Ashtavakra Gita/Ashtavakreeyam – 1
Chapter -1 – Athmopadhesham
King Janaka speaks “ Oh! Prabho, how did
achieve supreme wisdom? How did achieve Mukthi and Vairagya? Kindly narrate
about all these.”
Sage Ashtavakra speaks “Oh! Rajan, if you
want to earn wisdom and Mukthi, abandon interest in worldly matters and bondage,
and practice to achieve nectar-like Kshama/endurance, Arjjavam/enthusiasm,
Dhaya/kindness, happiness, and truth. Oh! Rajan, Athman is beyond Earth, Air,
Water, Ether, and fire, these five essential elements are means to achieve that supreme
Bramham is the sole witness. Oh! Rajan, if you want to get relieved from
worldly interest and attachments, understand the eternal truth that the body is
different from Soul, you are not the body, you are that supreme soul/Bhramam
resides in you; this knowledge would keep you free from all the worldly
existence and bring serenity. Oh! Rajan, once, you achieve the knowledge of the supreme soul, who is the sole witness, different from the body. You are Athman, does
not belong to any Varnna/Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra or Ashrama
Dharma/Bhramacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sanyasashrama. The Athman is free from blemishes, passions,
and have no specific form and invisible; this knowledge will keep you free from
afflictions. Oh! Rajan, Dharma and Adharma, grief and happiness are the state
of mind. It does not affect the Athman/soul, Athman is not Karththa/doer or
Bhoktha/consumer, and therefore you /Athman are always free from shackles. Oh!
Rajan, you/Athman are the Dhrashta/viewer, you are independent. Your wrong
perception of Dhrishya, Dhrishta, and Dhrishyam is the cause for attachments. Oh! Rajan, the ‘body consciousness’ and
ego/pride cause’s afflictions, if you understand the nature of the ‘Athman’,
and understand the nectar-like knowledge that you are not the doer, would keep
you serene. Oh! Rajan, understand the eternal truth that the Athman/soul is sole
witness and pure, and in this way burn down the woods of ignorance, and keep
yourself free from grief. Oh! Rajan,
supreme consciousness is often mistaken, as the rope as a snake, you are that
supreme bliss/Athman, therefore be free from trepidations and illusions. Oh!
Rajan, it is very simple, the person who believes independent, free from the interest in worldly matters and bondage remains Muktha, the person who believes
that he is under the shackles/bondage remains attached to worldly interest and
bondage. Therefore, the truth is that personality is constructed by the
thought process of a person. Oh! Rajan,
Athman, is the essence of Paramathma, which is the sole witness, omnipresent,
flawless, has no dual forms, independent, supreme conscious, free from
activities/Karma, free from passions, free from impurities, and serene. Oh! Rajan, the lack of knowledge of supreme
Bhraman/ Athman/soul which is free from death and birth, the body undergoes transformations and
ruin, causes the illusions and trepidations in the Jeeva. Oh! Rajan, leave the sense of duality, clearly understand that you are not the body, you are part of
that supreme Bhramam and leave your misconception, Athman is free from duality,
it has neither beginning nor end. Oh! Rajan, leave the ‘body consciousness’,
you are the part of that eternal Bhramam, attain several births with the
Vasanas in you. It would remove all your grief. Oh! Rajan, you will learn to
calm your mind with the knowledge of supreme soul/Athman, which has no
association, free from Karma, it is self-illuminating, pure, free from
blemishes, it illuminates the Panchendhriyas/Karma and Gnana Indhriyas, mind, intellect and Ahamkara with its presence. Oh!
Rajan, this Universe is created from the powerful Maya/illusion of that supreme
Lord, the knowledge of ‘I consciousness’ and supreme consciousness would remove
the illusion in you. Oh! Rajan, the Athman is free from impurities,
independent, all-pervasive, it is supreme bliss, can be experienced with the
meditation and contemplation, its free from passions, it resides in the
consciousness which can be experienced with the constant practice of meditation.
