ASHTAVAKRA GITA

Based on talks of Swami Paramarthananda

Class Notes by Smt Rama Sivaraman

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AVG 1 1st Nov 2020

Every human being is subject to the Laws of Karma, he goes through both
favourable and unfavourable situations. No human being can avoid challenging
situations. To face all the challenging situations, most important virtue we require
is self-confidence. Unfortunately, every challenging situation knocks of this self-
confidence alone first. Self-diffidence is the direct experience when we have such
trying situations. When we don’t have confidence in ourselves because we have
lost it, situation can be physical illness or any situational problem. We naturally
seek help from outside. When everything goes fine, help is not required we have
plenty of confidence. When we need self-confidence, it gets knocked off. I look
for support from outside and I expect them to give me confidence and support.
To our disappointment, we don’t get confidence and support. Most of them give
me a lecture on what all mistakes I did in the past, a big lecture of wisdom, they
advise. This is the most inappropriate time you give advice. Generally, all people
do this.
I just require somebody to tell me, “don’t worry you have the resources to tide
over the issues”, or say “we will together face the situation”. When others are
talking about the mistakes we have done in the past, my confidence further gets
weakened as its adding to my guilt that I’m not intelligent enough to take
decisions. Isn’t there anybody to help me or support me at all? There is an utter
feeling of loneliness and helplessness. It is one of the powerful expressions of
samsāra. ...sense of loneliness and helplessness. This every human being feels
often during his lifetime. This is more prominent when situations are not
favourable. This becomes more prominent in old age as physically and mentally
we are becoming weaker. I seek help from others, but the human beings do not
know this fact. Others don’t want to give help and confidence since they really
don’t care. Those who are close and around me won’t understand I need confidence
and support, they don’t understand and tell me the cause of problem. So I have
to find some method. Scriptures come to our rescue, and give confidence building
measures. How can we handle this diffidence? How can we handle the sense of
helplessness?

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Veda gives two methods, one in Veda pūrvabhāga other in Veda anta bhāga, in
veda pūrva bhāga scriptures talk about seeking help from the Lord. Throughout
gitā Lod Krishna speaks of this.
In Chapter 18 (58th verse)

म ः सव ग ण, म सादा िर स ।
अथ चे मह ारा , न ो स वन स ।।
maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi, matprasādāt tariṣyasi
atha cet tvam ahaṅkārād, na śroṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi ॥ 58॥
With (your) mind (fixed) on Me, you shall cross over all obstacles by My grace.
But if you do not listen due to egoism, you will perish.
If only a person seeks help and confidence from me, I will give him. One method
is to remember I always have the lord with me. the very thought I am not
anāthaha, I have got anātha nātha, the lord. I have the Lord to help me, the very
thought boosts my confidence. Beauty is, what I require is not actual help from
the Lord, but the very thought that I have someone to help me, the very thought
gives me confidence. What a human being actually requires is not help, but the
thought that I have someone to help me, the confidence helps me discover the
inner resources to handle the situation. So what I require is offer for help but not
help. If the offer for help is not there, I can go through more psychological strain.
The feeling I have help from outside, I find enough internal resources to handle
the situation with confidence. Veda pūrva bhāga says with help of God you build
this confidence. Verse 18.58 above
Scientific research says people who have faith in God have greater immunity.
Whether God is there or not we are not discussing. Just the thought that God is
there to help, helps. One method of solving the problem of self-diffidence and
helplessness is bhakti. Whatever be the concept of God, this helps, regardless of
the religion, concept or definition of God. Seeking help when you need help from
the right source is intelligence

यो यो य य तनुं भ ः, या चतु म त ।

त त ाचल , तामेव वदधा ह ।। 7-21 Gita||

yo yo yāṃ yāṃ tanuṃ bhaktaḥ, śraddhayārcitum icchati

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 tasya tasyācalāṃ śraddhāṃ, tāmeva vidadhāmyaham

Whichever devotee desires to worship faithfully any particular form ── I stabilise

that very faith of that devotee.

Instead of world dependence or people dependence, it’s better to depend on God..

Very thought that I have God to help me gives confidence. Instead of outsourcing
I insource. This is what veda pūrva bhāga offers.
Then comes Veda anta bhāga. What you really want is not help, I have somebody
to help the thought gives me confidence. Instead of that why can’t you say
differently? I don’t require help. Discover this fact. I don’t require help from
outside I have strength and power to handle any situation. When I conclude I
need help and seek help from others and others don’t give me help, there is a
problem. If I decide I don’t require help from outside but have the inner strength
to handle any problem, I don’t depend even on the offer of help, I drop all forms
of dependence. From God dependence why can’t you come to self-dependence,
start entertaining the powerful thought, I don’t require help at all, I’m the source
of my own strength, to develop this thought pattern, Vedanta gives the teaching
of our own real nature. Instead of shifting from family to God, why can’t you
learn to depend on your own self.
Gaining self-knowledge and changing the thought pattern is the teaching of
Vedanta. Self-knowledge is I’m the truth of the entire universe don’t have to
depend on the world. The entire world of anātma is dependent on me the ātma,
therefore I’m I dependent and have all the strength in myself, even if I seek help
mithya world cannot give me help. Why can’t you use the knowledge and change
the thought pattern? Samsara is not caused by the event itself but event centric
thought pattern. Like the son who offered help to come down for a mother’s
cataract surgery... just the thought of offer helps. Specific cause of samsara is the
thought pattern. External events are only samānya kāranam! Internal thought
pattern is vishesha kāranam. Nididhyāsanam process... instead of blindly and
mechanically preserving notes and cassettes, why don’t you use it to change the
thought pattern, I have the strength to confront any situation in life. At the
philosophical level its true, as ātma I’m independent is true, psychological level it
works in facing situations. The world, karma cannot affect me, I have all inner

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resources when I entertain this thought, I feel confident. aham brahmāsmi. I never
complain of helplessness. I never develop a sense of loneliness. Remove sense of
loneliness and helplessness through self-knowledge, the process is called
nididhyāsanam. I entertain these thoughts everyday
Deliberately in the morning.
एकोऽहं असहायोऽहं कृशोऽहं अपिर दः।
े ेवं वधा च ा मृ गे न जायते॥

Be like a lion, a lion does not think a) I’m alone. b) I am helpless c) I’m feeble
weak d) I am without support. They do not arise in the Mṛgendra, for the lion, it
will always roar not like a lamb, meekly, a lion roars boldly all the time.

As we grow old, many people around us will go. Every vedantic student must use
jñānaṃ to roar like a lion. For this I have to change thought pattern based on
vedānta and change the language pattern, I’m ever free from helplessness weakness
etc. This process is called nididhyāsanam. It helps us bring about change of thought
pattern. There is a famous work in this area, aṣṭāvakra gītā or samhita. Its a
nididhyāsanam work, it is not a primarily a teaching text book, but it’s a work to
help the student who has already received the teaching but have separated the
teaching from their regular life. Teaching one side samsara another side. Aṣṭāvakra,
the great rishi is going to us how long are we going to continue like this? Change
the thought pattern and start claiming I’m fearless I’m free, philosophically this
is true and psychologically the very thought helps us.

In the introductory part the story is there. It comes in Mahabharatha. He is a

greatrishi Aṣṭāvakra not Aṣṭavakra. He gives this teaching to Raja Janaka.. it has
twenty chapters, most chapters are very small. 298 verses, it’s an independent
vedānta nididhyāsanam work. Even a non vedantic student will benefit from this.
Even mere thought is useful. For a vedantic student this thought has real meaning
behind it. This is a vedānta nididhyāsanam work.
Chapter 1
Verse 1
जनक उवाच ॥

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कथं ानमवा ो त कथं मु भव त ।
वैरा ं च कथं ा मेत ू ह मम भो ॥ १ -१॥

कथं ानमवा ो त
Text begins with a question from Janaka to indicate that the teaching has to be
in the form of a dialogue. The student must approach the teacher for teaching.
Many people feel sanyāsa is a prerequisite. Scriptures want to say, though sanyāsa
aśram is there, you can stay in society and benefit. Like Raja Janaka. You can
never complain that you have no time... you may not know the value, but don’t
say you have no time. Janaka always finds time to speak to the rishi. Such a great
Jñāni is the student

कथं ानमवा ो त
How can one gain this knowledge? How can one go from world dependence to
god dependence to self-dependence. कथं मु भव त..how will that independence
or mokṣā take place. We have to decide to use the teaching to change the thought
pattern. Like I said in Naiṣkarmyasiddhi class, whenever I have problems in life
where will I run? If I say people I’m a samsari, when I say God I’m bhakta
karmayogin. If I say the teaching, then I’m a vedānta student, jñāna yogi . the
day I decide to use the vedantic teaching to handle my day to day issues, knowledge
is my refuge. I will go to the teaching and choose the relevant portion to help
me, I start implementing that, then I become a jñāna yogi. Nischayam: Knowledge
is my refuge, Sankalpa: hereafter I will depend on the teaching A: abhyasa, I start
implementing the teaching.
For any vedantic student, whenever there are problems in life the person will be
reminded automatically about the relevant gita teaching or Upaniṣad. I have to
decide to use it, nischaya sankalpa abhysasa..
Janaka asked his Guru, can I be a jivan muktaha

