11. Chapter 11 — Wisdom
Verses 1–8
11.1
अष्टावक्र उवाच — aṣṭāvakra uvāca
भावाभावविकारश्च स्वभावादिति निश्चयी ।
निर्विकारो गतक्लेशः सुखेनैवोपशाम्यति ॥
bhāvābhāvavikāraśca svabhāvāditi niścayī ।
nirvikāro gatakleśaḥ sukhenaivopaśāmyati ॥
One who has realized that existence, destruction and change are in the nature of things, easily finds repose, being unperturbed and free from pain.
11.2
ईश्वरः सर्वनिर्माता नेहान्य इति निश्चयी ।
अन्तर्गलितसर्वाशः शान्तः क्वापि न सज्जते ॥
īśvaraḥ sarvanirmātā nehānya iti niścayī ।
antargalitasarvāśaḥ śāntaḥ kvāpi na sajjate ॥
Knowing for certain that Ishwara is the creator of all and that there is none else here, one becomes peaceful with all his desires set at rest within and is not attached to anything whatsoever.
11.3
आपदः संपदः काले दैवादेवेति निश्चयी ।
तृप्तः स्वस्थेन्द्रियो नित्यं न वान्छति न शोचति ॥
āpadaḥ saṃpadaḥ kāle daivādeveti niścayī ।
tṛptaḥ svasthendriyo nityaṃ na vānchati na śocati ॥
Knowing for certain that adversity and prosperity come in (their own) time through fate," one is ever contented, has all his senses in control and does not desire or grieve.
11.4
सुखदुःखे जन्ममृत्यू दैवादेवेति निश्चयी ।
साध्यादर्शी निरायासः कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥
sukhaduḥkhe janmamṛtyū daivādeveti niścayī ।
sādhyādarśī nirāyāsaḥ kurvannapi na lipyate ॥
Knowing for certain that happiness and misery, birth and death are due to one’s fate, one comes to see that it is not possible to accomplish the desired things and thus becomes inactive and is not‘ attached even though engaged in action.
11.5
चिन्तया जायते दुःखं नान्यथेहेति निश्चयी ।
तया हीनः सुखी शान्तः सर्वत्र गलितस्पृहः ॥
cintayā jāyate duḥkhaṃ nānyatheheti niścayī ।
tayā hīnaḥ sukhī śāntaḥ sarvatra galitaspṛhaḥ ॥
One who has realized that care (alone) breeds misery in this world and
11.6
नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽहमिति निश्चयी ।
कैवल्यं इव संप्राप्तो न स्मरत्यकृतं कृतम् ॥
nāhaṃ deho na me deho bodho'hamiti niścayī ।
kaivalyaṃ iva saṃprāpto na smaratyakṛtaṃ kṛtam ॥
“TI am not the body nor is the body mine. I am Intelligence itself’—one who has realized this for certain, does not remember what he has done or not done as if he has attained the state of Absoluteness.
11.7
आब्रह्मस्तंबपर्यन्तं अहमेवेति निश्चयी ।
निर्विकल्पः शुचिः शान्तः प्राप्ताप्राप्तविनिर्वृतः ॥
ābrahmastaṃbaparyantaṃ ahameveti niścayī ।
nirvikalpaḥ śuciḥ śāntaḥ prāptāprāptavinirvṛtaḥ ॥
“Tt is verily I from Brahma down to the clump of grass,”’—one who knows this for certain, becomes free from the conflict of thought, pure and peaceful and turns away from what is attained and not attained.
11.8
नाश्चर्यमिदं विश्वं न किंचिदिति निश्चयी ।
निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो न किंचिदिव शाम्यति ॥
nāścaryamidaṃ viśvaṃ na kiṃciditi niścayī ।
nirvāsanaḥ sphūrtimātro na kiṃcidiva śāmyati ॥
One who knows for certain that this manifold and wonderful universe is nothing, becomes desireless and Pure Intelligence, and finds peaee as if nothing exists.