Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 14
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King Janaka describes the knower’s state of mind. To him, the world is but bubbles floating on inner Consciousness. All considerations such as do’s and don’ts, injunction and prohibition, virtue and vice lose their relevance. Everything he sees and does becomes an expression and extension of the inner Self. Worldliness reflected in the mind is worn out, and every input dissolves into the self-expanse.
In such a desire-free state, one has no interest in riches, friends, scriptures; even the quest for spiritual wisdom ceases. When the Ultimate Reality—Brahman or God—is known, the knower outlives all plural concepts and conditionings, including bondage and liberation.
The knower lives and moves unhinderedly, aiming at nothing and affected by nothing. His carefree movement may resemble that of a lunatic, with no visible purpose in whatever he does. This state can be understood only by enlightened knowers like him.
चतुर्दशोऽध्याय: –
जनक उवाच ।
प्रकृत्या शून्यचित्तो य: प्रमादाद्भावभावन: ।
निद्रितो बोधित इव क्षीणसंस्मरणो हि स:
caturdaśo’dhyāyaḥ –
janaka uvāca ..
prakṛtyā śūnya-citto yaḥ pramādād-bhāva-bhāvanaḥ .
nidrito bodhita iva kṣīṇa-saṃsmaraṇo hi saḥ .. 14-1..
With nothing in the mind, or care-freely thinking about something, awake though asleep, in the Knower stand exhausted all memories and reflections, naturally and spontaneously.
क्व धनानि क्व मित्राणि क्व मे विषयदस्यव: ।
क्व शास्त्रं क्व च विज्ञानं यदा मे गलिता स्पृहा
kva dhanāni kva mitrāṇi kva me viṣaya-dasyavaḥ .
kva śāstraṃ kva ca vijñānaṃ yadā me galitā spṛhā .. 14-2..
When desire has fallen off, where are riches, where are friends, where are the sense-robbers, where is the scripture, where is spiritual wisdom? All these are of no avail!
विज्ञाते साक्षिपुरुषे परमात्मनि चेश्वरे ।
नैराश्ये बन्धमोक्षे च न चिन्ता मुक्तये मम
vijñāte sākṣi-puruṣe paramātmani ceśvare .
nairāśye bandha-mokṣe ca na cintā muktaye mama .. 14-3..
When the supreme Self – the sole witnessing person as well as the Lord – is realized, when there is dispassion to bondage and liberation alike, I have no thought about moksha at all.
अन्तर्विकल्पशून्यस्य बहि: स्वच्छन्दचारिण: ।
भ्रान्तस्येव दशास्तास्तास्तादृशा एव जानते
antar-vikalpa-śūnyasya bahiḥ svacchanda-cāriṇaḥ .
bhrāntasyeva daśās-tās-tās-tādṛśā eva jānate .. 14-4..
The varied states of one with no doubt whatever inside, yet outwardly wandering care-freely, resemble those of a lunatic. They are known only to those enlightened and elevated like him.
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