वैरा ं च कथं ा म how can I develop dispassion, how can I stop expecting support
from outside? How long are you going to depend on others? Support are not

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reliable... I should decide to stop seeking support from outside, this decision is
called vairāgyam. How can I switch over to self-dependence.
एत ू ह मम भो
Teach me this...answer is Aṣṭāvakra gītā

AVG 2 on 2nd November 2020

Verse 1 contd
जनक उवाच ॥

कथं ानमवा ो त कथं मु भव त ।

वैरा ं च कथं ा मेत ू ह मम भो ॥ १-१॥

We have entered into the vedantic text book अ ाव गीता. We see the emperor
surrendering to the teacher, indicating that a person has to give up social status
or superiority status. must become a humble simple student. He surrenders to
अ ाव and asks for this knowledge
He says भो मम ू ह.. oh Lord please teach me, how can a person get spiritual
knowledge and mukti or liberation and how is vairāgyam attained. There is a
relationship between the three. ान is the result, vairagya is re॒॒quired for ान ,
mukti is phalam of ान . Cause nature and consequence are three aspects to know
or to understand anything in general. हेतु प काय . ान हेतु: वैरा , ान
काय -मु ः
अ ाव gives out the teaching as an answer.
Verse 2
अ ाव उवाच ॥

मु म स चे ात वषया वषव ज ।
माजवदयातोषस ं पीयू षव भज ॥ १ -२॥

Nature of mokṣā is independence from all dependencies, I learn to depend on

myself, self-dependence mokṣā. This I attain gradually. Initially as a samsāri I
depend upon the world. We start with world dependence as samsāri, when we find
problem in this, we want to get out of this and we go to वेद माण . Veda has

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pūrva bhāga and anta bhāga. It tells us gradually learn to depend less on world
and increase dependence on God. This is karma yoga. In Gitā Lord Krishna says
म ना भव म ः, म ाजी म नम ु ।
मामेवै स यु ैव , आ ानं म रायणः ॥ 9.34॥
अन ा य ो म , ये जनाः पयुपासते ।
तेष न ा भयु ान , योग ेमं वहा ह ॥ 9.22॥

म ः सव ग ण, म सादा िर स ।
अथ चे मह ारा , न ो स वन स ।। 18.58॥
सवधम पिर , मामेकं शरणं ज ।
अहं ा सवपापे ः, मो य ा म मा चः ॥18.66॥
Don’t depend on the world, depend on the God.
By leading a life of karma yoga depending upon the Lord, ई रापण भाव or
ई र साद भाव, by this practice you develop all the virtues. Therefore अ ाव tells
initially follow karma yoga, then may you acquire all the virtues. A few are
enumerated.
पीयूषव ... milk or nectar
Dependence on the world is वष , give up that poison, may you acquire पीयूष
nectar of virtues.
मा-. Forbearance or mental strength to withstand opposite experiences..
मा ा श ु कौ ेय, शीतो सुख ःखदाः ।
आगमापा यनोऽ न ाः, त त भारत ॥ 2.14॥
Learn to withstand opposite experiences.
आजव -..integrity; of all the different layers of my personality, ensuring they are
functioning in harmony... आजव means ऋजु भाव...
It is said thus :
मन ेकं वच ेकं कम ण एकं महा ाना
मन स अ वच स अ कम ण अ रा ना

What I speak, what I think and what I do is aligned then I’m a mahātmā, non-
alignment or disharmony within myself is anārjavam.
दया : Daya means compassion. A sensitivity of mind by which I can sense the
emotions of others, daya is sympathy or mental sensitivity.

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Next is
तोषः : स ोषः or contentment with regard to material accomplishment. Avoidance
of getting into greed trap, if I’m not contended with material accomplishment,
whole life will be dedicated for getting more and more and more, I will always
postpone spirituality. Learn to draw line, don’t allow others to draw line. World
measures you by material accomplishments, draw a line and for your real self-
esteem learn to depend on spirituality.
स : Satyam..truthfulness, sub-division of ārjavam. Ārjavam is total personality.
Satyam is alignment of thought and word. Satyam is included in ārjavam. Satyam
is mentioned separately as it is a very very important value. Spiritual success
requires truthfulness. Here it is truthfulness of speech. Satyam is used in two
different contexts, philosophical and ethical. Brahman means satyam.,.pure
existence, in philosophical context. In the context of values, in ethical context, it
does not mean pure existence, it’s a discipline of life. Yoiu need not tell all the
truth since many truth disturb the people. When truth becomes himsa, don’t tell
the truth. You need not tell untruth.. not telling lies is satyam. This represents
all 20 virtues of the gita chapter 3 ान .
एत ान म त ो , अ ानं यदतोऽ था ॥13.12॥
In 16th chapter 26 were enumerated, daivi sampat
Daivi sampat.. thus अ ाव says develop all these virtues, a life in which I depend
on ई र rather than the world. This is karma yoga. After a length of time, I have
to decide to switch over to veda anta bhaga, from God dependence to self
dependence. I have to tell myself that hereafter I’m going to depend on myself.
I’m not going to depend on any external factor. This jñāna yoga entrv is mentioned
in first line..
हे तात! oh dear one. In Sanskrit तात means father, here it means dear son, appane.
In tamil it is grandfather. मु इ तचे , if you are interested in liberation, may
you decide to give up all external objects of dependence, called वषयः . Object in
sanskrit is referred to be two different words, one is पदाथः and वषयः. When there
is an external object and I don’t emotionally depend on that and that object
cannot disturb me with presence or absence, we call it padārthaha. If it becomes
capable of disturbing me because of emotional connection, it has become वषयः.
I’m concerned about its security, its future, I’m emotionally involved, when this

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clip is in the market I don’t care, moment I buy the clip, this is sentimental, if I
use this clip, my class comes out well. We develop a sentimental value, that
becomes a वषयः. अ ाव says you have to drop this habit. Jṇāna begins when you
decide to do it.
वषया ज
give up all these objects for emotional dependence. You should not depend for
emotional support.
Naturally this person will ask, as a karma yogi he has been depending on God,
hey अ ाव you are asking me to drop emotional dependence on anātma what
about God? अ ाव asks what is God? Is God you or someone other than you?
This karma yoga all the time has been looking at God as someone other than
himself therefore for a karma yogi God comes under anātma. अ ाव says any
anātmā you should not depend including God as long as you look upon God as
anātma. You should go from God dependence to self-dependence. Therefore in
अ ाव ’s vision both are वष , world and God dependence. Jnāna yoga starts with
major decision, I’m going to depend on myself only, this is a tough decision. If
we want to make this decision, you can surrender to the lord and ask for strength
to depend on ātmā. Guide me to take this decision. अ ाव says you should not
depend on anātma which includes world and God and one fortunate thing is you
need not depend on anātma. Anātma need not be depended upon, you can depend
on yourself. You delve upon the upaniṣad scriptures which says I’m dependable,
more I read about my nature I get the confidence I’m dependable. During my day
to day life whenever support is required I will not look at anātma for support but
myself for support, this is jṇāna. When are you going to enter jnāna yoga? Moment
you decide that I’m willing to help you.
Verse 3
न पृ ी न जलं ना न वायु न वा भवा ।
एष सा णमा ानं च ूपं व मु ये ॥ १ -३॥
अ ाव says when you look outwards for external support, it is based on I’m the
weak one requiring support from outside. अ ाव says change the thought patern,
start saying I don’t require any support, but I’m the support of this whole universe.
You should have this thought pattern throughout the day. Otherwise mirningi will
learn I’m the support and in the after noon I say God help me, I cancel whatever

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I decide. My thought life is unvedantic. Nididhyasanam is rearranging the thought,
hereafter I will not ask for support from outside, practise this thought pattern.
भवा न पृ ी, you are not the पा भौ तकशर र , you are not the 5 elements. All
5– you are none of them, एष सा ण ..I’m the support if all if them, I give
support to everything, why am I seeking support from outside.. moment mind
becomes weak and looks at world for support, immediately I must say I’m am
jṇāna yogi and don’t require support from outside. 3 aspects: confidence courage
and cheerfulness are required for facing any situation, this is what mind needs to
confront prārabhdha. I will insource. I will draw all these from myself. I can
confront my prārabhdha...the moment I startthis I will be a jnānayogi. Am I karma
yogi or jñānayogi I’m not clear. Any amount of vedantic study will not make you
a jṇāni, as long as you look outwards for support
एष सा ण ..... च प
ू ं, is of the nature of चैत . The day you start this, you
have started workइng for liberation. If you want liberation you have to come to
ान योग, I have to change my thought pattern to I’m the support for myself.
Verse 4
य द देहं पृ थ कृ चत व ा त स ।
अधु नैव सु खी शा ो ब मु ो भ व स ॥ १ -४॥

