Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 18, Verse 27
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Ashtavakra Gita 18.27 -
नानाविचारसुश्रान्तो धीरो विश्रान्तिमागत: ।
न कल्पते न जानाति न शृणोति न पश्यति
nānāvicāra-suśrānto dhīro viśrāntim-āgataḥ .
na kalpate na jānāti na śṛṇoti na paśyati .. 18-27..
Tired by indulging in a variety of introspections, the wise one attains poise and calm. He thinks not, knows not, hears not and sees not.
Commentary by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
The entire jñāna-sādhanā, spiritual pursuit, consists of first hearing about the supreme Truth, then pursuing introspection, absorbing whatever is heard and making it one’s own. By this the seeker will have enough to reflect upon and attain his goal. Truthful introspection becomes an inevitable part of seeker’s life.
It is also a fact that solely by introspection or manana the Self cannot be realized. How vociferously the Upanishads declare that the Self cannot be reached either by words (utterance) or by mind: yato vaco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha (from where words recoil with the mind, unable to reach – Taittireeya Brahmananda valli 9.1 ). What does this mean?
You may hear or read to any extent, the exposition on the Self. You may also do introspection. But to realize the Self, these processes will not help. Any effort or modification in the mind-intelligence plane will only keep the seeker away from his goal.
In fact, what are thought, feeling, emotion, reasoning, memory, etc.? Are not all an illusory display of the Consciousness itself? So, should the seeker go on indulging in these or discreetly put a stop to them, to be steeped in the blissful Self?
Reflecting more deeply with persuasion and perseverance, seeker feels tired and becomes indifferent to the whole process. In that wholesome indifference, all the inner modifications cease effortlessly and he attains calm and poise, making him a full non-doer!
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