Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 1, Verse 9
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Ashtavakra Gita 1.9 - Teachings on Self-Realization and Liberation
एको विशुद्धबोधोऽहमिति निश्चयवह्निना ।
प्रज्वाल्याज्ञानगहनं वीतशोक: सुखी भव
eko viśuddha-bodho’ham-iti niścaya-vahninā.
prajvālyājñāna-gahanaṃ vīta-śokaḥ sukhī bhava .. 1-9..
With the blazing fire of conclusion that ‘I am the pure Consciousness’, burning down the huge forest of ignorance and delusion, transcend grief, and be happy.
Commentary by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
The Sage again illustrates the process of gaining spiritual wisdom, so that the king’s understanding about it will grow deeper and stabler. The awareness that “I am the pure Consciousness” should be so strong, thorough, that it becomes a blazing fire. Let it burn the huge forest of ignorance and delusion. This will mean your getting freed of all grief and torment, on all accounts.
You will instantly become delightful, contented in full. True spiritual wisdom works this way. It acts on the mind to redress all kinds of affliction caused by the world. When the affliction is removed, no further effort is required to bring happiness or delight. It is like the sky being free of clouds, letting the sun shine well.
Apart from removal of the clouds, no other effort is needed for sunshine to become full.
Self-knowledge does not consist of any protracted and arduous effort either with the body or otherwise. It consists fully in recognizing one’s ignorance and the art and process of removing it by practising the right knowledge. None fights against darkness in any place. All he does is to bring light. No darkness will then be there. Here too bring knowledge, practise it, perfect it. And all effects of ignorance and delusion will be gone instantly!
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