अ ाव says you can start in this direction and you can find that this works. Start
depending, it works.
In दहर व ा of chandogya upanisad, in your own दहराकाश there is an ātma, it says
that ātmā is the source of everything, if a person meditates as I’m the source of
everything. I get sankalpa shakti to withdraw whatever I want from within,
Chapter 8.2.1,2, 10
स य द पतृलोककामो भव त स ादेवा पतरः समु तेन पतृलोकेन स ो मह यते
॥ १ ॥..
अथ य द मातृलोककामो भव त स ादेवा मातरः समु तेन मातृलोकेन स ो
मह यते ॥ २ ॥.
by mere sankalpa he can draw whatever he wants from daharakasa. यं यम म भकामो
भव त यं कामं कामयते सोऽ स ादेव समु त तेन स ो मह यते ॥ १० ॥

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Any emotional strength or support he can draw from inside. य द देहं पृथ .. suppose
you learn to separate yourself from the thought I’m the body, च त व ा त स,
you abide with the thought अयं च प
ू ः अ । Abide rest in your true nature...in
the form of another thought, separating from body means dropping anātma means
entertaining the thought that I’m ātma the source of everything, if mind needs
courage it can draw that from ātma, a few emotional needs after all why can’t the
ātma give.
सुखी भ व स, you will find relaxation instantaneously.. freedom from anxiety
stress worry fear, अधुनैव ,right away, only source of sukham is ātma..
यो वै भूमा त ुखं ना े सुखम भूमव
ै सुखं भूमा ेव व ज ा सत इ त भूमानं भगवो
व ज ास इ त ॥ १ ॥ chan-upa 7.23.1
ātma alone is source if sukham.. if the world is not a source if sukham, how
come I find happiness from several things in the world? Ans .. when I see ānanda
in any object, ānanda does not belong to the object but its my ānanda reflected
in the object. when I look at mirror I experience frame of mirror, glass and also
a beautiful face also.. frame belongs to mirror, glass belongs to mirror, face does
not belong to the mirror. With my understanding I say two belongs to mirror, one
to me.
Whenever I experience joy, at the time of enjoyment, you tell yourself objects
belong to the world but enjoyment belongs to me. Moment you remember that
you are not concerned about losing this object, joy will not go, security will not
go, I’m the source of joy, there is no fear of losing anything in the creation.

अधुनव
ै सुखी शा ो peaceful, ब मु ो भ व स you wont be attached to the mirror,
no object I depend upon...this freedom from the fear of loss is mokṣā, that is
called jṇāna, practise this in your day to day life...
Class 3 on 3rd November 2020

Verse 4 page 5

य द देहं पृ थ कृ चत व ा त स ।
अधु नैव सु खी शा ो ब मु ो भ व स ॥ १ -४॥

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The journey has to be from world dependence to God dependence to self-
dependence. Transition from each stages is a big leap. Final leap being toughest.in
the first two stages unknowingly I’ve weakened myself. I have supported the
thought that I need external support. I need support from external factor. I either
have to depend on outside world or outside God. If I have to depend on myself, I
have to break the thought that I’m a weakling. This transition is a tough stage
and Bhagawan is aware of this fact. That’s why he has given the vedantic scriptures
to change myself. I have to learn to look at myself as the strongest sākṣī instead
of ahankara..

म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।

म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥

mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ, mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam,

mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti, tad brahmādvayaṃ asmyaham॥ 19॥

Everything is born in Me alone, everything is based on Me alone; everything

resolves into Me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.

I’m the supporter of the world, how can I seek support from outside. When I use
Vedanta to develop faith in myself, faith in reliability that vedantic study is called
jñāna yoga. Every day of study must increase my faith in the study. I’m the
ultimate support of the universe, I don’t require support from outside. Let the day
bring any experience, I have the confidence and courage to confront it, this is
how the day begins for a jñāna yogi. It does not mean he rejects God, he prays
let my jñāna yoga be successful. I’m studying Vedanta which is your own scriptures,
let me use the scriptures to develop dependence on myself. Help me attain Mokṣā.
Self-dependence is independence. Gpd dependence is samsara. Oh Lord, help me
discover strength in myself. Aṣṭāvakra the great Rishi is addressing all the jñāna
yogis, enough of seeking support from outside. May you become a Swami.
Throughout AG he will say you are great, depend on yourself. You don’t require
any support. World cannot support u as anātma is mithya.

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M: learn to abide in your nature, the satcidānanda ātmā….anātmā is subject to
change. Right from now learn to tell yourself I depend on myself.

अधुनव
ै सुखी भव , शा ः भव ब मु ः भव

In vivekachūdamani we saw

मो कारणसाम भ रे व गर यसी ।

पानुस ानं भ िर भधीयते ॥ ३१॥

We assume that Śankara is going to ask us to surrender to some ishta devata, but
he says bhakti is dwelling upon your own nature and discovering the fact, I have
to depend on myself. Ātmāsharanāgati is ultimate sharanāgati.. ब मु ो भ व स

न ं व ा दको वण ना मी ना गोचरः ।
अस ोऽ स नराकारो व सा ी सु खी भव ॥ १ -५॥

May you claim this fact about yourself and may you decondition yourself, may you
break the thought pattern about yourself. न ं व ा दको वणः अ स all these
designations are incidental, varna aśrama, in next janma you may not have any of
these...may you get out of that thought, na varna, na aśrama ना मी, dont take it
as your nature..न अ गोचरः , you are not one of the objects of creation perceptible
to sense organ, अस ोऽ स नराकारो व सा ी, you are the sākṣī witness of all,
including your body. you are without form or relationships...drop the idea that I
belong to so and so or so and so belongs to me. when I depend on moral support,
I’m indirectly declaring that I have no relations and dont need them for support.
you dont have to publicise, for functional purposes let there be all these relations.
you dont need any such support, you are the form less chaitanyam, sukhī bhava..
सुखी भव. original ānandā is in you. you dont need ānandā from outside.

धम धम सु खं ःखं मानसा न न ते वभो ।

न कत स न भो ा स मु एवा स सव दा ॥ १ -६॥

here Aṣṭāvakra tries to break another powerful misconceptions. I try to get sukham
and dukham in life because of my puṇyaṃ and pāpam. sukham and dukham are

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coming from the external world. to get sukham i need to manipulate the punya
papam. the strong notion that my life is dependent on external factors
in reality, duḥkham is born out of self-misconception. One and the same substance
is sukha Karanam and dukkha Karanam, I myself am the cause of happiness as
well as unhappiness. Understood I is sukham Karanam, misunderstood I is cause
of sorrow. I blame the world as sukha and dukkha Karanam. धम धम सुखं ःखं …
pleasure and pain as their products of धम धम ,all these are your misconceptions.
It is your misconception. Truth is na puṇyaṃ na pāpam…na mantro na tīrtha…
cidānandā rūpaha… world can give neither joy nor sorrow.
Therefore aṣṭāvakra says for you neither of them is there, no pleasure or pain.
Your neither a karta nor bhokta. You will have the karma phalam then. The whole
thing is a drama happening in you the अ ध ान , you are ever free from the
events that happen in the creation. Don’t look for mokṣā as a future event in your
life. Day you correct you are muktaha.
एको ा स सव मु ायोऽ स सव दा ।
अयमेव ह ते ब ो ारं प सीतर ॥ १-७॥
ं एको ा स सव You are the non dual witness of everything. Directly you
experience your mind, through the mind you experience the world. Mind is also
your object, world also is your object. Only thing is mind is not only an object
but serves as an instrument also exactly like spectacles. I’m the experiencer of my
mind and all the emotions…therefore I’m neither the mind nor the world.. mind
is very close to me..who am I, न मनः न इ या ण ..early morning may you remind
this fact…in उपदेशसाह ी Śankaracārya beautifully says, mind is an object and an
instrument through which you see the world in jagrat. In dream state, mind is not
functioning as an instrument, but you experience the mind. Mind is an object of
perception. The dream world is just my own thoughts. Dream experience proves
that mind is an object. The thief elephant in dream are just thoughts. I’m not the
mind either way. you are the seer of the mind, don’t be over identified with the
mind. As the seer of the mind, sākṣī of the mind you are free from all the
emotions. When my spectacles have dust, the objects get coloured. Similarly if
mind is full of sorrow I say world is full of sorrow. Aṣṭāvakra says when you
detach yourself from the world you are free from all these… factually or in
reality….you are ever free

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Bondage is only this particular notion, this is the only bondage. Thought pattern
ारं इतर …you see the ātmā as something other than you….even after study of
Vedanta, you keep on saying ātmā is nitya muktaha, not I’m nitya mukta…people
use Vedanta for admiration when situations come they want to run to God for
life. Aṣṭāvakra says you continue to be a Karma yogi. I should learn to run to
myself. In the ever dependable sākṣī. I depend upon myself, I’m dependable because
I’m the sākṣī. Aṣṭāvakra says get out of all these steps of depending on astrology
external factors etc, planets in fact depend on my for their very existence. As long
as Iswara is outside, Iswara depends on me. This is Vedanta, its not a joke, not
for admiration but application. Learn to claim I’m the sākṣī …

