Chapter 3
at Home2b.nl
The Asthavakra Samhita chapter 3
The goal is to
have the Sanskrit text,
the word by
word translation and
the english translation in one document.
English
translation by John Richards (2nd. version)
Public Domain
jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk
The complete texts
are downloadable at the
Ashtavakra Samhita index page.
Here begins
chapter 3.
3.1
Avinaashinam-aatmaanam-ekam-vigiaaya-tatvatah-
tav-aatma-giasaya-dhirsaya-kartham-arthaar-janae-ratih/3,1/.
Avinaashinam = indestructible, aatmaanam =
soul,
ekam = one, vigiaaya = known,
tatvatah = in
the interior knowledge
of the elements
of the truth, tav = you,
aatma = soul,
giasaya = the knower of, dhirsaya = which claims
to be carried
by interior knowledge,
katham = how,
arthaar = possessions,
janae =
acquisition, ratih = affection.
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? 3.1
3.2
Aatmaa-agiaanaat-aho-preetih-vishya-
bharamgocharae-shukteh-agiaanatah-
lobhah-yathaa-rajat-vibharmae/3,2/.
Aatmaa = soul, agiaanaat = insufficiency of
interior
knowledge or interior ignorance,
aho = it is astonishing
to carry out, preetih = affection,
vishya =
objects, bharamgocharae = perception of
the false
imaginative thoughts, shukteh = of mother of pearl,
agiaanatah = interior ignorance, lobhah =
avarice,
yathaa = like,
rajat = material of the silvery coins,
vibharmae = of
the false imaginative thoughts.
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. 3.2
3.3
Vishvam-sfuri-yatra-id-tarangah-eva-sagrae-
sah-aham-asmi-eti-vigiaaya-kim-deenah-eva-dhavsi/3,3/.
Vishvam = universe, sfuri = becomes obvious,
yatra = where,
id = this, tarangah = fluctuation,
eva =like, sagrae = in the ocean, saw = this,
aham =
individual aspect of life [ I am ],
asmi = AM, eti
= this, vigiaaya = knower,
kim = why,
deenah = the additional miserable life,
eva =, dhavsi =
slipping the ring.
All this wells up like waves in the sea.
Recognising, "I am That,"
why run around like someone in need? 3.3
3.4
Shuratvaa-upi-shudh-chaitnyam-aatmaanam-
ati-sundaram-upsthae-atyant-sansuktah-
maalinyam-adhigachhti/3,4/.
Shuratvaa = hearing beyond the direction of
the bodies of
the action in the brain of the feeling,
upi = even
afterwards, shudh = pure,
chaitnyam =
interior knowledge,
aatmaanam = of
the soul, ati = enormously,
sundaram =
beautiful, upsthae = of the bodies of the action,
atyant = extremely, sansuktah = emotive
affections
and aversions, maalinyam = impurity,
adhigachhti =
reached.
After hearing of oneself as pure consciousness
and the supremely beautiful,
is one to go on lusting after sordid sexual objects? 3.4
3.5
Sarav-bhutaeshu-ch-aatmaanam-sarav
-bhootaani-ch-aatmani-muneh-jaanatay-
aashcharyam-mamtvam-anuvarttae/3,5/.
Sarav = in all, bhutaeshu = the elements of
the things,
ch = and, aatmaanam = soul, sarav = in all,
bhootaani = the
elements of the things, ch= and,
aatmani = in the soul, muneh = which claims to
be
carried by
interior knowledge, jaanatay = known,
aashcharyam =
it is marvelous,
mamtvam = direction of individuality,
anuvarttae = continuous.
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. 3.5
3.6
Aasthistah-parm-aduvaitam-mokashah-
arthae-upi-vyavstitah-aashcharyam-kaam-
vshhagah-vikalah-kaelishiksyaya/3,6/.
Aasthistah = reposed, parm = supreme,
aduvaitam = not
to be duel, mokashah = release,
arthae = aimed
for, upi = even, vyavstitah = unchanging,
aashcharyam = it is extraordinary,
kaam = avarice
for desires, vshhagah = influence,
vikalah =
destabilized, kaeli = the emotive activities,
shiksyaya = the practice.
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. 3.6
3.7
Udhbhtam-giaan-durmitram-avdhaarya-ati-
durbalah-ashcharyam-kamam-aakangshatah-
kaalamantam-anushirtah/3,7/.
