Containing 8 sacred Sanskrit shlokas with multi-author commentaries and translations.
अष्टावक्र उवाच
भावाभावविकारश्च
स्वभावादिति निश्चयी ।
निर्विकारो गतक्लेशः
सुखेनैवोपशाम्यति ॥
"Ashtavakra said: Unmoved and undistressed, realising that being, non-being and change are of the very nature of things, one easily finds peace."
ईश्वरः सर्वनिर्माता
नेहान्य इति निश्चयी ।
अन्तर्गलितसर्वाशः शान्तः
क्वापि न सज्जते ॥
"At peace, having shed all desires within, and realising that nothing exists here but the Lord, the Creator of all things, one is no longer attached to anything."
आपदः संपदः काले
दैवादेवेति निश्चयी ।
तृप्तः स्वस्थेन्द्रियो नित्यं
न वान्छति न शोचति ॥
"Realising that misfortune and fortune come in their own time from fortune, one is contented, one’s senses under control, and does not like or dislike."
सुखदुःखे जन्ममृत्यू
दैवादेवेति निश्चयी ।
साध्यादर्शी निरायासः
कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥
"Realising that pleasure and pain, birth and death are from destiny, and that one’s desires cannot be achieved, one remains inactive, and even when acting does not get attached."
चिन्तया जायते दुःखं
नान्यथेहेति निश्चयी ।
तया हीनः सुखी शान्तः
सर्वत्र गलितस्पृहः ॥
"Realising that suffering arises from nothing other than thought, dropping all desires one rids oneself of it, and is happy and at peace everywhere."
नाहं देहो न मे देहो
बोधोऽहमिति निश्चयी ।
कैवल्यं इव संप्राप्तो
न स्मरत्यकृतं कृतम् ॥
"Realising, “I am not the body, nor is the body mine. I am awareness,” one attains the supreme state and no longer remembers things done or undone."
आब्रह्मस्तंबपर्यन्तं
अहमेवेति निश्चयी ।
निर्विकल्पः शुचिः शान्तः प्राप्ताप्राप्तविनिर्वृतः ॥
"Realising, “I alone exist, from Brahma down to the last clump of grass,” one becomes free from uncertainty, pure, at peace, and unconcerned about what has been attained or not."
नाश्चर्यमिदं विश्वं
न किंचिदिति निश्चयी ।
निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो
न किंचिदिव शाम्यति ॥
"Realising that all this varied and wonderful world is nothing, one becomes pure receptivity, free from inclinations, and as if nothing existed, one finds peace."