अहं कत हंमानमहाकृ ा हदं शतः ।

नाहं कत त व ासामृ तं पी ा सु खी भव ॥ १ -८॥

You are all bitten by a very poisonous snake, you therefore continue to be sick
and depend on ext factors. Poison is aham karta iti abhimānaha. Ahihi means
sarpaha, Krishna ahi means Krishna sarpaha or black cobra.. ahankara abhimana.
Then I want people to belong to me and I want to belong to a few… I always
seek support in relation… Vedanta says dependence is poison. As long as you
promote these, you are a karma yogi. Na aham karta, may you neutralise this by
saying I’m not the karta jīva, I’m asanga ātmā depending on myself.
Narada asks, what does ātmā depend upon?
In chan upa, sve mahimne pratishta…
य ना त ना ृ णो त ना जाना त स भूमाथ य ा ृ णो जाना त
तद ं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यद ं त ꣳ स भगवः क त त इत े मह य द वा
न म ह ी त ॥ 7.24.1 ॥

Class 4 on 4th November 2020

अहं कत हंमानमहाकृ ा हदं शतः ।

नाहं कत त व ासामृ तं पी ा सु खी भव ॥ १ -८॥

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jñāna yogis way of life is depending on oneself to face the challenges posed by
prārabdha.I must have tremendous confidence. I do this by invoking my real nature
by dwelling on my real nature. This is called nididhyāsanam. Karmis days begins
with personal thoughts (anātma thoughts). Karma yogis days begins with Iswara
smaraṇam. When the day begins with ātmāsmaraṇam, I’m a jñāna yogi, that’s why
acharya wrote two sets of shloka. Pratah smaraṇam for karma yoga and jñana
yoga, two types. karma yoga’s pratah smaraṇam is thinking about Parameswara.
Pratasmaranamami Lalita vadanaravindam..
Same Acharya prescribes another set for jñana yoga, prasmaranami hṛudi
samsphurat…
This is nididhyāsanam. Aṣṭāvakra is helping ātmāsmaraṇam
for JYs. The work is meant for jñana yoga. A person who wants to invoke the
higher nature. Don’t start the day with ahankarta. Don’t start the day with karteu
smaranam or ahankara smaraṇam, its Kṛushna sarpa visham. May you build up
your confidence by invoking your highr nature. Ahankara must be seen as fleeting
bubble in infinite ātmā.
नाहं कत त व ासामृतं पी ा सुखी भव
Don’t start the day with pessimism, but with self-confidence by invoking the higher
nature.. Every moment any case is unfolding of the adṛushta prārabdham. May you
be cheerful all the time. Let cheerfulness preside all through the day. Mornings
are to be dedicated to nididhyāsanam.
एको व बोधोऽह म त न यव ना ।
ा ा ानगहनं वीतशोकः सु खी भव ॥ १ -९॥
Whatever you have heard during sravanam, they all have to be invoked in the
morning. I’m neither viswa taijasa nor prajñā, I’m the vishudha bodhaha from
whose standpoint Swapna prapanca and jagrat prapancha are both unreal (from
turīyam standpoint). This life can become miserable if I forget turīyam status.
एको व बोधोऽह म त, iti nischayam. Vahni means fire. In the fire of
nididhyāsanam, burn down the individuality. As bhatṛuhari says in vairagya
satakam,

णं बालो भू ा णम प युवा कामर सकः

णं व ैह नः णम प च स ूण वभवः ।

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जराजीणर ै नट इव वल म ततनुः
नरः संसारा े वश त यमधानीयव नका ॥ ५०॥

For a moment like a child, for another moment a lascivious youth; one
moment a pauper, another a wealthy person; at the end of life, the body
worn out by age and covered with wrinkles, man enters the abode of Death
like an actor exiting the stage.
few seconds I was child, then youth, for some days I did not have money, then I
had lot of money, before I could recognise this phenomena I have grown old,
within few days I have to enter the green room of Yama dharma Raja, see the
fleeting nature of the temporary roles played by you..
The deep ignorance in the form of I’m son, daughter etc are temporary roles, I
wake up only with these thoughts. Aṣṭāvakra says stop these thought patterns,
burn down this self-identification.

Na mat ana pita na guru etc.. it should not occupy more than it deserves. When
I change the thought pattern what will be the change in me? Anxiety worry
despondency will go away, they belong to the roles I play. Start the day cheerfully,
I spread cheerfulness to other family members…that’s why Lord Krishna gave the
entire teaching of jñana yoga with his body language. He did not cry like Arjuna,
with a simle in his face he started addressing Arjuna, therefore, Aṣṭāvakra says…

य व मदं भा त क तं र ु सपव ।
आन परमान ः स बोध ं सु खं चर ॥ १-१०॥

Vision changes radically, looking at dreamworld as dreamer and as waker. The

vision changes so much. The dream world appears very big…..this is the planets
movements… entire dream world with time and space exist in me. Instead of
saying I’m in the world I say the world was in Me. The whole dream world was a
bunch of thoughts in my mind. In the same way, the entire jagrat prapancha is
in me the turīyam. Swapna prapanca is mano vṛutti, jagrat prapancha is maya
vṛutti. Maya vṛutti also cannot touch me. इदं व ं क तं भा त. Why can’t you
invoke this in the morning? स च सुखं परमहंस तुर य

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र ुसपव , the whole world is kalpitam in me. Bodhaha, आन परमान ः the real
Ānandā not pratibimbānanda. I’m the source of original Ānandā, may you show it
on your face, cheerful.. सुखं चर

मु ा भमानी मु ो ह ब ो ब ा भमा प ।
कंवद ीह स ेयं या म तः सा ग तभवे ॥ १-११॥

A significant important verse, quality of life depends on the quality of thoughts,

you can choose to decide the type of thoughts you want to entertain. Once you
decide, it determines the quality of life. Even if some unfavorable events take
place, they will be overshadowed. Aṣṭāvakra says choose your thoughts by starting
the day with nididhyāsanam. Throughout the day, my life is one of freedom, my
thoughts are also centered around freedom. If you have decided to think negatively,
then intellect will keep supporting. We have to break the habit of negative
thoughts, therefore start the day positively. इह कं वद ? या म तः सा ग तः as
your thought pattern is so will be your quality of life, prārabdha can decide the
events in your life but it cannot determine the thought pattern.
या म तः सा ग तः Quality of life depend on quality of thoughts. Gatihi means
life’s journey, also means destination. If I think I’m akarta antahkale, then after
death is iśvara aikyam.
In chapter 8 of Gita

यं यं वा प र ावं, ज े कले वर ।
तं तमेवै त कौ ेय, सदा त ावभा वतः ॥ 6॥

If I start the day thinking of my family and family members, you are reborn as
man woman only. This truth is satya, valid स +इय this maxim is valid, so start
directing your thoughts… called nididhyāsanam
आ ा सा ी वभुः पूण एको मु द यः ।
अस ो नः ृहः शा ो मा ंसारवा नव ॥ १-१२॥

Aṣṭāvakra has given us a project, direct your thoughts in the early morning. I will
give you a list. 1) aham ātmā. ूलसू कारणशर रा तिर ः प कोशातीतः स

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अव ा यसा ी स दान पः स य त स आ ा
2) I’m the consciousness sākṣī the witness of the events, I’m not a partaker,
witness of the serials jagratavastha, swapnavastha. Where am I located 3) I’m
vibhuhu. All pervading principle in which jagrat and Swapna avastha reside

म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।

म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥

mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ, mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam,

mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti, tad brahmādvayaṃ asmyaham॥ 19॥

Everything is born in Me alone, everything is based on Me alone; everything

resolves into Me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.

4) I’m pūrnaha full and complete, I’m complain free… I don’t want to complain
about the complaining people. 5) I’m not one of the creatures in the world, all
are born and gone in ekaha non dual ātmā6) I’m ever free, muktaha.

