Imperative Instructions in Ashtavakra Gita

This note compiles some of the verses from the Ashtavakra Gita that contain direct instructions, commands, or imperative guidance for the seeker.

1. Saksi

Verse 2

Sanskrit

अष्टावक्र उवाच मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान विषवत्त्यज। क्षमार्जवदयातोषं सत्यं पीयूषवद् भज॥ २ ॥

aṣṭāvakra uvāca muktimicchasi cettāta viṣayāni viṣavattyaja | kṣamārjavadayātoṣaṁ satyaṁ pīyūṣavad bhaja || 2 ||

Translation

Ashtavakra said: If you desire liberation, my dear, shun objects of the senses like poison. Seek forgiveness, sincerity, kindness, contentment, and truth like nectar.

Verse 9

Sanskrit

एको विशुद्धबोधोऽहं इति निश्चयवह्निना। प्रज्वाल्याज्ञानगहनं वीतशोकः सुखी भव॥ ९ ॥

eko viśuddhabodho’ham iti niścayavahninā | prajvālāyājñānagahanaṁ vītaśokaḥ sukhī bhava || 9 ||

Translation

Burn down the thicket of ignorance with the fire of the conviction “I am the one pure consciousness,” and be free from sorrow and happy.

Verse 10

Sanskrit

यत्र विश्वमिदं भाति कल्पितं रज्जुसर्पवत्। आनंदपरमानन्दः स बोधस्त्वं सुखं चर॥ १० ॥

yatra viśvamidaṁ bhāti kalpitaṁ rajjusarpavat | ānandaparamānandaḥ sa bodhastvaṁ sukhaṁ cara || 10 ||

Translation

That in which this world appears, imagined like a snake in a rope, that is the supreme bliss-consciousness. You are that; live happily.

Verse 16

Sanskrit

त्वया व्याप्तमिदं विश्वं त्वयि प्रोतं यथार्थतः। शुद्धबुद्धस्वरुपस्त्वं मा गमः क्षुद्रचित्तताम्॥ १६ ॥

tvayā vyāptamidaṁ viśvaṁ tvayi protaṁ yathārthataḥ | śuddhabuddhasvarūpastvaṁ mā gamaḥ kṣudracittatām || 16 ||

Translation

This entire world is pervaded by you and sewn into you. You are of the nature of pure consciousness; do not become small-minded.

Verse 17

Sanskrit

निरपेक्षो निर्विकारो निर्भरः शीतलाशयः। अगाधबुद्धिरक्षुब्धो भव चिन्मात्रवासन:॥ १७ ॥

nirapekṣo nirvikāro nirbharaḥ śītalāśayaḥ | agādhabuddhirakṣubdho bhava cinmātravāsanaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

Be impartial, changeless, full, cool-headed, deep-witted, and unperturbed. Exist only in the fragrance of consciousness.

Verse 18

Sanskrit

साकारमनृतं विद्धि निराकारं तु निश्चलं। एतत्तत्त्वोपदेशेन न पुनर्भवसंभव:॥ 18 ॥

sākāramanṛtaṁ viddhi nirākāraṁ tu niścalam | etattattvopadeśena na punarbhavasaṁbhavaḥ || 18 ||

Translation

Know that which has form to be false, and the formless to be unchanging. Through this teaching of truth, one is not born again.

5. Laya

Verse 1

Sanskrit

अष्टावक्र उवाच न ते संगोऽस्ति केनापि किं शुद्धस्त्यक्तुमिच्छसि। संघातविलयं कुर्वन्नेवमेव लयं व्रज॥ 1 ॥

aṣṭāvakra uvāca na te saṅgo’sti kenāpi kiṁ śuddhastyaktumicchasi | saṅghātavilayaṁ kurvannevameva layaṁ vraja || 1 ||

Translation

Ashtavakra said: You have no connection with anything. Pure as you are, what do you wish to renounce? Dissolve the complex [of body and mind] and thus enter into dissolution.

