Ashtavakra Gita

The Ashtavakra Gita (Sanskrit in Devanagari:

; IAST: avakragt)[1] or the Song of
Ashtavakra is a classical Advaita Vedanta scripture. It is
written as a dialogue between the sage Ashtavakra and
Janaka, king of Mithila.[2]

Dating

Radhakamal Mukerjee, an Indian social scientist, dated

the book to the period immediately after the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita (c. 500400 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, or in the fourteenth
century during a resurgence of Shankaras teaching.[4][5]
Sri Swami Shantananda Puri suggests that since the
book contains the seed of the theory of non-creation
Ajata Vada developed later by Gaudapada in Mandookya
Karika, this book comes from a period prior to that of
Gaudapada and hence prior to Adi Shankara.[6]

Janaka debating with Ashtavakra. Art from the epic Ashtavakra

(2010).

In a conversation between Janaka and Ashtavakra, pertaining to the deformity of his crooked body, Ashtavakra
explains that the size of a Temple is not aected by how
it is shaped, and the shape of his own body does not affect himself (or Atman). The ignorant mans vision is
shrouded by names and forms but a wise man sees only
himself:[11][12]

Identication of Ashtavakra
You are really unbound and action-less,
self-illuminating and spotless 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

same name who appears in Mahabharata, though the connection is not clearly stated in any of the texts.[7] Mukherjee identies Janaka as the father of Sita and disciple
of the sage Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.[7][note 1] Janaka is also depicted as a king who has
attained perfection in the Bhagavad Gita (III,20,25).

3
3.1

You are unconditioned and changeless,

formless and immovable, unfathomable awareness, imperturbable- such consciousness is unclinging. (I.17)
You are not bound by anything. What does a
pure person like you need to renounce? Putting
the complex organism to rest, you can go to
your rest. (V.1) [13]

Contents
Overview

3.2 Structure
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]
oers a radical version of non-dualistic philosophy. The
Gita insists on complete unreality of external world and
I Saksi - Vision of the Self as the All-pervading Witabsolute oneness of existence. It does not mention any
ness
morality or duties, and therefore is seen by commentators
II Ascaryam - Marvel of the Innite Self Beyond
as 'godless. It also dismisses names and forms as unreal
Nature
and a sign of ignorance.[10]
1

7
III Atmadvaita - Self in All and All in the Self
IV Sarvamatma - Knower and the Non-knower of
the Self

REFERENCES

6 Notes
[1] Janaka receives the teaching of the supreme Self from Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.[8]

V Laya - Stages of Dissolution of Consciousness

VI Prakrteh Parah - Irrelevance of Dissolution of
Consciousness
VII Santa - Tranquil and Boundless Ocean of the
Self
VIII Moksa - Bondage and Freedom
IX Nirveda - Indierence
X Vairagya - Dispassion
XI Cidrupa - Self as Pure and Radiant Intelligence
XII Svabhava - Ascent of Contemplation
XIII Yathasukham - Transcendent Bliss
XIV Isvara - Natural Dissolution of the Mind
XV Tattvam - Unborn Self or Brahman
XVI Svasthya - Self-Abidance through Obliteration
of the World
XVII Kaivalya - Absolute Aloneness of the Self
XVIII Jivanmukti - Way and Goal of Natural
Samadhi
XIX Svamahima - Majesty of the Self
XX Akincanabhava - Transcendence of the Self

Appreciation

7 References
[1] Mukherjee 1971, p. i.
[2] s:Ashtavakra Gita#Translators 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). Gandhis Tiger and Sitas 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.

Translations and commentaries

[14] Mukherjee 1971, p. iii.

[15] s:Ashtavakra Gita#Translators Notes

Nath (1907) opened the discourse of this Gita into the [16] Baij Nath (Lala.) (1907). The Ashtavakra Gita: being a
English language.[16] Mukerjee (18891968) continued
dialogue between King Janaka and Rishi Ashtavakra on
Vedanta. Oce of the Vaishya Hitkari.
the discourse into English with his posthumous work published in 1971.[17] Stroud (2004) wrote on the Astavakra
[17] Radhakamal Mukerjee (1971). The song of the self
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]

supreme (Avakragt): the classical text of tmdvaita

by Avakra. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81208-1367-0. 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

Commentaries on this work, have been also been provided by Osho [21]
[19] https://store.artofliving.org/in/product.aspx?id=1828

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.

Sources
Mukerjee, Radhakaml (1971), Avakragt (the
Song of the Self Supreme): The Classical Text of tmdvaita by Avakra, Motilal Banarsidass Publ.,
ISBN 978-81-208-1367-0

External links

9.1

Original text

Sanskrit Wikisource has original text related to this

article:
Ashtavakra Gita English Audio Book
In original Sanskrit as PDF
In original Sanskrit
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

Quotations related to Ashtavakra Gita at Wikiquote
Ashtavakra Gita Hindi Audio Book
Ashtavakra Gita Marathi Audio Book
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

3
Swami Nityaswarupananda (1940). Ashtavakra
Samhita: [Sanskrit] text with word-for-word translation, English rendering and comments. Mayavati,
Almoral, Himalayas: Advaita Ashrama.
Translation by Ramana Maharshi (audiobook)
Asthavakra Gita - Awareness is Everything. Translation and Commentary by Mansoor (2010). ISBN
978-1-4467-1442-3

10

10
10.1

TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

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, Gadum, Andycjp, Alexf, Didactohedron, Dbachmann, PP Jewel, Tim Smith, Cjthellama, BD2412, TheRingess, Dseer, Cause of death, Bgwhite, Pigman, SmackBot, Imz, Edgar181,
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Chitarup, Helpful Pixie Bot, Joshua Jonathan, Amitrochates, Bronderz, Vinodkad, Carlos.Manuel.Saraiva, Kad.vinod, Gargram, Rasucha
and Anonymous: 67

10.2

Images

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10.3

Content license

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