Later Aṣṭāvakra will say practicing meditation for freedom is also samsara. I’m no
more a sadhaka, aham siddhaha asmi, aham jivanmuktaha asmi. I’m practicing the
meditation to claim my freedon. Aham cit, caitanya swarūpam, akriyaha free form
all actions, asanghaha free from karma phalams, detached, unrelated. All
relationships belong to this dream world.
Viswam pashyati..
All sambandhas do not belong to me
Nispṛuhaha I’m not attached to any particular relationship… start the day claiming
asanghoham, shantaha will come

Class 5 on 6th November 2020

आ ा सा ी वभु ः पू ण एको मु द यः ।
अस ो नः ृ हः शा ो मा ंसारवा नव ॥ १ -१२॥

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The day of a karma yogi begins with iśvara śaranāgati. Day of jñāna yogi starts
with ātmāśaranāgati. First one is called upāsanam, second one is called
nididhyāsanam. Karma yogis Iśvara śaranāgati is based on veda pūrva bhāga
whereas jñāna yogis ātmā sharanagati is based on veda anta bhāga. iśvara
śaranāgati is the stepping stone, ātmā sharanagati is culmination. Both of them
are effective because both are based on teachings given in veda pūrva and vedānta.
Even though both are effective, the wau function is different. He uses the format
of jiva jagat iśvara triangle. Karma Yogi’s dṛuṣṭi is vyāvahārika dṛuṣṭi, looking upon
himself as a helpless jiva who requires external support. This Karma yogi doesn’t
know Vedānta or does not want to have full faith in Vedānta. In the case of jñāna
yogi, he does not have triangular format of jiva-jagat-iśvara but the pair of ātmā
and anātma. In Vedānta whole thing is dṛuk dṛushya, satyam mithya…triad replaced
by diad. Therefore, the jñāna yogi starts with this new perspective in
nididhyāsanam, does not look at himself as jiva requiring support from God, looks
at himself as ātmā caitanyam.

म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।

म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥

mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ, mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam,

mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti, tad brahmādvayaṃ asmyaham॥ 19॥

Everything is born in Me alone, everything is based on Me alone; everything

resolves into Me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.

Day for jñāna yogi begins with this thought pattern and this strengthens the mind.
Therefore during the day, whatever experiences come, they cannot touch me the
ātmā. Aṣṭāvakra rishi is talking about jñāna yogis ātmā śaranāgati. He is advising
the jñāna yogis to start the day with ātmā dhyānam. He need not be worried that
he is moving away from Bhagawan. Bhagawan continues in the form of teaching.
आ ा सा ी वभुः पूण एको मु द यः A jñāna yogi has learnt the meaning of each
of the verse, he doesn’t confine these words to classes but starts the day with the
meaning of these words and as I am vibhuhu, I’m ekaha, asanghaha, nispṛuhaha

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etc. consequence is śantaha. Anxiety regarding future comes down, mind becomes
śantaha. I did not know this fact because of my self ignorance.

कू ट ं बोधम ै तमा ानं पिरभावय ।

आभासोऽहं मं मु ा भावं बा मथा र ॥ १-१३॥
May you reject the wrong notion, चदाभास , I’m a finite individual. I’m a conscious
being, ahankara I is मं मु ा , ant reflection can never give up connection with
RM, once I look upon myself as ahankara, I will be connected with body mind
complex. āntara bhava is ahankara bhava. Once I develop ahankara, I will develop
relationships with people around. Mamakāra or worldly relationships.. चदाभास
mithya. Bāhya refers to other anātmā like family etc. anxiety related to body or
relatives continues as I am in delusion. So early morning may you start with
rejecting all 3. 1) ahankara 2) body mind 3) family abhimāna. You cannot avoid
this… Learn to start the day with this thought (rejecting) कूट ं आ ानं पिरभावय,
may you claim the ātmā free from changes बोध and अ ैत .

देहा भमानपाशेन चरं ब ोऽ स पु क ।

बोधोऽहं ानख ेन त कृ सु खी भव ॥ १ -१४॥
Suppose a person says, I want to hold on to these relationships. Aṣṭāvakra says,
hold on but when samsara strikes, do not complain. Like the monkey and peanuts
story…

न कमणा न जया धनेन, ागेनैके अमृत मान :।

परे ण नाकं न हतं गुहाय , व ाजते य तयो वश ॥।३॥
na karmaṇāna prajayādhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānaśuḥ ।
pareṇa nākaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ vibhrājate yadyatayo viśanti ॥ 3 ॥

It is through renunciation that a few seekers have attained immortality -

not through ritual, not through progeny, (not) through wealth. Sannyasis
attain (the immortal self) which shines beyond the heaven (and) which
resides in the heart.

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then hand comes out smoothly when it lets go and escapes the prārabhdha
thrashing… देहा भमानपाशेन चरं ब ोऽ स you have been bound for so long…multiple
janmas. Oh dear student, how long you want to hold on to these attachments. Let
them be attached to you, you cant do anything. Let them take support from you,
taking support is a problem. Take support from your true nature , nikṛutya means
having totally cut (not physically, just mentally). jñāna khadgena, with the sword
nididhyāsanam. Aham bodhaha बोधोऽहं Chaitanya rūpaha. Asangoham, सुखी भव,
that’s is the only way of managing stress.

नःस ो न योऽ स ं काशो नर नः ।

अयमेव ह ते ब ः समा धमनु त त ॥ १-१५॥

Aṣṭāvakra says you want to retain all the attachments by false abhimāna, but want
mokṣā and happiness to come as an event in future. You are practising varieties
of sadhanas also, Mokṣā is not something to happen in future, but dropping the
abhimāna is the event of mokṣā. Retaining abhimāna and practising meditation
will not work. Mokṣā will never come. After dropping abhimāna if I practise
meditation will mokṣā come? Guru says, dropping abhimāna is mokṣā. Happiness
is instantaneous, exactly monkey dropping the peanuts. If you have abhimāna,
meditation is useless, if you have dropped the abhimāna, you don’t require
meditation. समा धमनु त त your very meditation is based on confusion, you are
free from bondage already, nishkriyaha api, you don’t have to do meditation. You
are akarta, you are self-effulgent consciousness. You are actionless caitanyam.
Aṣṭāvakra gita is a mahāvākyam throughout. Niranjanaha means extremely pure..

या ा मदं व ं य ोतं यथाथ तः ।

बु प ं मा गमः ु च ता ॥ १-१६॥

Here Aṣṭāvakra says when you were a karma yogi you mistook yourself to be a
battered individual. Alāgu, a floating material in the ocean (ref: Naiṣkarmyasiddhi).
As a karma yoga I looked upon myself as a helpless individual, that dīna bhava is
good in karma kanda, coming to karma yoga is changing the attitude myself. Aham

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brahman asmi, I don’t require support. Brahman supports everything. Small to
ALL.

Class 6 on 7th November 2020

या ा मदं व ं य ोतं यथाथ तः ।

बु प ं मा गमः ु च ता ॥ १-१६॥

Every single day begins with nididhyāsanam. It is effectively reminding myself of

the vedantic teaching. Lokesmin dvividha nishThā….whoever starts this day with
nididhyāsanam is a jñāna yogi and a sanyasi. Aṣṭāvakra is presenting this in
different forms. 16th verse says you are the non-participating screen upon which
the universe rises and falls, you are unaffected by all this. Don’t think you are
gone with the body gone. ु च ता मा गमः don’t look at yourself as a person
who is of alpa buddhi (I’m small), may you not resort to. Very thought that you
are the unaffected observer, gives you mental strength, vedantic thought injects
strength to the mind.
Verse 17

नरपे ो न वकारो नभरः शीतलाशयः ।

अगाधबु र ु ो भव च ा वासनः ॥ १ -१७॥

aṣṭāvakra says with these thoughts may you saturate your mind in the early
morning. The more the mind gets soaked in these thoughts, mind will discover
the virtues, nirvikāraha, it will not be affected by the beatings of life (remain
unaffected). Rahu dasai ketu dasai etc. without causing side effect. Make your mind
unshaken नरपे ो भव, may you not depend on any worldly relation for moral
support. For moral support may you depend on yourself. I’m the non-participating
observer, I can’t be touched by any event. emotional crutch, emotional leaning is
called support.. Binary format shift..
नभरः भव don’t miss people, repeatedly say I don’t miss anything in life, let
things appear and disappear, I’m the screen unaffected by anything. Nirbharaha
comes from bhṛu dhatu, bhara -full. Cool like a cucumber. शीतलाशयः infinite
knowledge of ātmā, ātmābuddhihi, I’m endowed with this knowledge. अ ु धः भव

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unshaken. May you saturate the mind with vedāntic thoughts च ा वासनः. Don’t
start the day with those thoughts, in bed you can even do this, snanam is not
required. Nididhyāsanam does not require religious condition… च ा वासनः
साकारमनृतं व नराकारं तु न ल ।
एत ोपदेशेन न पुनभवस वः ॥ १-१८॥
All nāmarūpas are unreal and hollow, whole universe does not deserve over-
importance. Don’t give too much importance to nāmarūpas…साकारमनृत dream is
never understood as dream in dream, wakers universe is also another dream.
Therefore kaṭha upaniṣad says उ त जा त; न ल means existence satyam, may
you remind yourself in the early morning. Tatva upadesa means factual teaching.
By reminding this teaching regularly in the morning, every single day must start
with nididhyāsanam only until death. For a jñāna yogi, it will rise spontaneously
in the morning. Mere completion of vedantic texts will not make you a jñāni. Na
punar bhava sambhavaha.. time itself is rising and falling in me. Where is the Q
of jananam and maranam. This shloka talks of videha mukti.