Verse 2

Sanskrit

उदेति भवतो विश्वं वारिधेरिव बुद्बुदः। इति ज्ञात्वैकमात्मानं एवमेव लयं व्रज॥ 2 ॥

udeti bhavato viśvaṁ vāridheriva budbudaḥ | iti jñātvaikamātmānaṁ evameva layaṁ vraja || 2 ||

Translation

The universe emerges from you like bubbles from the ocean. Knowing the Self to be one, thus enter into dissolution.

Verse 3

Sanskrit

प्रत्यक्षमप्यवस्तुत्वाद् विश्वं नास्त्यमले त्वयि। रज्जुसर्प इव व्यक्तं एवमेव लयं व्रज॥ 3 ॥

pratyakṣamapyavastutvād viśvaṁ nāstyamale tvayi | rajjusarpa iva vyaktaṁ evameva layaṁ vraja || 3 ||

Translation

Though perceived, the world does not exist in your pure Self because it is unreal, just like the appearance of a snake in a rope. Thus enter into dissolution.

Verse 4

Sanskrit

समदुःखसुखः पूर्ण आशानैराश्ययोः समः। समजीवितमृत्युः सन्नेवमेव लयं व्रज॥ 4 ॥

samaduḥkhasukhaḥ pūrṇa āśānairāśyayoḥ samaḥ | samajīvitamṛtyuḥ sannevameva layaṁ vraja || 4 ||

Translation

Being the same in pain and pleasure, complete, equal in hope and despair, and same in life and death, thus enter into dissolution.

8. Moksa

Verse 4

Sanskrit

यदा नाहं तदा मोक्षो यदाहं बन्धनं तदा। मत्वेति हेलया किंचिन्मा गृहाण विमुंच मा॥ 4 ॥

yadā nāhaṁ tadā mokṣo yadāhaṁ bandanaṁ tadā | matveti helayā kiñcinmā gṛhāṇa vimuñca mā || 4 ||

Translation

When there is no “I,” there is liberation. When there is “I,” there is bondage. Considering this, easily neither accept nor reject anything.

9. Nirveda

Verse 7

Sanskrit

पश्य भूतविकारांस्त्वं भूतमात्रान् यथार्थतः। तत्क्षणाद् बन्धनिर्मुक्तः स्वरूपस्थो भविष्यसि॥ 7 ॥

paśya bhūtavikārāṁstvaṁ bhūtamātrān yathārthataḥ | tatkṣaṇād bandhanirmuktaḥ svarūpastho bhaviṣyasi || 7 ||

Translation

See the modifications of the elements as being merely the elements in reality. At that very moment, you will be freed from bondage and abide in your own nature.

Verse 8

Sanskrit

वासना एव संसार इति सर्वा विमुंच ताः। तत्त्यागो वासनात्यागात्स्थितिस्त्वमसि यत् तथा॥ 8 ॥

vāsanā eva saṁsāra iti sarvā vimuñca tāḥ | tattyāgo vāsanātyāgāt sthitiradya yathā tathā || 8 ||

Translation

Desires alone are the world; therefore, renounce them all. The renunciation of the world comes from the renunciation of desires. Now, remain as you are.

10. Vairagya

Verse 2

Sanskrit

स्वप्नेन्द्रजालवत् पश्य दिनानि त्रीणि पंच वा। मित्रक्षेत्रधनागारदारदायादिसंपदः॥ 2 ॥

svapnendrajālavat paśya dināni trīṇi pañca vā | mitrakṣetradhanāgāradāradāyādisaṁpadaḥ || 2 ||

Translation

Look upon friends, lands, wealth, houses, wives, and legacies as a dream or a magician’s trick lasting for three or five days.

