can be no conditioning. You cannot depend on anything.
Be one who remains in pure consciousness is the literal translation of the last part. Once again, the Master directs the disciple to hold onto nothing apart from consciousness.
साकारमनृतं विद्धि निराकारं तु निश्चलं ।
एतत्तत्त्वोपदेशेन न पुनर्भवसंभव: ।। १-१८ ।।
यथैवादर्शमध्यस्थे रूपेऽन्तः परितस्तु सः ।
तथैवाऽस्मिन् शरीरेऽन्तः परितः परमेश्वरः ।। १-१९ ।।
एकं सर्वगतं व्योम बहिरन्तर्यथा घटे ।
नित्यं निरन्तरं ब्रह्म सर्वभूतगणे तथा ।। १-२० ।।
Chapter 2: King Janaka spoke
जनक उवाच ।।
स शरीरमहो विश्वं परित्यज्य मयाऽधुना ।
कुतश्चित् कौशलाद् एव परमात्मा विलोक्यते ।। २-३ ।।
sa shariiram aho vishwam parityajya mayaa adhunaa
kutashchit kaushalaad ev paramaatmaa vilokyate.(2-3)
What a surprise! Having discarded the body and the world, by some grace, I now clearly see the Self (paramaatma) (2-3).
सशरीरमिदं विश्वं न किंचिदिति निश्चितं ।
शुद्धचिन्मात्र अात्मा च तत्कस्मिन् कल्पनाधुना ।। २-१९ ।।
शरीरं स्वर्गनरकौ बंधमोक्षौ भयं तथा ।
कल्पनामात्रमेवैतत् किं मे कार्यम् चिदात्मनः ।। २-२० ।।
नाहं देहो न मे देहो जीवो नाहमहं हि चित् ।
अयमेव हि मे बन्ध अासीद्या जीविते स्पृहा ।। २-२२ ।।
naaham deho na me deho jiivo naahamaham hi chit
ayameva hi me bandha aasiidyaa jiivite sprihaa. (2-22)
I am not the body, nor is the body mine. I am not a living being (individual soul). I am consciousness itself.
My bondage was my thirst for living (2-22)
na - not
aham - me/I
deha - body
na - not
me - mine
deha - body
jiivo - soul/ living being
naaham - not I
aham - I
hi - itself
chit - consciousness
ayam - it
eva - only
hi
me - my/mine
bandha - bondage
aasiidyaa -
jiivite - for life/living
sprihaa - longing
Excerpts from Chapter 11
ईश्वरः सर्वनिर्माता नेहान्य इति निश्चयी ।
अन्तर्गलित सर्वाशः शान्तः क्वापि न सज्जते ।। ११-२ ।।
Iishwaraha sarvanirmaataa na ih anya iti nishchayii
antargalit sarvaashaha shaantaha kva api na sajjate (11-2)
There is nothing other than Ishwara, the Creator of all things. Having understood/ascertained this, all desires within have dropped off, one is peaceful, not attached to anything (11-2)
Excerpts from Chapter 15
न त्वं देहो न ते देहो भोक्ता
कर्ता न वा भवान् ।
चिद्रूपोऽसि सदा साक्षी निरपेक्षः सुखं चर ।। १५-४ ।।
na tvam deho na te deho bhokta karta na va bhavan.
chidrupoasi sadaa saakshii nirpekshaha sukham chara.(15-4)
Neither are you the body, nor is the body yours. You are not the doer not the reaper (enjoyer) of results.
You are pure consciousness, eternal, the witness, without need, so be happy. (15-4)
na tvam deho - not, You, the body
na te deho - not, yours, the body
bhokta, karta, na, va, bhavan - enjoyer, doer, not, or, you
chidrupo asi - pure consciousness, you are
sadaa - forever, eternal
saakshii - witness
nirpekshaha - not needing
sukham chara - happy/content, be/live/move around
रागद्वेषौ
मनोधर्मौ न मनस्ते कदाचन ।
निर्विकल्पोऽसि बोधात्मा निर्विकारः सुखं चर ।। १५-५ ।।
Raaga dveshau manodharmau na manaste kadachana.
nirvikalpo asi bodhaatmaa nirvikaraha sukham chara (15-5).
Attachment (Raag, desire) and aversion (dvesha, anger) are the dharma (or nature) of the mind. But the mind is not yours, and never was.
You are choiceless, pure awareness, unchanging (unblemished by vasanas, samskaras?); so be content.(15-5)
Comment: the central point in this line that hits the disturbed, afflicted mind is that the mind was never mine! When disturbed by anger or desire, when the mind attaches to anything and starts getting carried away, this reminder that the mind is not mine has the power to instantly shatter the attachment and stabilize the mind in peace and dispassion.
Raaga - desire, attachment
dvesha - anger, aversion
mano - mind
dharma - nature
na - not
manas - mind
te - yours
kadaachana - ever
nirvikalpo - without choice
asi - you are
bodhaatmaa - pure awareness
nirvikaraha - unchanging
sukham - content, happy
chara - live, be.
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
विज्ञाय निराहंकारो निर्ममस्त्वं सुखी भव ।। १५-६ ।।
एक एव भवांभोधावासीदस्ति भविष्यति ।
न ते बन्धोऽस्ति मोक्षो वा कृतकृत्यः सुखं चर ।। १५-१८ ।।
मा संकल्पविकल्पाभ्यां चित्तं क्षोभय चिन्मय ।
उपशाम्य सुखं तिष्ठ स्वात्मन्यानन्दविग्रहे ।। १५-१९ ।।
त्यजैव ध्यानं सर्वत्र मा किंचिद् हृदि धारय ।
अात्मा त्वं मुक्त एवासि किं विमृश्य करिष्यसि ।। १५-२० ।।
tyajaiva dhyaanam sarvatra ma kinchid hridi dharaya.
Aatmaa tvam mukta evaasi kim vimrishya karishyasi (15-20).
Give up dhyana completely, but don't let the Heart (Self) attach onto anything.
You are already free, what will you gain by deliberating/pondering. (15-20)
In other words, remain unattached at all times.
In other translations, the word mind has been used for "hridi". This is perhaps clearer to the reader, but going by verse 15-5 one must remember that the mind itself is not ours, and it is the nature of the mind to have attachment and aversion. Thus, the Self or Heart is to remain unattached from all things (including the mind).
tyajaiva - give up, relinquish
dhyaanam - contemplation, meditation
sarvatra - everywhere
ma - no, don't
kinchit - anything
hridi - in the heart
dharaya - wear, put on (cling, attach in this context)
Aatmaa - self
tvam - you
mukta - liberated, free
eva asi - are indeed
kim - what
vimrishya - after deliberation
karishyasi - will you do
References:
http://www.geocities.com/advaitavedant/ashtavakra.htm
http://sanskrit.gde.to/all_pdf/ashtgita.pdf
http://kalki.benegal.org/ashtavakra_gita
Tag:
Ashtavakra Gita