Udhbhtam=creation, giaan = knowledge,
dhumitram = enemy produced, avdhaarya =
knowing with certainty,
ati = extremely, durbalah = someone weak,
ashcharyam = it
astonishes, kamam = pleasure sensual,
aakangshatah =
should wish, kaalamantam = the last period of the life,
anushirtah = of approach.
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. 3.7
3.8
Ihamutra-viraktashya-nitya-anitya-
vivaekinah-aashcharyam-mokash-kaamsaya-
mokshaat-eva-vibheeshikaa/3,8/.
Ihamutra = in this world and the next one,
viraktashya =
which is unchanged, nitya = eternal,
anitya = temporary,
vivaekinah =
which has the interior knowledge of,
aashcharyam =
it astonishes, mokash = release of the body life,
kaamsaya = who desire of, mokshaat = release
of the body life,
eva = even if,
vibheeshikaa = of fear.
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. 3.8
3.9
Dhirah-you-bhojyamaanah-upi-peedyamanah-upi-
sarvdaa-aatmaanam-kaevlam-pashyan-Na-tushti-Na-kupti/3,9/.
Dhirah = Stated
carried by interior knowledge,
you = surely,
bhojyamaanah = being regaled,
UPI = even,
peedyamanah = tormented, UPI = even,
sarvdaa = for
always, aatmaanam = heart, kaevlam = absolute,
pashyan = perceiving, Na = not, tushti = is
happy,
Na = not, kupti = is constrained.
Whether feted or tormented,
the wise man is always aware of his supreme self-nature
and is neither pleased nor disappointed. 3.9
3.10
chastmanam-shreeram-suvam-pashyati-anaya-
shareervat-sanstvae-CH-upi-nindaayaam-
katham-chhubyyet-mashashyah/3,10/.
chashmanam = acting, shreeram = bodily aspect
of life,
suvam = individual, pashyati = perceive,
anaya = the
other, shareervat = bodily aspect of life like,
sanstvae = of the praises, ch=and, upi = even,
nindaayaam = to
blame, katham = how, chhubyyet = could disturb,
mashashyah = claiming to exist in the
tranquility
of the brain of
the melody.
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? 3.10
3.11
Mayaa-maatarm-idam-vishvam-pashyan-
vigatkotukah-upi-sannhite-mratyo-katham-trasyti-dheerdhih:/3,11/.
Mayaa = the distorted thoughts, maatarm =
simply,
idam = this, vishvam = universe, pashyan =
perceives,
vigatkotukah = loosening
curiosity, upi = even,
sannhite =
approaching, mratyo = died, katham = how,
trarsyti = fear, dheerdhih = claiming to carry
by interior
knowledge.
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? 3.11
3.12
Nihapraham-maansam-yasya-nairaashyae-upi-
mahaatman:tasya-aatam-giaan-tarpatsaya-
tulnaa-kaen-jaayrae/3,12/.
Nisapraham = desire less, maansam = brain of
the thought,
the yasya = which, nairaashyae = released from
the
desires to the
body life, UPI = even,
mahaatman =
stated in the tranquility of the brain of the melody,
tasya = that, aatam = soul, giaan = knowledge,
tarpatsaya =
satisfied, tulnaa = comparison,
kaen = with
what, jaayrae = can be.
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? 3.12
3.13
Svabhaavaat-eva-jaanaanah-drahyam-state-Na-kinchin-
idam-graahaam-tyaajyam-its-kim-pashyati-dhirdheeh/3,13/.
Savbhaavaat = in impulsive characters,
eva = surely, jaanaanah = to know, drahyam =
object of perception,
etat = these, Na = not, kinchin = something,
idam = this,
graahaam = acceptable, tyaajyam =
unacceptable, sa = that,
kim = why,
pashyati = perceive,
dhirdheeh =
stated carried by interior knowledge.
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? 3.13
3.14
Anatasatyakat-kashaa-yasya-nirduandnsya-
niraashish-yadrachchhaya-aagatah-bhogah-
Na-dhukaaya-CH-tushtyae/3,14/.
Anatasatyakat = claimant to
have given up thoughts
in the brain,
kashaa = the sensual objects,
yasya =
affection, nirduandnsya = stated free from the affection
with the pairs of duality,
niraashish =
stated free with the desires,
yadrachchhaya =
impulsive actions, the aagatah = which has came,
bhogah = the experiment, Na = not,
dhukaaya = the
pain, ch = and, tushtyae = the pleasure.
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. 3.14
Here ends
Ashtavakra Samhita chapter 3
Back to the Ashtavakra
Samhita main page.
Updated
November 08, 2006
Everything on this
website:
CopyrightŠ2002-2006 by
Robert and Susan.