यथैवादश म े पेऽ ः पिरत ु सः ।

तथैवाऽ शर रे ऽ ः पिरतः परमे रः ॥ १ -१९॥
Where is the formless nirākāra principle? Aṣṭāvakra says it is both within the body
and outside. (antaha means within too) Suppose you are looking into the mirror
and see the reflection of the face, whats the difference between mirror and
reflected face. Reflected face cannot exist without the mirror exactly like we forget
the movie screen when we watch a movie.. Similarly when I’m absorbed in life,
the real one is lost sight of. The existence is everywhere inside and outside the
object too. Isness the mirror in which the objects are reflected.
यथा …तथैव परमे रः पिरतः अ ः च. I’m inside and outside of this body. Instead of
using ātmā, Aṣṭāvakra uses the word parameśvara, for a jñāna yogi iśvara means I
the parameśvara ātmā. Those days they never teach this to gṛuhasthās.

एकं सव गतं ोम ब हर यथा घटे ।

न ं नर रं सवभू तगणे तथा ॥ १ -२०॥

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They taught this to sanyāsīs because, they were given only one duty, which is
Vedanta only. He had no other responsibility. In the case of gṛhastha, its natural
that all the duties will rush to the mind.
कौपीन प क (शंकराचाय )
वेदा वा ष
े ु सदा रम ो भ ा मा ेण च तु म ः ।
वशोकम ःकरणे चर ः कौपीनव ः ख भा व ः ॥ १॥
vedāntavākyeṣu sadāramanto bhikṣānnamātreṇa ca tuṣṭimantaḥ |
viśokamantaḥkaraṇe carantaḥ kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ || 1||
Roaming ever in the grove of Vedanta, Ever pleased with his beggar’s morsel,
Wandering onward, his heart free from sorrow, Blest indeed is the wearer
of the loin-cloth .
He need not think of what dress to wear. Morning family thought when it comes,
say stop, 15 minutes. M: एकं सवगतं ोम there is only one space all-pervading in
side and outside the pot. Therefore, ekam sarvagatam vyoma, which is both within
and outside the pot, there is only one brahman, unbroken, it has a date of
manufacture and expiry. Body is like clay pot!! नर रं सवभूतगणे in all species of
living beings.

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Class 7 on 9th November 2020

Acceptance of jiva bhāva (a real one) goes with acceptance of dāsa bhāvaha. Idea
that I’m a servant. Limited jiva has to be controlled by omniscient Iśvara. Therefore
all other systems claim that in bandha also we are dāsa and in mukti also we are
dāsa only. We ask then where is the question of Mokṣā. Dāsa bhava and mokṣā
bhava are contradictory, they can never go together. They say during bondage you
are a dāsa in bhūlokā, in mokṣā you are a dāsa in kailas or वैकु ा Vaikunṭā.
Being a dāsa in Kailasa is like promotion for a sweeper, promotion in house of
asst manager to sweeper in house of manager. Sweeper is a sweeper any
case…Therefore, you have to move from dāsoham to soham, swami aham. Big leap.
This dāsa bhava will continue as long as jiva bhava continues. The jiva is always
associated with the triangle of jiva-jagat-iswara format. You will have jiva bhava,
dāsa bhava, and will be controlled by an iswara. Jñāna yoga is transcending the
jiva jagat iśvara format to a new vision. World view has to change, you have to
come to ātmā anātma format. As the अ ध ान adhiṣṭāna caitanyam, I’m not
controlled by any one,

म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।

म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥

mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ, mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam,

mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti, tad brahmādvayaṃ asmyaham॥ 19॥

The day I decide to come to this vision my jñāna yoga begins. Study of books is
not jñāna yoga.. changing the format is jñāna yoga beginning. From the day I
decide, my day begins with nididhyāsanam. The 3 aspects of triangular format are
resolved into ātmā anātma, this shift requires courage. All religions continue in
triangular format.. I’m the unaffected support of the universe. I’m not affected by
anything. Aham satyam jaganmithyā. Until you get courage continue to be karma
yogi.

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In first chapter, we saw this new vision, I’m no more a dāsa, I’m a swami we saw.
Aṣṭāvakra asked Janaka if he was willing to claim swami status. Aṣṭāvakra is
waiting for a response. Janaka has to say I’m the ever-free ātmā. This is presented
in the 2nd chapter.

Chapter 2
जनक उवाच ॥
अहो नर नः शा ो बोधोऽहं कृतेः परः ।
एताव महं कालं मोहेनैव वड तः ॥ २-१॥
Immediate response of Janaka is wonderment. He expresses that with Aho…
In Gita,
आ यव त क देन ,
आ यव द त तथैव चा ः ।
आ यव ैनम ः णो त,
ु ा ेनं वेद न चैव क ॥ 2.29॥
अहं बोधः अ I’m not the material world, body, I’m of the nature of consciousness
distinct from matter or body.
Prakrute kriyamanani Chapter 3

5 features of consciousness. I’m tranquil (ever). Disturbances at the body level will
be there, decaying every moment. Body is a dāsa of time space and praarabhdha.
It can never be affected by time or space. I don’t have a jatakam at all, वल णः
अ . śānti of mind also cannot be permanent as mind is subject to fluctuation.
Jñāni does not claim the shanti of mind as his..I’m niranjanaha, free from all
impurities, body mind sense organs have their own problems. Mind is influenced
by prārabdha.I also. I the ātmā am free from all the problems affecting the anātma.
These are Janakas words, अहं वड तः, I was confused because of ignorance (self)
until now.

यथा काशया ेको देहमेनं तथा जग ।

अतो मम जग वमथवा न च क न ॥ २-२॥
I’m the consciousness principle, knower observer of the body. Through the body
medium, I’m the knower of the external universe. Through body, mind, medium,
I’m the knower of the world. It is an instrumental object (mind), world is object.

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I’m the subject. I’m the observer knower of the Universe also. We have to derive
an important corollary. Any object is proved to be existent depending only on the
knower subject. Suppose there is an object that can never be experienced by
anyone at anytime, we say the object is non-existent. Proof of object is the subject
experiencer. The world is existent because of me the observer. Subject has
independent existence, object is mithya. सव जग मम, whole unreal world depends
on observer subject me for its existence. Therefore, Janaka says न च क न is as
good as non-existent. Anything unreal, is as good as non-existent. Like dream
money after waking up..World is unreal as good as non-existent or I say it depends
o me for existence. Everything is in Me, nothing is in Me. ..matsthani sarva…
chapter 9

मया तत मदं सव, जगद मू तना ।

म ा न सवभूता न, न चाहं ते व तः ॥ 9.4॥
न च म ा न भूता न, प मे योगमै र ।
भूतभृ च भूत ः, ममा ा भूतभावनः ॥ 9.5॥

Verse 3

स शर रमहो व ं पिर मयाधुना ।

कुत कौशला एव परमा ा वलो ते ॥ २-३॥
So he says, until now I took myself to be the body, consequence was I felt insecure.
Nobody can protect the body from birth death old age illness. Therefore body
identification means permanent insecurity. I expected security from the world of
possessions and relations. An unstable universe can never give me stable security…
this is called successful preservation of samsara. Janaka says I’ve got out of both
these blunders..no expectations. Seeking security is not jñāna yoga, seeing I don’t
need security is jñāna yoga. I have given up my association with the body and
world.

Class 8 on 10th November 2020

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Verse 3

स शर रमहो व ं पिर मयाधु ना ।

कु त कौशला एव परमा ा वलो ते ॥ २-३॥

First world of plurality is reduced to world of duality, ātmā and anātma. Druk
and dṛśyam. Body is also dṛśyam only. anātma. I can visualise how body emerges
from pañca būtās and merge back into pañca būtās. Thereafter the Upaniṣad
reduces into duality and non duality. Ātmā is Karanam and anātmā is kāryam.
त ा ा एत ादा न आकाशः स ूतः । आकाशा ायुः । वायोर ः । अ ेरापः । अ ः
पृ थवी । पृ थ ा ओषधयः । ओषधी ोऽ । अ ा ु षः । स वा एष पु षोऽ रसमयः ।
ान व 1
Any kāryam is only nāma rūpa no a substance. From anātma you go to kāryam
and then go to mithya. Ātmā Karanam is satyam
When I learn it is not jñāna yoga, when I use it every day it becomes jñāna yoga.
I’m the caitanyam Kāranam satyam, start the day with this. स शर रमहो व ं पिर
I have dropped the world as a support, I don’t need the support since I’m the
ātmā caitanyam, I don’t need the support. I need the support of God is KY
meditation (upāsana dhyānam). I don’t need any support is JY
meditation…nididhyāsanam. Janaka was a King, therefore we know it is possible
for gṛhasthas. I have developed the skill and determination and I claim my superior
nature. कुत कौशला I seek God’s grace to appreciate your teaching, I’m the
ātmā the jagadadhiṣṭānam. New vision I practise, along with daily puja, oh Lord
help me appreciate your teaching. (not for supporting me but help me understand
I don’t need any support)

यथा न तोयतो भ ा र ाः फेनबु ुदाः ।

आ नो न तथा भ ं व मा व नगत ॥ २-४॥

There is a difference between nididhyāsanam and upāsana. For upāsana, time,

śaucam etc must be followed. For nididhyāsanam, this is not required, no śāstric
rules. Even lying down, without brushing teeth it can be practised. In Pañcadaśī ,
Vidyāranya differentiates this. End of day is also nididhyāsanam. Whenever there

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is fear or anxiety too… M: भ ं व मा व नगत World cannot exist independent
of Me. As it rests on Me. Just as waves do not exist independent of water. यथा न
तोयतो भ ा र ाः फेनबु द
ु ाः, froth bubbles etc. Galaxies are like bubbles… I’m the
sarvagatam caitanyam. Just as entire dream world exists in me, the entire world
is in Me. Why should water be afraid of waves.
व ं दपण माननगर तु ं नजा गतं
प ा न मायया ब हिरवो त
ू ं यथा न या ।
यः सा ा ु ते बोधसमये ा ानमेवा यं
त ै ीगु मूतये नम इदं ीद णामूतये ॥ १॥

If I’m anxious of the future, it only means I continue to strongly hold on to the
idea I’m the body. As long as I hold on to this, I cannot get out of anxiety.

