15. Chapter 15 — Knowledge of the Self
Verses 1–20
15.1
अष्टावक्र उवाच — aṣṭāvakra uvāca
यथातथोपदेशेन कृतार्थः सत्त्वबुद्धिमान् ।
आजीवमपि जिज्ञासुः परस्तत्र विमुह्यति ॥
yathātathopadeśena kṛtārthaḥ sattvabuddhimān ।
ājīvamapi jijñāsuḥ parastatra vimuhyati ॥
A man of Pure Intellect gains his end even by instruction casually imparted. The other is bewildered therein even after enquiring throughout life.
15.2
मोक्षो विषयवैरस्यं बन्धो वैषयिको रसः ।
एतावदेव विज्ञानं यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥
mokṣo viṣayavairasyaṃ bandho vaiṣayiko rasaḥ ।
etāvadeva vijñānaṃ yathecchasi tathā kuru ॥
Distaste for sense-objects is liberation; love for sense-objects is bondage. Such verily is Knowledge. Now do as you please.
15.3
वाग्मिप्राज्ञानमहोद्योगं जनं मूकजडालसं ।
करोति तत्त्वबोधोऽयमतस्त्यक्तो बुभुक्षभिः ॥
vāgmiprājñānamahodyogaṃ janaṃ mūkajaḍālasaṃ ।
karoti tattvabodho'yamatastyakto bubhukṣabhiḥ ॥
This knowledge of the Truth makes an eloquent, wise and active person mute, inert and inactive, ijence Jt is.thai it is sh unned by those whpwant ioL.enJoy
15.4
न त्वं देहो न ते देहो भोक्ता कर्ता न वा भवान् ।
चिद्रूपोऽसि सदा साक्षी निरपेक्षः सुखं चर ॥
na tvaṃ deho na te deho bhoktā kartā na vā bhavān ।
cidrūpo'si sadā sākṣī nirapekṣaḥ sukhaṃ cara ॥
You are not the body, nor is the body yours, nor are you the doer or the enjoyer. You are Intelli|>'ence itself, the eternal Witness and free."^ Go about happily.
15.5
रागद्वेषौ मनोधर्मौ न मनस्ते कदाचन ।
निर्विकल्पोऽसि बोधात्मा निर्विकारः सुखं चर ॥
rāgadveṣau manodharmau na manaste kadācana ।
nirvikalpo'si bodhātmā nirvikāraḥ sukhaṃ cara ॥
Attachment and abhorrence are attributes of mind. The mind is never yours. You are free from conflict, Intelligence itself and changeless. Go about happily.
15.6
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
विज्ञाय निरहंकारो निर्ममस्त्वं सुखी भव ॥
sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani ।
vijñāya nirahaṃkāro nirmamastvaṃ sukhī bhava ॥
Realizing the Self in all and all in the Self, free from egoism and free from the sense of ^mine, be you happy.
15.7
विश्वं स्फुरति यत्रेदं तरंगा इव सागरे ।
तत्त्वमेव न सन्देहश्चिन्मूर्ते विज्वरो भव ॥
viśvaṃ sphurati yatredaṃ taraṃgā iva sāgare ।
tattvameva na sandehaścinmūrte vijvaro bhava ॥
O you Intelligence, you indeed are that in which the universe manifests itself like waves on the ocean. Be" you free from
15.8
श्रद्धस्व तात श्रद्धस्व नात्र मोऽहं कुरुष्व भोः ।
ज्ञानस्वरूपो भगवानात्मा त्वं प्रकृतेः परः ॥
śraddhasva tāta śraddhasva nātra mo'haṃ kuruṣva bhoḥ ।
jñānasvarūpo bhagavānātmā tvaṃ prakṛteḥ paraḥ ॥
Have faith, my son, have faith. Never delude yourself in this. You are
15.9
गुणैः संवेष्टितो देहस्तिष्ठत्यायाति याति च ।
आत्मा न गंता नागंता किमेनमनुशोचसि ॥
guṇaiḥ saṃveṣṭito dehastiṣṭhatyāyāti yāti ca ।
ātmā na gaṃtā nāgaṃtā kimenamanuśocasi ॥
The body together with the organs of senses comes, stays and goes. The SelF neither comes nor goes. Why do you then
15.10
देहस्तिष्ठतु कल्पान्तं गच्छत्वद्यैव वा पुनः ।
क्व वृद्धिः क्व च वा हानिस्तव चिन्मात्ररूपिणः ॥
dehastiṣṭhatu kalpāntaṃ gacchatvadyaiva vā punaḥ ।
kva vṛddhiḥ kva ca vā hānistava cinmātrarūpiṇaḥ ॥
Let the body last to the end of the Kalpa (cycle) or let it go even to-day. Where is there any increase or decrease in you who are Pure Intelligence?
