Containing 14 sacred Sanskrit shlokas with multi-author commentaries and translations.
अष्टावक्र उवाच
अविनाशिनमात्मानं
एकं विज्ञाय तत्त्वतः ।
तवात्मज्ञानस्य धीरस्य
कथमर्थार्जने रतिः ॥
"Ashtavakra said: Knowing yourself as truly one and indestructible, how could a wise man possessing self-knowledge like you feel any pleasure in acquiring wealth?"
आत्माज्ञानादहो
प्रीतिर्विषयभ्रमगोचरे ।
शुक्तेरज्ञानतो लोभो
यथा रजतविभ्रमे ॥
"Truly, when one does not know oneself, one takes pleasure in the objects of mistaken perception, just as greed arises for the mistaken silver in one who does not know mother of pearl for what it is."
विश्वं स्फुरति यत्रेदं
तरङ्गा इव सागरे ।
सोऽहमस्मीति विज्ञाय
किं दीन इव धावसि ॥
"All this wells up like waves in the sea. Recognising, “I am That,” why run around like someone in need?"
श्रुत्वापि शुद्धचैतन्य
आत्मानमतिसुन्दरं ।
उपस्थेऽत्यन्तसंसक्तो
मालिन्यमधिगच्छति ॥
"After hearing of oneself as pure consciousness and the supremely beautiful, is one to go on lusting after sordid sexual objects?"
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं
सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
मुनेर्जानत आश्चर्यं
ममत्वमनुवर्तते ॥
"When the sage has realised that he himself is in all beings, and all beings are in him, it is astonishing that the sense of individuality should be able to continue."
आस्थितः परमाद्वैतं
मोक्षार्थेऽपि व्यवस्थितः ।
आश्चर्यं कामवशगो
विकलः केलिशिक्षया ॥
"It is astonishing that a man who has reached the supreme nondual state and is intent on the benefits of liberation should still be subject to lust and in bondage to sexual activity."
उद्भूतं ज्ञानदुर्मित्रम-
वधार्यातिदुर्बलः ।
आश्चर्यं काममाकाङ्क्षेत् कालमन्तमनुश्रितः ॥
"It is astonishing that one already very debilitated, and knowing very well that its arousal is the enemy of knowledge, should still hanker after sensuality, even when approaching his last days."
इहामुत्र विरक्तस्य नित्यानित्यविवेकिनः ।
आश्चर्यं मोक्षकामस्य
मोक्षाद् एव विभीषिका ॥
"It is astonishing that one who is unattached to the things of this world or the next, who discriminates between the permanent and the impermanent, and who longs for liberation, should still be afraid of liberation."
धीरस्तु भोज्यमानोऽपि पीड्यमानोऽपि सर्वदा ।
आत्मानं केवलं पश्यन्
न तुष्यति न कुप्यति ॥
"Whether feted or tormented, the wise man is always aware of his supreme self-nature and is neither pleased nor disappointed."
चेष्टमानं शरीरं स्वं पश्यत्यन्यशरीरवत् ।
संस्तवे चापि निन्दायां
कथं क्षुभ्येत् महाशयः ॥
"The great-souled person sees even his own body in action as if it were someone else’s, so how should he be disturbed by praise or blame?"
मायामात्रमिदं विश्वं
पश्यन् विगतकौतुकः ।
अपि सन्निहिते मृत्यौ
कथं त्रस्यति धीरधीः ॥
"Seeing this world as pure illusion, and devoid of any interest in it, how should the strong-minded person feel fear, even at the approach of death?"
निःस्पृहं मानसं यस्य
नैराश्येऽपि महात्मनः ।
तस्यात्मज्ञानतृप्तस्य
तुलना केन जायते ॥
"Who can be compared to the great-souled person whose mind is free from desire even in disappointment, and who has found satisfaction in self-knowledge?"
स्वभावाद् एव जानानो
दृश्यमेतन्न किंचन ।
इदं ग्राह्यमिदं त्याज्यं
स किं पश्यति धीरधीः ॥
"How should a strong-minded person who knows that what he sees is by its very nature nothing, consider one thing to be grasped and another to be rejected?"
अंतस्त्यक्तकषायस्य
निर्द्वन्द्वस्य निराशिषः ।
यदृच्छयागतो भोगो
न दुःखाय न तुष्टये ॥
"An object of enjoyment that comes of itself is neither painful nor pleasurable for someone who has eliminated attachment, and who is free from dualism and from desire."