Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 20
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Ashtavakra Gita Chapter 20 – Janaka’s Final Declarations of His Abidance in the Pure Self
Ashtavakra Gita Chapter 20 – Commentary by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
The chapter presents King Janaka speaking from the direct realization of the Self. Resting in his own spiritual nature, he declares that there is no body, senses, mind, gross or subtle elements, nor even dispassion. Established in the Self as the ‘I’, he dismisses every concept and proposition as inapplicable to the Self.
Janaka negates scriptures, self-knowledge, mind, contentment, desirelessness, knowledge, ignorance, bondage and liberation. He rejects even prārabdha and the notion of jīvan-mukti, for the Self is untouched by the body and its plights. Where there is no doer or experiencer, there can be no action, result, activity or non-activity. His repeated denials reveal the limitless freedom of the Self.
He further rejects all notions connected with mind, intelligence and ego. For him there is no world, seeker, yogi, knower, bondage, liberation, creation or attainment. Knowledge, the knower and the process of knowing dissolve into one homogeneous Consciousness. The Self alone remains.
Janaka reaches the zenith of negation to reveal the absolute, indivisible nature of the Self. Having fully absorbed his Guru’s teaching, he declares that there is no instruction, scripture, teacher, disciple or pursuit. King Janaka states that there is neither existence, nor non-existence, in the context of the Self; it alone shines in its sovereign and incomparable effulgence.
Complete List of Verses in Ashtavakra Samhita Chapter 20
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.1No Elements, Body, Mind or Void in the Unblemished Self
विंशोऽध्याय:
जनक उवाच ।
क्व भूतानि क्व देहो वा क्वेन्द्रियाणि क्व वा मन: ।
क्व शून्यं क्व च नैराश्यं मत्स्वरूपे निरञ्जने ॥ २०.१ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.1: English Transliteration
viṃśo’dhyāyaḥ –
janaka uvāca ।
kva bhūtāni kva deho vā kvendriyāṇi kva vā manaḥ ।
kva śūnyaṃ kva ca nairāśyaṃ mat-svarūpe nirañjane ॥20.1॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.1: Translation
In me unblemished by nature, where are the gross and subtle elements, where is the body with sense organs either, or even the mind? Where is any void, or where is dispassion too?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.2Scripture, Self-Knowledge, and Mind Dissolved for One Beyond Dvandvas
क्व शास्त्रं क्वात्मविज्ञानं क्व वा निर्विषयं मन: ।
क्व तृप्ति: क्व वितृष्णत्वं गतद्वन्द्वस्य मे सदा ॥ २०.२ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.2: English Transliteration
kva śāstraṃ kvātma-vijñānaṃ kva vā nirviṣayaṃ manaḥ ।
kva tṛptiḥ kva vitṛṣṇatvaṃ gata-dvandvasya me sadā॥20.2॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.2: Translation
For me, from whom dvandvas have gone for ever, where is any place for scripture, where is Self-knowledge, where is the mind clinging to objects either? Where is contentment, where is desirelessness?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.3No Knowledge, Ignorance, Bondage or Moksha
क्व विद्या क्व च वाविद्या क्वाहं क्वेदं मम क्व वा ।
क्व बन्ध क्व च वा मोक्ष: स्वरूपस्य क्व रूपिता ॥ २०.३ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.3: English Transliteration
kva vidyā kva ca vāvidyā kvāhaṃ kvedaṃ mama kva vā ।
kva bandha kva ca vā mokṣaḥ svarūpasya kva rūpitā॥20.3॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.3: Translation
Where comes knowledge, or even ignorance? Where comes the ‘I’, where is any ‘this’? Where is ‘mine’? Where is bondage, where is moksha too? For the Self that I am, different from all else known, can a quality or nature ever be attributed?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.4Prarabdha Karma, Jeevan-Mukti and Videha-Mukti Are of No Relevance
क्व प्रारब्धानि कर्माणि जीवन्मुक्तिरपि क्व वा ।
क्व तद्विदेहकैवल्यं निर्विशेषस्य सर्वदा ॥ २०.४ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.4: English Transliteration
kva prārabdhāni karmāṇi jīvan-muktir-api kva vā ।
kva tad-videha-kaivalyaṃ nirviśeṣasya sarvadā ॥20.4॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.4: Translation
For one always above all kinds of distinction where are prārabdha karmas, where is either jeevan-mukti, liberation while alive? Where is that videha-mukti, liberation when the body falls?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.5No Doer, No Experiencer, No Aparoksha Knowledge for the Knower
क्व कर्ता क्व च वा भोक्ता निष्क्रियं स्फुरणं क्व वा ।
क्वापरोक्षं फलं वा क्व नि:स्वभावस्य मे सदा ॥ २०.५ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.5: English Transliteration
kva kartā kva ca vā bhoktā niṣkriyaṃ sphuraṇaṃ kva vā ।
kvāparokṣaṃ phalaṃ vā kva niḥsvabhāvasya me sadā ॥20.5॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.5: Translation
For me with no identifiable nature, where is any doer, where is experiencer either? Where is stillness or non-activity and thinking and allied displays either? Where is direct knowledge, where is reflected knowledge either?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.6No World, No Seeker, No Yogi or Knower in the Non-Dual "I"
क्व लोकं क्व मुमुक्षुर्वा क्व योगी ज्ञानवान्क्व वा ।
क्व बद्ध: क्व च वा मुक्त: स्वस्वरूपेऽहमद्वये ॥ २०.६ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.6: English Transliteration
kva lokaṃ kva mumukṣur-vā kva yogī jñānavān-kva vā ।
