3. Chapter 3 — Test of Self-Realization

3.1

अष्टावक्र उवाच — aṣṭāvakra uvāca

अविनाशिनमात्मानं एकं विज्ञाय तत्त्वतः ।
तवात्मज्ञानस्य धीरस्य कथमर्थार्जने रतिः ॥

avināśinamātmānaṃ ekaṃ vijñāya tattvataḥ ।
tavātmajñānasya dhīrasya kathamarthārjane ratiḥ ॥

Having known yourself as really indestructible and one, how is it that you, serene and knower of Self, feel attached to the acquisition of wealth?

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3.2

आत्माज्ञानादहो प्रीतिर्विषयभ्रमगोचरे ।
शुक्तेरज्ञानतो लोभो यथा रजतविभ्रमे ॥

ātmājñānādaho prītirviṣayabhramagocare ।
śukterajñānato lobho yathā rajatavibhrame ॥

Alas, as greed arises from the illusion of silver caused by the ignorance of mother-of-pearl, even so arises the attachment to the objects of illusory perception from the ignorance of the Self.

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3.3

विश्वं स्फुरति यत्रेदं तरङ्गा इव सागरे ।
सोऽहमस्मीति विज्ञाय किं दीन इव धावसि ॥

viśvaṃ sphurati yatredaṃ taraṅgā iva sāgare ।
so'hamasmīti vijñāya kiṃ dīna iva dhāvasi ॥

Having known yourself to be That in which the universe appears like waves on the sea, why do you run about like a miserable being?

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3.4

श्रुत्वापि शुद्धचैतन्य आत्मानमतिसुन्दरं ।
उपस्थेऽत्यन्तसंसक्तो मालिन्यमधिगच्छति ॥

śrutvāpi śuddhacaitanya ātmānamatisundaraṃ ।
upasthe'tyantasaṃsakto mālinyamadhigacchati ॥

Even after hearing oneself to be Pure Consciousness and surpassingly beautiful, how" can one be attached to lust and

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3.5

सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
मुनेर्जानत आश्चर्यं ममत्वमनुवर्तते ॥

sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani ।
munerjānata āścaryaṃ mamatvamanuvartate ॥

It is strange that the sense of ownership should continue even in the sage who has realized the Self in all and all in the Self.

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3.6

आस्थितः परमाद्वैतं मोक्षार्थेऽपि व्यवस्थितः ।
आश्चर्यं कामवशगो विकलः केलिशिक्षया ॥

āsthitaḥ paramādvaitaṃ mokṣārthe'pi vyavasthitaḥ ।
āścaryaṃ kāmavaśago vikalaḥ keliśikṣayā ॥

Strange that abiding in the supreme non-duality and intent on liberation, one should yet be subject to lust and be unsettled by the practice of amorous

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3.7

उद्भूतं ज्ञानदुर्मित्रमवधार्यातिदुर्बलः ।
आश्चर्यं काममाकाङ्क्षेत् कालमन्तमनुश्रितः ॥

udbhūtaṃ jñānadurmitramavadhāryātidurbalaḥ ।
āścaryaṃ kāmamākāṅkṣet kālamantamanuśritaḥ ॥

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3.8

इहामुत्र विरक्तस्य नित्यानित्यविवेकिनः ।
आश्चर्यं मोक्षकामस्य मोक्षाद् एव विभीषिका ॥

ihāmutra viraktasya nityānityavivekinaḥ ।
āścaryaṃ mokṣakāmasya mokṣād eva vibhīṣikā ॥

It is strange that one who is unattached to the objects of this world and the next, who discriminates the eternal from the transient and who longs for emancipation, should fear emancipation itself.

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3.9

धीरस्तु भोज्यमानोऽपि पीड्यमानोऽपि सर्वदा ।
आत्मानं केवलं पश्यन् न तुष्यति न कुप्यति ॥

dhīrastu bhojyamāno'pi pīḍyamāno'pi sarvadā ।
ātmānaṃ kevalaṃ paśyan na tuṣyati na kupyati ॥

But feted and feasted or tormented, the serene person ever sees the absolute Self and is thus neither gratified nor angry.

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3.10

चेष्टमानं शरीरं स्वं पश्यत्यन्यशरीरवत् ।
संस्तवे चापि निन्दायां कथं क्षुभ्येत् महाशयः ॥

ceṣṭamānaṃ śarīraṃ svaṃ paśyatyanyaśarīravat ।
saṃstave cāpi nindāyāṃ kathaṃ kṣubhyet mahāśayaḥ ॥

The high-souled person witnesses his own body acting as if it were another’s. As such, how can he be disturbed by praise or blame?

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3.11

मायामात्रमिदं विश्वं पश्यन् विगतकौतुकः ।
अपि सन्निहिते मृत्यौ कथं त्रस्यति धीरधीः ॥

māyāmātramidaṃ viśvaṃ paśyan vigatakautukaḥ ।
api sannihite mṛtyau kathaṃ trasyati dhīradhīḥ ॥

Realizing this universe as mere illusion and losing" all interest therein, how can one of steady mind fear even the approach of death?

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3.12

निःस्पृहं मानसं यस्य नैराश्येऽपि महात्मनः ।
तस्यात्मज्ञानतृप्तस्य तुलना केन जायते ॥

niḥspṛhaṃ mānasaṃ yasya nairāśye'pi mahātmanaḥ ।
tasyātmajñānatṛptasya tulanā kena jāyate ॥

With whom can we compare that great-souled one, contented with the knowledge of Self, who is desireless even in disappointment?

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3.13

स्वभावाद् एव जानानो दृश्यमेतन्न किंचन ।
इदं ग्राह्यमिदं त्याज्यं स किं पश्यति धीरधीः ॥

svabhāvād eva jānāno dṛśyametanna kiṃcana ।
idaṃ grāhyamidaṃ tyājyaṃ sa kiṃ paśyati dhīradhīḥ ॥

Why should that steady-minded one who knows the Object to be in its very nature nothing, consider this fit to be accepted and that fit to be rejected?

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3.14

अंतस्त्यक्तकषायस्य निर्द्वन्द्वस्य निराशिषः ।
यदृच्छयागतो भोगो न दुःखाय न तुष्टये ॥

aṃtastyaktakaṣāyasya nirdvandvasya nirāśiṣaḥ ।
yadṛcchayāgato bhogo na duḥkhāya na tuṣṭaye ॥

He who has given up worldly attachment from his mind, who is beyond the pairs" of opposites, and who is free from desire, — ^to him any experience coming as a matter of course does not cause either pleasure or pain.