Ashtavakra Ashtavakra Gita The Ashtav Devanagari: Ashtavakr akraa Gita Gita (Sanskrit in Devanagari: [1] अष् टावक् रगीता; IAST रगीता; IAST:: aṣṭāvakragītā) or the Song of Ashtavakra is Ashtavakra is a classical Advaita classical Advaita Vedanta scripture. Vedanta scripture. It is written as a dialogue between the sage Ashtavakra Ashtavakra and and [2] Janaka,, king of Mithila Janaka of Mithila..
1 Dating Radhakamal Mukerjee, Mukerjee , an Indian social scientist, dated the book to the period immediately after the Hindu scripture Bhagavad ture Bhagavad Gita (c. Gita (c. 500–400 BC). [3] J. L. Brockington, emeritus Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Edinburgh, places the Ashtavakra Gita much later, supposing it to have been written either in the eighth century AC by a follower of Shankara Shankara,, or in the fourteenth century during a resurgence resurgence of Shankara’s teaching. [4][5] Sri Swami Shantananda Puri suggests that since the book contains the seed of the theory of non-creation Ajata Vada developed Vada developed later by Gaudapada by Gaudapada in in Mandookya Mandookya Karika,, this book comes from a period prior to that of Karika Gaudapada and Gaudapada and hence prior to Adi to Adi Shankara. Shankara.[6]
Janaka debating with Ashtavakra. Art from Janaka debating from the epic Ashtavakra Ashtavakra (2010).
In a conversation between Janaka and Ashtavakra, pertaining to the deformity of his crooked body, Ashtavakra explains explains that the t he size of a Temple Temple is not affected affected by how it is shaped, and the shape of his own body does not affect fect himself himself (or Atman). Atman). The ignorant ignorant man’s vision vision is shrouded by names and forms but a wise man sees only himself: [11][12]
2 Identifica Identification tion of Ashtavakra Ashtavakra
You are really unbound and action-less, self-ill self-illumina uminating ting and spotles spotlesss already. already. The cause of your bondage is that you are still resorting to stilling the mind. (I.15)
Ashtavakra is probably identical to the holy sage with the Ashtavakra is same same name name who who appe appear arss in Mahabharata Mahabharata,, thoug thoughh the concon[7] nect nectio ionn is not not clea clearl rlyy stat stated ed in any any of the the text texts. s. Mukherjee identifies Janaka Janaka as as the father of Sita Sita and and disciple of the sage Yajnavalkya in Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upan[7][note 1] ishad.. ishad Janaka is also depicted as a king who has attained perfection in the Bhagavad the Bhagavad Gita (III,20,25). Gita (III,20,25).
You You are uncondi uncondition tioned ed and change changeless less,, formless and immovable, unfathomable awareness, imperturbable- such consciousness is unclinging. (I.17) You are not bound by anything. What does a pure pure perso personn like like you you need need to renou renounc nce? e? Puttin Puttingg the complex organism to rest, you can go to your rest. (V.1) [13]
3 Cont Conteents 3.1 Over Overvi view ew
3.2 Struc Structur turee
Ashtavakra Gita is a dialogue between Ashtavakra and Janaka on the nature of soul, reality and bondage. [9] It The book comprises 20 chapters:[14] offers offers a radical version version of non-dualistic non-dualistic philosophy. The Gita insists on complete unreality of external world and I Saks Saksii - Visi Vision on of the the Self Self as the the AllAll-pe perv rvad adin ingg WitWitabsolute oneness oneness of existence. existence. It does not mention any ness morality or duties, and therefore is seen by commentators as 'godless’. It also dismisses names and forms as unreal II Ascaryam - Marvel of the Infinite Self Beyond and a sign of ignorance. [10] Nature •
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III Atmadvaita - Self in All and All in the Self IV Sarvamatma - Knower and the Non-knower of the Self VI Prakrteh Parah - Irrelevance of Dissolution of Consciousness VII Santa - Tranquil and Boundless Ocean of the Self VIII Moksa - Bondage and Freedom IX Nirveda - Indifference
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X Vairagya - Dispassion
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XI Cidrupa - Self as Pure and Radiant Intelligence
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XII Svabhava - Ascent of Contemplation XIII Yathasukham - Transcendent Bliss
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XIV Isvara - Natural Dissolution of the Mind
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XV Tattvam - Unborn Self or Brahman
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[1] Janaka receives the teaching of the supreme Self from Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.[8]
V Laya - Stages of Dissolution of Consciousness
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6 Notes
XVI Svasthya - Self-Abidance through Obliteration of the World XVII Kaivalya - Absolute Aloneness of the Self XVIII Jivanmukti - Way and Goal of Natural Samadhi
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XIX Svamahima - Majesty of the Self
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XX Akincanabhava - Transcendence of the Self
4 Appreciation
7 References [1] Mukherjee 1971, p. i. [2] s:Ashtavakra Gita#Translator’s Notes [3] Mukherjee 1971, p. 4. [4] Byrom, Thomas (1990). The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita. Shambhala Publications. Page xxiii. [5] Brockington, J. L. (1990). Foreword to The Heart of Awareness: A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita, trans. Thomas Byrom. Shambhala Publications. Page xi. [6] Puri, Sri Swami Shantananda (2001). The Quantum leap into the Absolute(Essence of ASHTAVAKRA GITA) (PDF). Bangalore: Parvathamma C.P. Subbaraju Setty Charitable Trust. [7] Mukherjee 1971, p. 1. [8] Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Chapter Four [9] Manuel Schoch (1 July 2007). Bitten by the Black Snake: The Ancient Wisdom of Ashtavakra . Sentient Publications. ISBN 978-1-59181-060-5. Retrieved 20 July 2012. [10] Ruth Vanita (2005). Gandhi’s Tiger and Sita’s Smile: Essays on Gender, Sexuality, and Culture. Yoda Press. pp. 239–. ISBN 978-81-902272-5-4. Retrieved 20 July 2012. [11] Chinmayananda 1997:n.p.
