जनक उवाच कथं ज्ञानमवाप्नोति, कथं मुक्तिर्भविष्यति। वैराग्य च कथं प्राप्तं एतद् ब्रूहि मम प्रभो॥
Old king Janak asks the young Ashtavakra - How knowledge is attained, how liberation is attained and how non-attachment is attained, please tell me all this
अष्टावक्र उवाच मुक्तिं इच्छसि चेत्तात, विषयान विषवत्त्यज। क्षमार्जवदयातोष, सत्यं पीयूषवद् भज॥
Sri Ashtavakra answers - If you wish to attain liberation, give up the passions (desires for sense objects) as poison. Practice forgiveness, simplicity, compassion, contentment and truth as nectar
न पृथ्वी न जलं नाग्निर्न वायुर्द्यौर्न वा भवान्। एषां साक्षिणमात्मानं चिद्रूपं विद्धि मुक्तये॥
You are neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air or space. To liberate, know the witness of all these as conscious self
यदि देहं पृथक् कृत्य चिति विश्राम्य तिष्ठसि। अधुनैव सुखी शान्तो बन्धमुक्तो भविष्यसि॥
If you detach yourself from the body and rest in consciousness, you will become content, peaceful and free from bondage immediately
न त्वं विप्रादिको वर्ण: नाश्रमी नाक्षगोचर:। असङगोऽसि निराकारो विश्वसाक्षी सुखी भव॥
You do not belong to 'Brahman' or any other caste, you do not belong to 'Celibate' or any other stage, nor are you anything that the eyes can see. You are unattached, formless and witness of everything - so be happy
धर्माधर्मौ सुखं दुखं मानसानि न ते विभो। न कर्तासि न भोक्तासि मुक्त एवासि सर्वदा॥
Righteousness, unrighteousness, pleasure and pain are connected with the mind and not with the all-pervading you. You are neither the doer nor the reaper of the actions, so you are always almost free
एको द्रष्टासि सर्वस्य मुक्तप्रायोऽसि सर्वदा। अयमेव हि ते बन्धो द्रष्टारं पश्यसीतरम्॥
You are the solitary witness of all that is, almost always free. Your only bondage is understanding the seer to be someone else
अहं कर्तेत्यहंमान महाकृष्णाहिदंशितः। नाहं कर्तेति विश्वासामृतं पीत्वा सुखं भव॥
Ego poisons you to believe: "I am the doer". Believe "I am not the doer". Drink this nectar and be happy
एको विशुद्धबोधोऽहं इति निश्चयवह्निना। प्रज्वाल्याज्ञानगहनं वीतशोकः सुखी भव॥
The resolution "I am single, pure knowledge" consumes even the dense ignorance like fire. Be beyond disappointments and be happy
यत्र विश्वमिदं भाति कल्पितं रज्जुसर्पवत्। आनंदपरमानन्दः स बोधस्त्वं सुखं चर॥
Feel the ecstasy, the supreme bliss where this world appears unreal like a snake in a rope, know this and move happily
मुक्ताभिमानी मुक्तो हि बद्धो बद्धाभिमान्यपि। किवदन्तीह सत्येयं या मतिः सा गतिर्भवेत्॥
If you think you are free you are free. If you think you are bound you are bound. It is rightly said: You become what you think
आत्मा साक्षी विभुः पूर्ण एको मुक्तश्चिदक्रियः। असंगो निःस्पृहः शान्तो भ्रमात्संसारवानिव॥
The soul is witness, all-pervading, infinite, one, free, inert, neutral, desire-less and peaceful. Only due to illusion it appears worldly
कूटस्थं बोधमद्वैत- मात्मानं परिभावय। आभासोऽहं भ्रमं मुक्त्वा भावं बाह्यमथान्तरम्॥
Meditate on unchanging, conscious and non-dual Self. Be free from the illusion of 'I' and think this external world as part of you
देहाभिमानपाशेन चिरं बद्धोऽसि पुत्रक। बोधोऽहं ज्ञानखंगेन तन्निष्कृत्य सुखी भव॥
O son, you have become habitual of thinking- "I am body" since long. Experience the Self and by this sword of knowledge cut that bondage and be happy
निःसंगो निष्क्रियोऽसि त्वं स्वप्रकाशो निरंजनः। अयमेव हि ते बन्धः समाधिमनुतिष्ठति॥
You are free, still, self-luminous, stainless.Trying to keep yourself peaceful by meditation is your bondage
त्वया व्याप्तमिदं विश्वं त्वयि प्रोतं यथार्थतः। शुद्धबुद्धस्वरुपस्त्वं मा गमः क्षुद्रचित्तताम्॥
You have pervaded this entire universe; really, you have pervaded it all. You are pure knowledge, don't get disheartened
निरपेक्षो निर्विकारो निर्भरः शीतलाशयः। अगाधबुद्धिरक्षुब्धो भव चिन्मात्रवासन:॥
You are desire-less, changeless, solid and abode to calmness, unfathomable intelligent. Be peaceful and desire nothing but consciousness
साकारमनृतं विद्धि निराकारं तु निश्चलं। एतत्तत्त्वोपदेशेन न पुनर्भवसंभव:॥
Know that form is unreal and only the formless is permanent. Once you know this, you will not take birth again
यथैवादर्शमध्यस्थे रूपेऽन्तः परितस्तु सः। तथैवाऽस्मिन् शरीरेऽन्तः परितः परमेश्वरः॥
Just as form exists inside a mirror and outside it, Supreme Self exists both within and outside the body
एकं सर्वगतं व्योम बहिरन्तर्यथा घटे। नित्यं निरन्तरं ब्रह्म सर्वभूतगणे तथा॥
Just as the same space exists both inside and outside a jar, the eternal, continuous God exists in all