Aṣṭāvakra Saṃhitā
A Dialogue on Self-realization
Chapter 16, Verse 4
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Ashtavakra Gita 16.4 -
व्यापारे खिद्यते यस्तु निमेषोन्मेषयोरपि ।
तस्यालस्यधुरीणस्य सुखं नान्यस्य कस्यचित्
vyāpāre khidyate yastu nimeṣonmeṣayor-api .
tasyālasya dhurīṇasya sukhaṃ nānyasya kasyacit .. 16-4..
For him alone, an expert in idleness, who feels afflicted even in opening and closing his eyes, is happiness, not for anyone else.
Commentary by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
How blunt is Sage Ashtavakra in driving home the singular, omnipresent and exclusive nature of the Self! There being no room for anything else to be, to understand and realize the Self must rather be easy, nay, instantaneous. There should not be the least struggle or protracted striving. At the first hearing, this may appear to be too sweeping and unacceptable. But, when introspection is ample, mind becomes pure and intelligence more perceptive, the seeker will find the exposure fully relevant.
The Teacher in his flair to enlighten and enable the seeker to realize the Self, will not spare any phrase or terminology to drive home his point. Any activity is born of some desire and it involves exertion, which, in a way, is vexing. Net outcome of all activity is thus not fulfilling. All objects in the world being transient, activities employing and involving them will also have the same fate. Activities are therefore not acceptable as an ideal.
Sage Ashtavakra describes everything to be merely exertional and exhausting. He goes to the extent of saying that even the blinking of the eye involves exertion. The ardent seeker should thus be totally indifferent and should opt for effortlessness. He calls such a person an ‘adept idler’.
Absolute indifference leads the seeker to liberation. This one instruction is ample enough to guide and fulfil the ardent seeker.
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