The work was known, appreciated and quoted by [12] Vanita, Ruth. “Full of God:Ashtavakra and ideas of JusRamakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda, as well as tice in Hindu Text”. Equinox Publishing Ltd. Ramana Maharshi. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan refers to [13] Astavakra Gita, Translation by John Richards. Retrieved it with great respect. [15] 20 July 2012.
5 Translations and commentaries
[14] Mukherjee 1971, p. iii.
Nath (1907) opened the discourse of this Gita into the English language.[16] Mukerjee (1889–1968) continued thediscourse into English with his posthumous work published in 1971. [17] Stroud (2004) wrote on the Astavakra Gita as a work of multivalent narrative. [18] Swami Chinmayananda wrote a commentary on the Ashtavakra Gita, which has references to the Upanishads to help convey the meaning of the text. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has given commentary on Ashtavakra Gita in Hindi and English Language. [19][20] Commentaries on this work, have been also been provided by Osho [21]
[16] Baij Nath (Lala.) (1907). The Ashtavakra Gita: being a
[15] s:Ashtavakra Gita#Translator’s Notes dialogue between King Janaka and Rishi Ashtavakra on Vedanta. Office of the Vaishya Hitkari.
[17] Radhakamal Mukerjee (1971). The song of the self supreme (Aṣṭāvakragītā): the classical text of Ātmādvaita by Aṣṭāvakra. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-
208-1367-0. Source: (accessed: Friday March 19, 2010) [18] Stroud, Scott R. (2004). “Narrative as Argument in Indian Philosophy: The Astavakra Gita as Multivalent Narrative.” Philosophy and Rhetoric - Volume 37, Number 1, 2004, ISSN 0031-8213, pp. 42-71 [19] https://store.artofliving.org/in/product.aspx?id=1828
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9.2 Translations
[20] Shankar, Sri Sri Ravi (2010). Ashtavakra Gita. Bangalore: Sri Sri Publications Trust. ISBN 9789380592831. [21] Osho, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (1997). Enlightenment: The Only Revolution. Pune, India: The Rebel Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 81-7261-070-X.
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Samhita: [Sanskrit] text with word-for-word translation, English rendering and comments . Mayavati,
Almoral, Himalayas: Advaita Ashrama. •
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8 Sources •
Mukerjee, Radhakaml (1971), Aṣṭāvakragītā (the Song of the Self Supreme): The Classical Text of Ātmādvaita by Aṣṭāvakra, Motilal Banarsidass Publ.,
ISBN 978-81-208-1367-0
9 External links 9.1 Original text •
Sanskrit Wikisource has original text related to this article: अष् टावक् रगीता
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Ashtavakra Gita English Audio Book
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In original Sanskrit as PDF
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In original Sanskrit
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In Devanagari In Romanized Sanskrit Ashtavakra Gita in Devanagari with English translation side by side
9.2 Translations •
Works related to Ashtavakra Gita at Wikisource
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Quotations related to Ashtavakra Gita at Wikiquote
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Ashtavakra Gita Hindi Audio Book
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Ashtavakra Gita Marathi Audio Book
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The Ultimate Reality Within: The Essence of Astavakra Gita - Commentary on Ashtavakra Gita by Swami Yug Purush Paramanand ji Poetic translation of Ashtavakra Gita in Hindi by Dr Mridul Kirti s:Ashtavakra Gita Translation at Wikisource by John Richards John Richards translation in pdf format First in a series of 41 Discourses on Ashtavakra Gita available for Free Downloading
Swami Nityaswarupananda (1940). Ashtavakra
Translation by Ramana Maharshi (audiobook) Asthavakra Gita - Awareness is Everything. Translation and Commentary by Mansoor (2010). ISBN 978-1-4467-1442-3
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TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
10 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses 10.1 Text •
Ashtavakra Gita Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtavakra_Gita?oldid=698458571 Contributors: Bryan Derksen, Ronz, Maximus Rex, Topbanana, Carlossuarez46, Goethean, Wikibob, Mboverload, Bobert wi, Gadfium, Andycjp, Alexf, Didactohedron, Dbachmann, PP Jewel, Tim Smith, Cjthellama, BD2412, TheRingess, Dseer, Cause of death, Bgwhite, Pigman, SmackBot, Imz, Edgar181, Bluebot, Bazonka, Ne0Freedom, Lentower, AshokSrinath, Diviwadhwa, IAF, Mack2, Ekabhishek, Leolaursen, Alastair Haines, B9 hummingbird hovering, Redtigerxyz, Shrao, Billinghurst, Prodigyhk, Iddli, Wilson44691, Aravind V R, Hkarekar, Simon D M, SchreiberBike, Manojkhurana, Indu, Cminard, Addbot, Vyom25, Vikram0311, Yobot, AnomieBOT, Ulric1313, RajeshUnuppally, Omnipaedista, Erezoni, Dave3457, FrescoBot, Silvanasono, Vkdasari~enwiki, Khamgatam, Brahmavid, EmausBot, John of Reading, ZéroBot, Shrikanthv, Chitarup, Helpful Pixie Bot, Joshua Jonathan, Amitrochates, Bronderz, Vinodkad, Carlos.Manuel.Saraiva, Kad.vinod, Gargram, Rasucha and Anonymous: 67
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