Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 14, Verse 1
Order Now 
Ashtavakra Gita 14.1 -
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.
Commentary by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
To the Knower, the world is but bubbles floating on his inner consciousness. All considerations like do’s and don’ts, injunction and prohibition, drop their relevance. There is nothing like virtue to be gained or vice to be eschewed. Good action is not anything desirable; bad is not undesirable. In fact, the Knower is freed from the entire clutches dvandvas, pairs of opposites.
Janaka describes the Knower as a śūnya-citta, empty-minded. When mind is not at all affected by desires, it becomes free of all strains and stresses, to be light and cheerful. At the same time, without any inhibition it thinks of objects too, as a matter of course. Thinking or not thinking makes no difference to the Knower.
The entire wakefulness becomes like sleep. Whatever usual activities or interactions he does, do not form any impression in the mind causing disturbance and torment. It is virtually like sleep, sleepy wakefulness or wakeful slumber. Meaning, the usual effects of wakeful activity are not there. Everything he sees and does, is more an expression and extension of the inner Self, than an infusion or intrusion from outside. The usual worldliness reflected in the mind is worn out, exhausted. Every input gets dissolved into the singular Self-expanse.
Select Chapter and Verse