त ु मा ो भवे एव पटो य वचािरतः ।

आ त ा मेवेदं त व ं वचािरत ॥ २-५॥
Here Janaka says, only for transaction we start using nāma rūpa, then I hypnotise
myself taking the table chair etc as substantial. This is a delusion we never enquire
into it. In reality table does not weigh even 1 g, weight belongs to the wood. Even
word son daughter etc we human beings invent and the same begin to trap us…
they are just nāmas of one reality. If at all we have to rescue ourselves, I have to
help myself. We hold on to samsara and claim samsara is holding on to us. Shastra
says choice is yours. पट: त ु एव… the cloth is just threads arranged, we just use
the word cloth and an industry flourishes out of it. Similarly, entire world including
body is nothing by ātmā with a changing nāma and rūpa. Unless we dwell on this,
it wont have any impact. Spend time and visualize you and your family coming
and going… a march past of people.. we have to vacate for the next generation to
come and go. No vyadhi is unnatural. Doctors need to write as a reason for death.
therefore, idam viswam tatvat, may you practice ātmā anātma meditation.

यथैवे ु रसे
ृ ा तेन ा व
ै शक रा ।
तथा व ं म य ृ ं मया ा ं नर र ॥ २-६॥

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शकरा is born out of इ ुरसं , the इ ुरसं pervades every dot of शकरा … I the ātmā
am inside and outside. For outside we must add existence as well to consciousness.
I pervade the whole universe as existence. The isness in stars is myself. यथैवे ुरसे

ृ ा तेन ा ैव शकरा; kaarya sharkara is pervaded by इ ुरसं Karanam.

In छ ो .उप ..7.25.2 अथात आ ादेश एवा ैवाध ादा ोपिर ादा ा प ादा ा
पुर ादा ा द णत आ ो रत आ ैवेदꣳ सव म त

In the same way, तथा व ं म य ृ ं, similarly ātmā pervades the entire world,
sweetness represents the Ānandā. I’m the only source of Ānandā.

तै.उ ान व 7
रसो वै सः । रसं ेवायं ल ान ी भव त । को ेवा ा ः ा ा । यदेष आकाश आन ो
न ा । एष ेवान या त ।
,Frame belongs to the mirror, I see my face in the mirror. Frame and glossy surface
belong to mirror, the face does not belong to mirror, it belongs to the original
face that I do not see. People, dances, music belong to the world, none of these
pleasures really belong to the world, they belong to Me, because it is myself you
don’t see it but reflection exactly like reflected face. I don’t have to run after
Ānandā as the original is myself. Maya vyaptam, nirantaram. Entire world gaplessly
I pervade… may you see this fact.

Class 9 on 11th November 2020

यथैवे ु रसे
ृ ा तेन ा व
ै शक रा ।
तथा व ं म य ृ ं मया ा ं नर र ॥ २-६॥

Asamsari format is I’m nitya mukti asangha caitanyam. Are you ready to change
the format? Rest of your life. Understanding is one thing, changing format for
every day use is different. Like learning and using two scales centimetre and
inches. Changing requires inner transformation. Govt may state…
Similarly, a seeker may know binary format etc but he will continue to use
triangular format in daily life. Changed format is ान न ा format.
लोकेऽ वधा न ा, पुरा ो ा मयानघ ।

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 ानयोगेन सा ान , कमयोगेन यो गना ॥ गी 3-3॥

This requires tremendous conviction and faith in teaching. I need to be sure that
I can draw enough strength through binary format.
Here Janaka rises to the occasion and says I have grasped completely, I don’t look
upon myself as a gṛuhasth emperor but ātmā that pervades the entire universe.
व ं मय ृ ं the world is in Me. In non-living beings I manifest as sat the
existence. mayi refers to “in Me’
In द णामू त ो
य ैव ु रणं सदा कमस ाथकं भासते
सा ा मसी त वेदवचसा यो बोधय ा ता ।

आ ाना ग भा त आ ाना भासते ।

र ानाद हभ त त ाना भासते न ह ॥ २ -७॥
Moment I forget my wakerhood in dream, the dream world appears to be outside
me and frightens me. Janaka says आ अ ाना slipping down to ego, the world
becomes do frightening जग स भा त . world is unpredictable uncontrollable
unsustainable. आ ाना न भासते once I wake up, world does not frighten me
(world will not be there…literal meaning). When I wake up to तुर य , world does
not disappear like dream. Here is written so, to be understood as it does not
appear as reality. (if it really disappears, Guru can never be a Guru). In jivanmukta
avastha, he continues to see the world. Its like watching a Tv serial.
र ानाद हभ त If one has changed the format the world is no more causing
samsara, exactly like the appearance of the frightening snake because of the
ignorance of rope and after rope knowledge, it will not frighten. Like I know its
rope snake still le me run! It means he has not understood.

काशो मे नजं पं ना तिर ोऽ हं ततः ।

यदा काशते व ं तदाहं भास एव ह ॥ २ -८॥
My real nature is consciousness. I’m not different from this consciousness. I’m
this consciousness. I’m the spiritual being having a temporary hum experience.
Spirit is not an object that gives an experience and goes away, whereas I’m the
spirit. His shift in vision is ान न ा. I the consciousness am not experienced at a

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particular time, but ever experienced as consciousness. In the pot knowledge also
consciousness is experienced as the knowledge. This object goes, man comes. Still
consciousness is associated with that as knowledge. Without object knowledge is
called consciousness. With object consciousness is experienced as knowledge. For
one hour class consciousness is present with every word.

श श दयो वे ा वै च ा ागरे पृथ ।

ततो वभ ा त ं वदै ा भ ते ॥1-३॥

Pañcadaśi begins with this.

This changeless ever experienced consciousness is myself. Self-experience is all the
time there. That’s why jñāni need not sit in meditation for self-experience, he
experiences all the time. Like we experience light all the time. Aṣṭāvakra says your
mistake is you sit in meditation for self-experience. You practise meditation to
change the format, not for self-experience.

अहो वक तं व म ाना य भासते ।

ं ौ फणी र ौ वािर सू य करे यथा ॥ २ -९॥
Here Janaka appreciates the glory of maya because of which the world appears
real. Like the plastic plants. If simple human beings can create plastic plants, why
can’t maya do this to the world. We can write notes during class… Maya pats
herself when students say that. Janaka is now showing his thumb to maya, I am
not going to be deceived. I’m not going to be seriously disturbed by the events in
life. अहो वक तं व म ाना य a really unreal universe is superimposed on Me
as though solidly real. We start looking at the class as dream and my problems
become real. Janaka says can you flip this. म य भासते, सु ौ फणी र ौ वािर
सूयकरे like rays of sun on dry land appearing as mirage water, rope snake, shell
silver etc.

म ो व नगतं व ं म ेव लयमे त ।
मृ द कु ो जले वी चः कनके कटकं यथा ॥ २ -१०॥

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nididhyāsanam is reliving the vedānta by replacing brahman and ātmā with I.
nididhyāsanam is a process of using first person singular, in aṣṭāvakra gītā, aham
is used right through… shlokas are beautiful, we need to dwell on the meanings…
every shloka is beautiful. Always the word I is used. In all 10 upaniśads, this
appears rarely (aham), where as here every shloka Me is used almost. Turīyam
aham. In Buddhism also they say world is my projection, me is mind here. We
don’t accept that we say it is projection of ātmā I (includes ātmā) world is not
prātibhāsikam, subjective projection. Idealism philosophy is world is projection of
mind, our view is realism, world is projection of I the turiya ātmā. म ः means
drunk also, here म +तः from Me the ātmā, व ं व नगत … not only am I सृ
कारण , but it resolves also into Me. During pralayam world along with mind
resolves into Me the ātmā like pot resolving into clay ocean into water ornaments
into gold, I’m the ātmā.
Class 10 on 12th November 2020

म ो व नगतं व ं म ेव लयमे त ।
मृ द कु ो जले वी चः कनके कटकं यथा ॥ २ -१०॥

Most of the advaitic scriptures generally start with dvaitam only as we the human beings
are with dvaitam only. So we start with analysis of śarīratrayam, pañcakosa, creation, then
slowly to advaitam. Acclimatisation is required just as for the Kailas Mansarovar trip. We
do have a few helicopter services for direct landing at the climax of advaitam. That’s
aṣṭāvakra gītā. Janaka is a student who is able to shift the format, he is prepared for the
teaching. He does not look upon himself as emperor or father husband etc, he looks at
himself as consciousness principle. Entire anātma is nāma rūpa only. This vision not only
Janaka can have, we can also enjoy by shifting to binary format.