kva baddhaḥ kva ca vā muktaḥ sva-svarūpe’ham-advaye ॥20.6॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.6: Translation
In the non-dual ‘I’, which is my nature, where is world, where is the seeker of liberation, where is a yogi, where the Knower either? Where is one in bondage and where the liberated either?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.7No Creation, No Dissolution, No Sadhaka or Siddhi in the Non-Dual Self
क्व सृष्टि: क्व च संहार: क्व साध्यं क्व च साधनम् ।
क्व साधक: क्व सिद्धिर्वा स्वस्वरूपेऽहमद्वये ॥ २०.७ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.7: English Transliteration
kva sṛṣṭiḥ kva ca saṃhāraḥ kva sādhyaṃ kva ca sādhanam ।
kva sādhakaḥ kva siddhir-vā sva-svarūpe’ham-advaye ॥20.7॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.7: Translation
In the non-dual ‘I’, which is my nature, where is creation, where is this metam-psychosis, where is the attainable and where is the means for it? Where is the seeker, where is attainment also?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.8The Triputi (Knower, Knowing, Known) Dissolved in the Always-Pure Consciousness
क्व प्रमाता प्रमाणं वा क्व प्रमेयं क्व च प्रमा ।
क्व किञ्चित् क्व न किञ्चिद्वा सर्वदा विमलस्य मे ॥ २०.८ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.8: English Transliteration
kva pramātā pramāṇaṃ vā kva prameyaṃ kva ca pramā ।
kva kiñcit kva na kiñcid-vā sarvadā vimalasya me ॥20.8॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.8: Translation
For me who is always pure, where is the Knower, where is the means to know, where is the knowledge to be gained, where is knowledge itself? Where is something, and where is nothing even?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.9No Distraction, Absorption, Joy or Grief for the Eternal Non-Doer
क्व विक्षेप: क्व चैकाग्र्यं क्व निर्बोध: क्व मूढता ।
क्व हर्ष: क्व विषादो वा सर्वदा निष्क्रियस्य मे ॥ २०.९ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.9: English Transliteration
kva vikṣepaḥ kva caikāgryaṃ kva nirbodhaḥ kva mūḍhatā ।
kva harṣaḥ kva viṣādo vā sarvadā niṣkriyasya me ॥20.9॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.9: Translation
For me, always a non-doer, where is distraction and where is concentric absorption, where is fullness of knowledge and where is delusion? Where is joy and where is grief?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.10Interactions, Absoluteness, Happiness and Suffering: All Negated
क्व चैष व्यवहारो वा क्व च सा परमार्थता ।
क्व सुखं क्व च वा दु:खं निर्विमर्शस्य मे सदा ॥ २०.१० ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.10: English Transliteration
kva caiṣa vyavahāro vā kva ca sā paramārthatā ।
kva sukhaṃ kva ca vā duḥkhaṃ nirvimarśasya me sadā ॥20.10 ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.10: Translation
For me not indulging in any discursive thoughts, where is any relative interaction, where is any absoluteness? Where is happiness and where is unhappiness either?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.11No Maya, Worldliness, Jeeva or Brahman for the Always-Pure Self
क्व माया क्व च संसार: क्व प्रीतिर्विरति: क्व वा ।
क्व जीव: क्व च तद्ब्रह्म सर्वदा विमलस्य मे ॥ २०.११ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.11: English Transliteration
kva māyā kva ca saṃsāraḥ kva prītir-viratiḥ kva vā ।
kva jīvaḥ kva ca tad-brahma sarvadā vimalasya me ॥20.11॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.11: Translation
For me always pure, where is māyā, where is worldliness too? Where is contentment, where is discontent either? Where is the living soul, jeeva, where is Brahman, the supreme reality too?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.12King Janaka's Unshakeable Self-Seatedness
क्व प्रवृत्तिर्निर्वृत्तिर्वा क्व मुक्ति: क्व च बन्धनम् ।
कूटस्थनिर्विभागस्य स्वस्थस्य मम सर्वदा ॥ २०.१२ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.12: English Transliteration
kva pravṛttir-nirvṛttir-vā kva muktiḥ kva ca bandhanam ।
kūṭastha-nirvibhāgasya svasthasya mama sarvadā ॥20.12॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.12: Translation
For me the unshakeable and indivisible, resting well in my own sovereign Self, where is active involvement or non-activity? Where is liberation, where can be bondage?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.13No Guru, No Scripture, No Disciple, No Object of Pursuit for the Auspicious
क्वोपदेश: क्व वा शास्त्रं क्व शिष्य: क्व च वा गुरु: ।
क्व चास्ति पुरुषार्थो वा निरुपाधे: शिवस्य मे ॥ २०.१३ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.13: English Transliteration
kvopadeśaḥ kva vā śāstraṃ kva śiṣyaḥ kva ca vā guruḥ ।
kva cāsti puruṣārtho vā nirupādheḥ śivasya me ॥20.13॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.13: Translation
For me, who has no adjunct, who is auspicious, where is an instruction to follow, where is scriptural injunction, where is any disciple or even Teacher, where is any object of pursuit?
Ashtavakra Samhita 20.14Nothing Arises from Me: The Final Declaration of the Ashtavakra Gita
क्व चास्ति क्व च वा नास्ति क्वास्ति चैकं क्व च द्वयम् ।
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन किञ्चिन्नोत्तिष्ठते मम ॥ २०.१४ ॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.14: English Transliteration
kva cāsti kva ca vā nāsti kvāsti caikaṃ kva ca dvayam ।
bahunātra kim-uktena kiñcinnottiṣṭhate mama ॥20.14॥
Ashtavakra Gita 20.14: Translation
Where is existence, where is non-existence? Where is the one, and where are the two? Of what use is too much talk, nothing arises from me.
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