Verse 3

Sanskrit

यत्र यत्र भवेत्तृष्णा संसारं विद्धि तत्र वै। प्रौढवैराग्यमाश्रित्य वीततृष्णः सुखी भव॥ 3 ॥

yatra yatra bhavettṛṣṇā saṁsāraṁ viddhi tatra vai | prauḍhavairāgyamāśritya vītatṛṣṇaḥ sukhī bhava || 3 ||

Translation

Know that the world exists wherever there is desire. Relying on mature dispassion, become free from desire and be happy.

15. Tattvam

Verse 2

Sanskrit

मोक्षो विषयवैरस्यं बन्धो वैषयिको रसः। एतावदेव विज्ञानं यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु॥ 2 ॥

mokṣo viṣayavairasyaṁ bandho vaiṣayiko rasaḥ | etāvadeva vijñānaṁ yathecchasi tathā kuru || 2 ||

Translation

Liberation is distaste for sense objects, and bondage is the love for them. This is the whole of knowledge; now do as you please.

Verse 4

Sanskrit

न त्वं देहो न ते देहो भोक्ता कर्ता न वा भवान्। चिद्रूपोऽसि सदा साक्षी निरपेक्षः सुखं चर॥ 4 ॥

na tvaṁ deho na te deho bhoktā kartā na vā bhavān | cidrupo’si sadā sākṣī nirapekṣaḥ sukhaṁ cara || 4 ||

Translation

You are not the body, nor is the body yours. You are neither the enjoyer nor the doer. You are pure consciousness, the eternal witness, impartial. Live happily.

Verse 6

Sanskrit

सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि।
विज्ञाय निरहंकारो निर्ममस्त्वं सुखी भव॥ 6 ॥

sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṁ sarvabhūtāni cātmani | vijñāya nirahaṁkāro nirmamastvaṁ sukhī bhava || 6 ||

Translation

Knowing the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, be free from egoism and the sense of possession, and be happy.

Verse 7

Sanskrit

विश्वं स्फुरति यत्रेदं तरंगा इव सागरे। तत्त्वमेव न सन्देहश्चिन्मूर्ते विज्वरो भव॥ 7 ॥

viśvaṁ sphurati yatredaṁ taraṅgā iva sāgare | tattvameva na sandehaścinmūrte vijvaro bhava || 7 ||

Translation

That in which this universe manifests like waves in the ocean—that you are, without a doubt. O Embodiment of Consciousness, be free from the fever (of suffering).

Verse 8

Sanskrit

श्रद्धस्व तात श्रद्धस्व नात्र मोहं कुरुष्व भोः। ज्ञानस्वरूपो भगवान् आत्मा त्वं प्रकृतेः परः॥ 8 ॥

śraddhasva tāta śraddhasva nātra mohaṁ kuruṣva bhoḥ | jñānasvarūpo bhagavān ātmā tvaṁ prakṛteḥ paraḥ || 8 ||

Translation

Have faith, my dear, have faith. Do not be deluded in this. You are the Lord, whose nature is knowledge, the Self beyond nature.

Verse 19

Sanskrit

मा सङ्कल्पविकल्पाभ्यां चित्तं क्षोभय चिन्मय। उपशाम्य सुखं तिष्ठ स्वात्मन्यानन्दविग्रहे॥ 19 ॥

mā saṅkalpavikalpābhyāṁ cittaṁ kṣobhaya cinmaya | upaśāmya sukhaṁ tiṣṭha svātmanyānandavigrahe || 19 ||

Translation

O Embodiment of Consciousness, do not agitate the mind with desires and doubts. Be at peace and abide happily in your own Self, which is the embodiment of bliss.

Verse 20

Sanskrit

त्यजैव ध्यानं सर्वत्र मा किंचिद् हृदि धारय। आत्मा त्वं मुक्त एवासि किं विमृश्य करिष्यसि॥ 20 ॥

tyajeva dhyānaṁ sarvatra mā kiñcid hṛdi dhāraya | ātmā tvaṁ mukta evāsi kiṁ vimṛśya kariṣyasi || 20 ||

Translation

Give up meditation everywhere and hold nothing in your heart. You are the Self, already free. What will you gain by thinking?