Ashtavakra Gita

The Ashtavakra Gita or the Song of Ashtavakra is a classical Advaita Vedanta scripture. It is written as a dialogue between the sage Ashtavakra and Janak, king of Mithila.

Ashtavakra Gita is a dialogue between Ashtavakra and Janaka on the nature of soul, reality and bondage. It offers a radical version of non-dualistic philosophy. The Gita insists on the complete unreality of external world and absolute oneness of existence. It does not mention any morality or duties, and therefore is seen by commentators as 'godless'. It also dismisses names and forms as unreal and a sign of ignorance.

Structure

The book comprises 20 chapters:

1. Saksi - Vision of the Self as the All-pervading Witness
2. Ascaryam - Marvel of the Infinite Self Beyond Nature
3. Atmadvaita - Self in All and All in the Self
4. Sarvamatma - Knower and the Non-knower of the Self
5. Laya - Stages of Dissolution of Consciousness
6. Prakrteh Parah - Irrelevance of Dissolution of Consciousness
7. Santa - Tranquil and Boundless Ocean of the Self
8. Moksa - Bondage and Freedom
9. Nirveda - Indifference
10. Vairagya - Dispassion
11. Cidrupa - Self as Pure and Radiant Intelligence
12. Svabhava - Ascent of Contemplation
13. Yathasukham - Transcendent Bliss
14. Isvara - Natural Dissolution of the Mind
15. Tattvam - Unborn Self or Brahman
16. Svasthya - Self-Abidance through Obliteration of the World
17. Kaivalya - Absolute Aloneness of the Self
18. Jivanmukti - Way and Goal of Natural Samadhi
19. Svamahima - Majesty of the Self
20. Akincanabhava - Transcendence of the Self

Sources

Vedic Scriptures Inc https://sites.google.com/site/vedicscripturesinc/home/ashtavakragita

Second edition of Mr. John Henry Richards’s translation. https://realization.org/p/ashtavakra-gita/richards.ashtavakra-gita/richards.ashtavakra-gita.html

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtavakra_Gita

Sanskrit Original Source https://sa.wikisource.org/s/12f

Sanskrit Transliterations https://web.archive.org/web/20060621050143/http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_giitaa/ashtgita.itx

Chapter Synopsis http://www.sriramana.org/music/astavarkagita/Ashtavakra_Gita_Eng_Translation.pdf