15.11
त्वय्यनंतमहांभोधौ विश्ववीचिः स्वभावतः ।
उदेतु वास्तमायातु न ते वृद्धिर्न वा क्षतिः ॥
tvayyanaṃtamahāṃbhodhau viśvavīciḥ svabhāvataḥ ।
udetu vāstamāyātu na te vṛddhirna vā kṣatiḥ ॥
Let the waves of the universe rise or fall of their own accord in you who are the infinite Ocean. That means no gain or loss to you.
15.12
तात चिन्मात्ररूपोऽसि न ते भिन्नमिदं जगत् ।
अतः कस्य कथं कुत्र हेयोपादेयकल्पना ॥
tāta cinmātrarūpo'si na te bhinnamidaṃ jagat ।
ataḥ kasya kathaṃ kutra heyopādeyakalpanā ॥
My child, you are Pure Intelligence itself. This universe is nothing di:fferent from you. Therefore who will accept and reject? And how and where would he do so?
15.13
एकस्मिन्नव्यये शान्ते चिदाकाशेऽमले त्वयि ।
कुतो जन्म कुतो कर्म कुतोऽहंकार एव च ॥
ekasminnavyaye śānte cidākāśe'male tvayi ।
kuto janma kuto karma kuto'haṃkāra eva ca ॥
Wherefrom will there be birth/ action and even egoism for thee who art one, immutable, calm, the space"^ of Intelligence and pure?
15.14
यत्त्वं पश्यसि तत्रैकस्त्वमेव प्रतिभाससे ।
किं पृथक् भासते स्वर्णात् कटकांगदनूपुरम् ॥
yattvaṃ paśyasi tatraikastvameva pratibhāsase ।
kiṃ pṛthak bhāsate svarṇāt kaṭakāṃgadanūpuram ॥
In whatever you perceive you alone appear. Do bracelets, armlets and anklets appear different from gold?
15.15
अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं विभागमिति संत्यज ।
सर्वमात्मेति निश्चित्य निःसङ्कल्पः सुखी भव ॥
ayaṃ so'hamayaṃ nāhaṃ vibhāgamiti saṃtyaja ।
sarvamātmeti niścitya niḥsaṅkalpaḥ sukhī bhava ॥
Completely give up such distinctions as ‘I am He and ‘I am not this.
15.16
तवैवाज्ञानतो विश्वं त्वमेकः परमार्थतः ।
त्वत्तोऽन्यो नास्ति संसारी नासंसारी च कश्चन ॥
tavaivājñānato viśvaṃ tvamekaḥ paramārthataḥ ।
tvatto'nyo nāsti saṃsārī nāsaṃsārī ca kaścana ॥
15.17
भ्रान्तिमात्रमिदं विश्वं न किंचिदिति निश्चयी ।
निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो न किंचिदिव शाम्यति ॥
bhrāntimātramidaṃ viśvaṃ na kiṃciditi niścayī ।
nirvāsanaḥ sphūrtimātro na kiṃcidiva śāmyati ॥
One who knows for certain that this universe is but an illusion and a nothing, becomes desireless and Pure intelligence, and finds peace as if nothing exists.
15.18
एक एव भवांभोधावासीदस्ति भविष्यति ।
न ते बन्धोऽस्ति मोक्षो वा कृत्यकृत्यः सुखं चर ॥
eka eva bhavāṃbhodhāvāsīdasti bhaviṣyati ।
na te bandho'sti mokṣo vā kṛtyakṛtyaḥ sukhaṃ cara ॥
In the ocean of the world One only was, is and will be. You have neither bondage nor liberation. Live contented and happy.
15.19
मा सङ्कल्पविकल्पाभ्यां चित्तं क्षोभय चिन्मय ।
उपशाम्य सुखं तिष्ठ स्वात्मन्यानन्दविग्रहे ॥
mā saṅkalpavikalpābhyāṃ cittaṃ kṣobhaya cinmaya ।
upaśāmya sukhaṃ tiṣṭha svātmanyānandavigrahe ॥
O Pure Intelligence, do not disturb your mind with affirmation and negation. Be calm and abide happily in your own self which is Bliss itself.
15.20
त्यजैव ध्यानं सर्वत्र मा किंचिद् हृदि धारय ।
आत्मा त्वं मुक्त एवासि किं विमृश्य करिष्यसि ॥
tyajaiva dhyānaṃ sarvatra mā kiṃcid hṛdi dhāraya ।
ātmā tvaṃ mukta evāsi kiṃ vimṛśya kariṣyasi ॥
Completely give up even contemplation and hold nothing in your mind. You are verily the Self and therefore free. What will you do by thinking. What etc. — ^Being the Self itself and therefore eternally free, there is no need of your thinking of anything, either for attaining freedom or achieving mundane objects.