Ashtavakra Gita: Song of Self-realisation

by Chinmayananda

Authored by Maharishi Vyasa, this lucid dialogue between Rajarshi Janak and Astavakra systematically deals with mystical experiences of the spiritual reality. To all advanced students of meditation Ashtavakra Geeta directly points out the way and the goal.

Genres: Philosophy, Spirituality, Hinduism, Self Help, Indian Literature, Religion

532 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

About the author

Chinmayananda Saraswati, also known as Swami Chinmayananda and born Balakrishnan Menon, was an Indian spiritual leader and teacher who inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission in 1953 to spread the message of Vedanta. The organization, which was founded by his disciples and led by him, has over 300 centres in India and internationally.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.

Reviews

[mahesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really grown enough in my inner realm to write a review on this book. I am glad, I have read this timeless work with commentaries of Swami Chinmayananda.
I know, Ashtavkra Gita is for those who are just one step away from the state of Samadi. But still, I have read it nearly 4 times from different interpreters. Every time I read these shlokas, There is a celestial fish swimming through my web of mind effortlessly and gracefully. Every time I witness her presence through these eternal shlokas, I wonder about throwing a net of knowledge to catch her or swim along with her. Hopefully one day I witness that mystical force that creates, sustains, and destroys us through a birthless and deathless universal web.
Janaka And Astavakra dialogues still echo in my mind. Must be read by those who can neither accept god nor reject it.

[Chris Marchan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most profound and meaningful book I have ever read. This teaching from an enlightened Master goes deeper and more directly to the heart of who we are and how to see it. This kind of book is nothing ordinary. It is the sort that needs to be read over and over again. The truth is so stark that the ego self does not want to accept it, but through employing your own personal experiments in your daily life from the understanding offered in the teaching, the mind begins to see the Big Picture. This book is a beacon upon the mountain of Knowing. All you have to do is to keep walking toward it and it will get brighter.

[Ashutosh Pathak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not the body, I'm not even the mind. there's a free guided Isha Kriya meditation available for beginners. My ego has already done and dusted it, and now it performs a little advanced Shambhavi Mahamudra - although after reading this book, I am aware I'm not the doer - but pure consciousness bliss. Also, "I'm meditating" is the last pang of ego all meditators face, but I must say Shambhavi Mahamudra is more powerful than ordinary meditations.

My intellect has only finished 2 chapters, yet it wants to rate this book highly already. First two chapters are good enough, in 'Chapter 2 -The marvellous self' Janka speaks and admires at length the consciousness in which the universe abides and is not his (universe), just like a dreamer's dream, and not only universe, other living beings also arise from disturbance in self, and after their competition, mating, and other plays die either to be reborn or attain self by transcending body, mind, intellect and enter Advaita, where they see no duality, and this world of plurality appears just as an illusion - rope under illusion appears to be a snake, but upon disillusionment, the snake disappears, similarly pluralistic universe appears under illusion, and after disillusionment, it dissolves into self.

Janka says, even in crowd, his Advaita is maintained, just like in forest a person acutely feels loneliness, even in a busy market place, Janaka is able to maintain his Advaita.

He also says, all rooms for imagination has gone, with the true knowledge. The self illuminates its instruments, but must not mistake instruments to be itself.

Janaka says he bows down to himself revenrentially and prostrates before himself - the pure consciousness which isn't destroyed even after Brahma and all blades of glass, together with universe get destroyed. Just like after waking from dream, even though all illusions occuring in dream get destroyed, the dreamer still persists and his mind can say it was projecting illusory dreams.

There also is no bondage and all talks of freedom, bondage are meaningless, for the self is eternally free. However, it's only bondage was it wanted to live. Also, once reminded of its true nature, it again becomes boundless, ever restful, free.

As much as one's intellect and personality ego would like to show off about reading this book, it can now choose to ask who is to be shown off to ? These illusory others springing forth from itself? And also one's intellect needs to take into account the fact that when one knows Brahma, he becomes Brahma and arrogance of knowing it also drops.

Few noteworthy points :

* Astavakra has the audacity to so openly say that to meditate upon the ever-free ever-liberated supreme reality is itself the symptom of meditator's state of bondage. It's the wakeful only who tries to sleep and so long as he's trying he is not asleep. once having reached sleep, the sleeper is no more trying to sleep. It is the waker who can try to gain sleep. Similarly, so long as one is meditating, he has not apprehended the state of pure consciousness.

* Astavakra also does away with personal god

* He is the first one to use nirvikalpa to describe self. Nirvikalpa means "devoid of all imaginations" suggesting "the spiritual state of thoughtlessness". Later on Patanjali used it liberally and made it famous, and Sankara and other masters freely used it, but nirvikalpa is not found in major Upanishads or even in Bhagavad Gita, it is minted originally by Astavakra.

