9. Chapter 9 — Detachment

9.1

अष्टावक्र उवाच — aṣṭāvakra uvāca

कृताकृते च द्वन्द्वानि कदा शान्तानि कस्य वा ।
एवं ज्ञात्वेह निर्वेदाद् भव त्यागपरोऽव्रती ॥

kṛtākṛte ca dvandvāni kadā śāntāni kasya vā ।
evaṃ jñātveha nirvedād bhava tyāgaparo'vratī ॥

Duties done and not done as well as the pairs of opposites—when do they cease and for whom? Knowing thus, be intent on renunciation and desireless through complete indifference to the world.

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9.2

कस्यापि तात धन्यस्य लोकचेष्टावलोकनात् ।
जीवितेच्छा बुभुक्षा च बुभुत्सोपशमः गताः ॥

kasyāpi tāta dhanyasya lokaceṣṭāvalokanāt ।
jīvitecchā bubhukṣā ca bubhutsopaśamaḥ gatāḥ ॥

Rare indeed, my child, is that blessed person whose desire for life, enjoyment and learning have been extinguished by observing the ways of men.

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9.3

अनित्यं सर्वमेवेदं तापत्रयदूषितं ।
असरं निन्दितं हेयमिति निश्चित्य शाम्यति ॥

anityaṃ sarvamevedaṃ tāpatrayadūṣitaṃ ।
asaraṃ ninditaṃ heyamiti niścitya śāmyati ॥

A wise man becomes quiet by realizing that all this is vitiated by the threefold misery and is transient, unsubstantial, contemptible and worthy to be rejected.

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9.4

कोऽसौ कालो वयः किं वा यत्र द्वन्द्वानि नो नृणां ।
तान्युपेक्ष्य यथाप्राप्तवर्ती सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् ॥

ko'sau kālo vayaḥ kiṃ vā yatra dvandvāni no nṛṇāṃ ।
tānyupekṣya yathāprāptavartī siddhimavāpnuyāt ॥

What is that time or that age in which the pairs of opposites do not exist

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9.5

ना मतं महर्षीणां साधूनां योगिनां तथा ।
दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमापन्नः को न शाम्यति मानवः ॥

nā mataṃ maharṣīṇāṃ sādhūnāṃ yogināṃ tathā ।
dṛṣṭvā nirvedamāpannaḥ ko na śāmyati mānavaḥ ॥

What man is there, who having observed the diversity of opinions among the great seers, saints and Yogis, and become completely indifferent (to learning) does not attain quietude?

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9.6

कृत्वा मूर्तिपरिज्ञानं चैतन्यस्य न किं गुरुः ।
निर्वेदसमतायुक्त्या यस्तारयति संसृतेः ॥

kṛtvā mūrtiparijñānaṃ caitanyasya na kiṃ guruḥ ।
nirvedasamatāyuktyā yastārayati saṃsṛteḥ ॥

He who gains a knowledge of the true nature of Pure Consciousness by means of complete indifference to the world, equanimity and reasoning, and saves others from the world,—is he not really the spiritual guide?

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9.7

पश्य भूतविकारांस्त्वं भूतमात्रान् यथार्थतः ।
तत्क्षणाद् बन्धनिर्मुक्तः स्वरूपस्थो भविष्यसि ॥

paśya bhūtavikārāṃstvaṃ bhūtamātrān yathārthataḥ ।
tatkṣaṇād bandhanirmuktaḥ svarūpastho bhaviṣyasi ॥

Look upon the modifications of the elements as nothing in reality but the primary elements themselves and you will at once be free from bondage and abide in your true self.

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9.8

वासना एव संसार इति सर्वा विमुंच ताः ।
तत्त्यागो वासनात्यागात्स्थितिरद्य यथा तथा ॥

vāsanā eva saṃsāra iti sarvā vimuṃca tāḥ ।
tattyāgo vāsanātyāgātsthitiradya yathā tathā ॥

Desire alone is the world. Do you, therefore, renounce all those. The renunciation of that (i.e. the world) follows the renunciation of desire. Now you may live wherever you are.