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Main Index
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JANAK ASKED:
"OH LORD, HOW DOES ONE ATTAIN WISDOM? AND HOW DOES LIBERATION HAPPEN? AND HOW IS NONATTACHMENT ATTAINED? PLEASE TELL ME THIS."
ASHTAVAKRA REPLIED:
"OH BELOVED, IF YOU WANT LIBERATION THEN RENOUNCE THE VISHAYAS, THE PASSIONS AS VISHA, POISON, AND TAKE FORGIVENESS, INNOCENCE, COMPASSION, CONTENTMENT, AND TRUTH AS NECTAR. YOU ARE NEITHER EARTH, NOR AIR, NOR FIRE, NOR WATER, NOR ETHER. TO ATTAIN LIBERATION, KNOW YOURSELF AS THE WITNESS, CONSCIOUS OF ALL THESE.
"IF YOU CAN SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THE PHYSICAL BODY, AND REST IN CONSCIOUSNESS, THEN THIS VERY MOMENT YOU WILL BE HAPPY, AT PEACE, AND FREE OF BONDAGE.
"YOU ARE NOT A BRAHMIN OR OTHER CASTE, YOU ARE NOT IN ANY OF THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE, YOU ARE NOT PERCEIVED BY THE EYES OR OTHER SENSES. UNATTACHED AND WITHOUT FORM, YOU ARE THE WITNESS OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. KNOW THIS AND BE HAPPY.
"OH EXPANSIVE ONE, RELIGION AND ATHEISM, HAPPINESS AND MISERY -- ALL ARE OF THE MIND, THEY ARE NOT FOR YOU. YOU ARE NOT THE DOER NOR THE ENJOYER. YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LIBERATED."
We are embarking on a rare journey. Man has many scriptures, but none comparable to the Gita of Ashtavakra. Before it the Vedas pale, the Upanishads speak with a weak voice. Even the Bhagavad Gita does not have the majesty found in the Ashtavakra Samhita -- it is simply unparalleled.
The most important thing is that neither society nor politics nor any other institution of human life has had any influence on the sayings of Ashtavakra. They are such a pure expression -- transcending emotion, transcending time and death -- there is nothing comparable. Perhaps this is why Ashtavakra's Gita, the ASHTAVAKRA SAMHITA, has not had much impact.
Krishna's Bhagavad Gita has been very influential. The first reason is that Krishna's Gita is a synthesis. He is more concerned with synthesis than with truth. The desire for synthesis is so strong that if necessary Krishna doesn't mind sacrificing the truth a little.
Krishna's Gita is a hodgepodge containing everything; hence it suits everyone, because there is something in it for everyone. It is difficult to find any tradition whose voice is
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