Sri Ashtavakra says: A man
with honest approach can attain enlightenment by ordinary instructions. Without
it even the life long curiosity is not going to help. 1
Indifference in sense
objects is liberation and interest in them is bondage. Knowing thus, do as you
like. 2
Eloquent, intelligent and
industrious men become calm, silent and inactive after knowing the Truth so the
people who are after worldly pleasure discard it. 3
Neither are you this body
nor this body is yours, you are not the doer of actions or the one who bears
their results. You are consciousness, eternal witness and without desires so
stay blissfully. 4
Liking and disliking are
traits of mind and you are not mind in any case. You are choice-less. You are
of the form of knowledge and flawless so stay blissfully. 5
Know that all beings exist
in you and you exist in all beings. So leave ego and attachment and stay
blissfully. 6
Undoubtedly, this world is
created from you just like waves from the sea. You are consciousness so leave
all worries. 7
O dear, trust your
experience, have faith on it. Don't have any doubt on this experience. You are
Knowledge. You are beyond nature and Lord. 8
This body, which is composed
of three attributes of nature stays, comes and goes. Soul (you) neither come
nor go, so why do you bother about it. 9
This body may remain till
the end of Nature or is destroyed today, you are not going to gain and lose
anything from it as you are consciousness. 10
This world rises and subsides
in you naturally as waves in a great ocean. You do not gain or lose from it. 11
O dear! you are pure
consciousness only and this world is not separate from you. So how can anything
be considered superior or inferior. 12
You are alone in this imperishable,
calm, conscious and stainless space so how can birth, action and ego be
imagined in you. 13
You being one, appear to be
many due to your multiple reflection. Is gold different from bracelets, armlets
and anklets? 14
This is me and that is not me,
give up all such dualities. Decide that as a soul, you are everything, have no
other resolutions and stay blissfully. 15
This world appears to be
real only due to ignorance. You alone exist in reality. There is nothing
worldly or unworldly apart from you anyhow. 16
Decide that, this world is
unreal like an illusion (or dream) and does not exist at all. Without becoming
free from desires and actions, nobody attains peace. 17
Truth or the ocean of being
alone existed, exists and will exist. You neither have bondage nor liberation.
Be fulfilled and wander happily. 18
You are of the form of
consciousness, do not get anxious with different resolves and alternatives. Be
at peace and remain in your blissful form pleasantly. 19
Remove your focus from anything
and everything and do not think in your heart. You are soul and free by your
very nature, what is there to think in it? 20