[Srinivas Nidugondi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone with an Advaitic bent of mind
This book has been with me for a while but never got around reading it. But after the Bhagavad Gita and the first Upanishad and teachings of Kapila Muni I ventured into reading this Gita and I must say this is one of the most impactful books I have ever read.
The essence of non-duality is so direct and hard hitting that it sets one thinking that how could such a brilliant exposition on non-duality be thought so many thousands of years back. Anyone who is interested in Advaita and non-duality will thoroughly enjoy this book and, hopefully, will give direction to live in the current world in a more meaningful way.
The ability of Ashtavakra and Janaka to converse with such distilled thinking is truly wonderful. Of course it can be argued that there is a lot of repetition of the same message; but for me it is a reinforcement of that One Thing with many examples and parallels.

[Olly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully poetic and concise treatise on the Hindu Advaita philosophy of the self.
It's a possibly very early non-dualist (advaita literally means "not two") text, resembling something between a platonic dialogue and a zen koan.

The King Janaka of Mithila asks the sage Ashtavakra the keys to knowledge, liberation, and non-attachment. After a few beautifully short and enlightening verses of teaching the second chapter begins, the King gains all of these things and wonders why he has suffered for so long under his dualistic naivety.

[Jake Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously profound. Pick this up and tell me what you think. Thanks to Chris for this excellent edition from chinmayapublications.org

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense debate translated in simple words by a great man

[Ioseb Edisherashvili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good enough for introduction in eastern philosophy

[Prabhakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book on pure, unadulterated, highest level of advaita (non-dualistic) philosophy/spirituality. Many “original”, insightful points of view, expressions and analogies. Lots of details on how a “fully liberated “ person lives in everyday world.

Felt like it was even more systematic and comprehensive than bhagavad giita on the single theme of advaita. Of course, bhagavad giita is more comprehensive in the sense that it also addresses dvaita (dualistic) philosophy as well as karma yoga (path of leading everyday life in a way to achieve liberation).

And Chinmayananda’s translation is very good too.

[Salvatore Familia]

Ashtavakra Gita is a short treatise on Advaita Vedanta which systematically deals with the mystical experiences of the individual in his flight to the transcendental peace and bliss.The subtle philosophical truths are expounded in the form of a lucid dialogue between the teenager sage Astavakra and his Royal disciple,the King-seer Janaka. To Astavakra,Self-knowledge through direct mystical intution is the only goal to be reached and experienced in the dynamic silence of one's own deepest meditation.

[Rohit Kaushik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gift to me by my brother. Really liked it, I have previously read Upanishad and the book advances some of the concepts talked there.

eka evaasi draṣṭāsi muktapūrvo'si sarvadā |
ayam eva hi bandho'te draṣṭāraṁ paśyasi tvam anyam ||

You are the one observer of all, and in reality always free. Your bondage is this: that you see the other, not yourself.

How much of our worth do we place on external achievements, praises endowed on us by others and view our worth not from our own eyes but through others. One of the core principles that I can take from this book is that existence itself is the most anyone ever needs and nothing else defines us, that the very fact that we exist is enough .

Do not because there is something to be proven, do because that to be done is the right thing.

[K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ashtavakra Gita offers profound spiritual insights, but the arduous journey to uncover them may prove too draining for the average reader. It's a book that demands much from its readers, and not everyone will find it worth the effort

[Veena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book expounding on the advaitic concepts

[Chandrakant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb book on Spirituality

It describes the Nonduality in the most simple and easily understanding manner.It is a spiritual masterpiece.Every spiritual seeker must enjoy it

[Bijaya Shrestha · Rating 5 out of 5]

life changing book, just reading book would not make much sense. read and understand the book by listening to satsangs.

[Povilas Kimutis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding book for people who are well-versed in Vedanta.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read 🙏🙏🙏

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most interesting philosophical work I've ever seen.

[Malum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this is a Hindu text, but it felt very Taoist to me. Lots of ideas of liberation through non-effort.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent translation and commentary -- adds so much depth and insight to this profoundly important, concise view of Advaita Vedanta, and the experience of Self knowledge.

[ROHAN TIWARI · Rating 5 out of 5]

.....

[Raghu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing emanates from me

You will arrive at this eventually one way or the other. Be patient, undistracted and fearless in your understanding as Infinite Consciousness Self.

[Dr Anshuman Mishra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speechless…

[Ryan Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The source is good but the commentary is tedious and long. For someone that knows how useless words are to describe the self the commentator sure does like to talk.

[Lk Pal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more powerful than श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता. All important questions related to life are answered here.

[Venkat Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sublime classic of Advaita Vedanta. The best book for fathoming the depth of self-realization.

The book contains simple teaching that goes into the heart directly. Contemplation of it gives a foretaste of the bliss of freedom. The joy of self-realization is depicted in soul-stirring language.

This book is a great boon for all humanity. It systematically deals with the mystical experiences of an individual in her or his flight to the transcendental peace and bliss. A serious study of the book will transport one to a different plane effortlessly. This book is not a philosophical treatise, but is an unfoldment of the ultimate Truth.

It is a wonder how this book successfully communicates through words, the nature and glory of the supreme reality. It constantly directs the entire attention of the student, on to the spiritual reality behind life and its expressions.

This book will be a great help for dwelling in the realm of the spirit. Anyone who wants a taste of the bliss of freedom should definitely study this book.

[Vishal Srivatsava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly an enlightening insight on how we humans must be. We're essentially just souls and not the human beings body