Oh! Rajan, all those visible things have a specific appearance is nothing but
Mithya/illusion, Athman/soul is formless, and it is eternal. If you have
understood the all-pervasive nature of Bhramam, the moment you get freed from
rebirths. Oh! Rajan, the supreme Lord Parameshwara resides as a soul in living
beings, like the mirror image. The whole Universe and its living beings are the
mirror image of that supreme Lord. Oh! Rajan, the supreme Bhramam is eternal,
has no dual forms, it is all-pervasive, like the space in and out of the mud
pot, the supreme Bhramam resides as a soul in living beings, and it is
omnipresent."
Janaka Uvacha –
Katham Jyanamavapnothi Katham Mukthir Bhavishyathi
| Vairagyam Cha Katham Praptham Yethadh Bhroohi Mama Prabho ||
Ashtavakra Uvacha –
Mukthimicchasi Chethatha Vishayan Vishava
Thyaja | Kshamaraja Vadhayathosha Sathyam Peeyusha Vath Bhaja ||
Na Prithvi Na Jalam Na Agnirnna
Vayurdhyau Na Va Bhavan | Yesham Sakshinam Athmanam Chithroopam Vidhdhi
Mukthaye ||
Yadhi Dheham Prithak Krithya Chithi
Vishramya Thishtasi | Adhunaiva Sukhi
Shantho Bandhamuktho Bhavishyasi ||
Na Thvam Vipradhiko Varnno Nashrami
Naksha Gochara: | Asangoasi Nirakaro Vishwasakshi Sukhi Bhava ||
Dharmadharmau Sukhamdhukham Mansani Na The Vibho | Na Karthasi Na Bhokthasi Muktha Yevasi
Sarvadha ||
Yeko Dhrishtasi Sarvasya Muktha Prayoasi Sarvadha | Ayameva Hi The
Bandho Dhrashtaram Pashyaseetharam ||
Aham Karthethyaham Manamahakrishnahi
Dhamshitha: | Naham Karthethi Vishwasamritham Peethva Sukhi Bhava ||
Yeko Vishudhdha Bodhoaham Ithi Nishchaya
Vahnina | Prajjwalyajjana Gahanam Veethashoka: Sukhi Bhava ||
Yathra Vishwamidham Bhathi Kalpitham
Rajjusarpavath | Anandha Paramanandha: Sa Bodhasthvam Sukham Chara ||
Mukthabhimani Muktho Hi Badhdho
Badhdhabimanyapi | Kimvadhantheeha Sathyeyam Ya Mathi: Sa Gathirbhaveth ||
Athma Sakshi Vibhu: Poornna Yeko
Mukthshchidhakriya: | Asango Ni:spruha: Shantho Bhramath Samsaravaniva ||
Kootastham Bodham Adhvaitham Athmanam
Paribhavaya | Abhasoaham Bhramam Mukthva
Bhavam Bahyamadhantharam ||
Dhehabhimanam Pashena Chiram Badhdhoasi
Puthraka | Bodhoaham Jyana Gadgena Thannikrithya Sukhi Bhava ||
Nissango Nishkriyoasi Thvam Swaprakasho
Niranjjana: | Ayameva Hi The Bandha: Samadhimanuthishtathi ||
Thvaya Vyapthamidham Vishwam Thvayi
Proktham Yadharththatha: | Shudhdha Budhdha Swaroopasthvam Ma Gama: Kshudhra
chiththatham ||
Nirapeksho Nirvikaro Nirbhara:
Sheethalashaya: | Agadhabudhdhirakshubdho Bhava Chinmathra Vasana: ||
Sakaramanritham Vidhdhi Nirakaram Thu
Nishchalam | Yetha Thaththvopadheshena Na Punar Bhava Sambhava: ||
Yadhaivadharsha Madhyasthe Roopeantha: Parithasthu Sa: | Thadhaivasmin
Shareerantha: Paritha: Parameshwara: ||
Yekam Sarvagatham Vyoma Bahirantharyadha
Ghate | Nithyam Nirantharam Bhrama
Sarvabhoothagane Thadha ||
