Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 18, Verse 40
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Ashtavakra Gita 18.40 -
क्वात्मनो दर्शनं तस्य यद्दृष्टमवलम्बते ।
धीरास्तं तं न पश्यन्ति पश्यन्त्यात्मानमव्ययम्
kvātmano darśanaṃ tasya yad-dṛṣṭam-avalambate .
dhīrās-taṃ taṃ na paśyanti paśyanty-ātmānam-avyayam..
Where can Self-knowledge be for him, who depends upon ‘the seen’ or the perceptibles? The wise do not see that and that, for they only see the Self, the immutable.
Commentary by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
In any process of experience or interaction, there are undeniably two factors, experiencer and experienced, interacting individual and objects interacted with. As the two are distinct, they are able to interact between them. Thus, the world everyone lives in is dṛśya, the visible. Who is its draṣṭā, the seer? That is what every one is, the Self, the ‘I’ in each.
It is common knowledge that seer cannot be the seen, visible, nor can visibles become the seer. Visibles are countless. But their seer is but one, the Self.
The world of infinite objects is the witnessed. Its sole witness is the Self. Witnessed cannot become the witness. Where is confusion or indecision then? As long as you are in the mesh of dṛśyas, objects, how can you get to and realize the Self?
Even your body is dṛśya. Thought, memory, emotion, etc. are subtle dṛśyas. None of them is the ‘I’ you refer to in the context of all actions, experiences and interactions. So, leave all. Think of nothing in particular or general. Direct your attention inwardly, to the singular seer, experiencer, the Self. You do not have to do anything about the Self. Know it as the only Seer of all seen-objects. It is immutable. As Krishna states in Gita, knowledge is comfortable to practise (9.2 ). Think only of the immutable Self. You are already that! It is comfortable to practise. Take to it, realize the Self.
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