म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।
म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥
mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ, mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam,
mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti, tad brahmādvayaṃ asmyaham॥ कै.उप 19॥

Everything is born in Me alone, everything is based on Me alone; everything

resolves into Me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.

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मृ द कु ः इव like the clay pot, no such thing called pot, similarly waves and water
(जले वी चः) All pañca bhūtas are like names and forms of one gold (consciousness).
I’m the only substance in this creation.

अहो अहं नमो म ं वनाशो य ना मे ।

ाद पय ं जग ाशोऽ प त तः ॥ २ -११॥
Janaka is struck by wonderment. (11-14) are verses ātmā namaskāra. We have to understand
these carefully. Only with binary format, these verses are appropriate otherwise it will
appear as arrogance. In the 16th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the Asuras as claiming
themselves as Bhagawan. Dvaitins may feel advaitins are like asuras and need to be killed
like Hiranyakashipu.

असौ मया हतः श ुः, ह न े चापरान प ।

ई रोऽहमहं भोगी, स ोऽहं बलवा ख

ु ी ।। 16-14॥

“This rival has been destroyed by me. I shall destroy the others also. I am the lord;
I am the enjoyer; I am successful, powerful, and happy.”

We need to look at these verses from binary format. These verses are vyāvahārika I to
pāramārthika I namaskāras. When jñāni says I’m great, the I is bhāgatyāga lakṣana turīyam
ātmā.

अहो Wonderment! अहं – I’m the greatest, नमो म ं, namaskāra to me, मे वनाशो
य ना , I don’t have any destruction, I’m the eternally existing adhiṣṭānam in
which sṛṣti sthiti laya is going gone. Even Brahma will perish one day..। continue
to exist, the sakṣi caitanyam. After the destruction of all these, I will not claim I
am existent, but I do exist. Creation comes and goes, I’m permanent. त तः is 6th
case adjective to मे, no destruction to me who remains in all 3 periods of time.

अहो अहं नमो म मेकोऽहं देहवान प ।

च ग ा नाग ा ा व मव तः ॥ २ -१२॥
Janaka is negating spatial limitation, ekaha aham, ा व मव तः, I remain pervading
the whole universe. (not physically mentally etc) but as the sat principle I lend existence
to all. I can’t go, I can’t come. I the cidākāśa rūpaha do not travel, I seem to go and

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come from standpoint of the body. Like I travel in dream, I very much stay on the bed.
Similarly I have vyāvahārika journey.. in Gita Krishna says Ātmā is eternal and all
pervading, aṣṭāvakra says I’m that ātmā. This is nididhyāsanam.

अहो अहं नमो म ं द ो ना ीह म मः ।

असं ृ शर रे ण येन ॥ २-१३॥
I’m not limited by time and space, I’m asangha svarūpaha. I’m not affected by
anything. There is no one as skilled as myself (द ः) I remain with everything, I
sustain everything, I don’t run away from home or country, none of these problems
affect me. असं ृ without developing a relationship with the world (touching)
the universe is sustained व ं धृत . Events of the universe do not affect Me. With
my sat cit svarūpam, I don’t touch the world. The orders of reality are different.
Without touching, I sustain the world (aka adhyāsa sambandham)

अहो अहं नमो म ं य मे ना क न ।

अथवा य मे सव य वा नसगोचर ॥ २-१४॥
My pāramārthika nature is talked about (earlier, supporting nature was discussed)
When I look at the universe, I can have two bhavanās or vision. Janaka says, I can
say the whole universe belongs to Me, I’m Iśvara, or I can claim, nothing belongs
to Me, I’m nirguṇa brahman.
Both are diagonally opposite. Lord Krishna says this in chapter 9

मया तत मदं सव, जगद मू तना ।

म ा न सवभूता न, न चाहं ते व तः ॥ 4॥
mayātatam idaṃ sarvaṃ, jagad avyaktamūrtinā।
matsthāni sarvabhūtāni, na cāhaṃ teṣvavasthitaḥ ॥4॥
All this universe is pervaded by Me, whose form is unmanifest. All beings are in
Me; still, I am not in them.

न च म ा न भूता न, प मे योगमै र ।
भूतभृ च भूत ः, ममा ा भूतभावनः ॥ 5॥
na ca matsthāni bhūtāni, paśya me yogam aiśvaram ।
bhūtabhṛnna ca bhūtasthaḥ, mamātmābhūtabhāvanaḥ ॥5॥

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 In fact, the beings are not in Me. See My divine yoga.I Myself am the creator of
the beings sustainer of the beings; but (am) not in the beings.

Everything is in Me, nothing is in Me. World being mithya, it has to be with satyam all
the time. Mithya prapanca has to borrow existence from me. Therefore everything is in
Me. I can also say what is unreal it does not belong to Me, I can say. What is mithya is
as good as non-existent. अहं नगुण प ोपशम अ ैतं अ . Nothing belongs to me. A
jñāni can claim both and enjoy both…

Class 11 on 13th November 2020

अहो अहं नमो म ं य मे ना क न ।

अथवा य मे सव य वा नसगोचर ॥ २-१४॥

Inspired by Aṣṭāvakra teaching in the first chapter, Janaka claims his higher nature.
य भू तम ं, ीम जतमेव वा ।
त देवावग , ं मम तेज ऽशस व ॥ 11.41॥
All the glories of the individual belongs to virāṭ, hiraṇyagarbha or īśvara depending
on the śarīram. The glory belongs to samaṣṭi śarīram. If I claim glory from śarīra
angle, I’m an asura only. Lord Krishna criticises this in chapter 16. Here Janaka
claims from ātmā dṛṣṭi. This is upaniṣad wisdom. ṛṣi says

शी ाव
अहं वृ रे िरवा । क तः पृ ं गरे िरव । ऊ प व ो वा जनीव मृतम । वणं सवचस
। सुमेधा अमृतो तः । इ त श ोवदानुवचन ॥ १ ॥
Trisanku claimed this.
भृगुव
अहम महम महम । अहम ादो३ऽहम ादो३ऽहम ादः । अहं ोककृदहं ोककृदहं ोककृ ।
अहम थमजा ऋता३ । पूव देवे ोऽमृत ना३भा य । यो मा ददा त स इदेव मा३वाः ।
अहम म मद मा३ । अहं व ं भुवनम भवा३ । सुवन ोतीः । य एवं वेद । इ ुप नष
॥ ६ ॥
when I say I’m great from body angle gives me mānitvam. 11 to 14 have to be
carefully understood, jñāni is claiming the glory of ātmā. It deserves all namaskāras.
mahyam namaḥ. I hav two fold glory from pāramārthika dṛṣṭi I’m nirguṇam
niṣprapañcam brahman .

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In advaita makaranda upaśānta jīva jagat śiṣya ācārya
I’m neither jīva nor iśvara, I’m the adhiṣṭāna brahman.
If I look at myself from empirical worldly angle, with satva pradhāna prakṛti I the
turīyam put on the veṣam of iśvara with satva pradhāna māyā maya, veṣam of jīva
with rajo guṇa pradhāna māyā, with tamo guṇa pradhāna māyā the world veṣa. As
jiva in puja im doing it as iśvara im receiving it. Just as in dream I’m giver and
receiver. Mokṣā is either claiming all 3 or rejecting all 3. sarvaṃ me yasya belong
to Me, veṣam put on me. yad vāṅmanasagocaram entire perceptible world belongs
to Me.
In camakam, it starts with asking for daily food, mud, water, stone,
children!!….because it’s a prayer of wanting, they say sanyasis should not chant
this. Pujya Swamiji says you Sanyasi can chant. In Sanskrit caturthī vibhakti For
me, in 6th case, they are all in Me, they belong to Me. All children belong to Me.

ानं ेयं तथा ाता तयं ना वा व ।

अ ाना भा त य ेदं सोऽहम नर नः ॥ २-१५॥

If everything belongs to Me, I cannot say nothing belongs to Me. From absolute
angle nothing belongs to Me. From vyāvahārika angle, the world rests on Me only,
so I claim they are in Me, I’m their adhiṣṭānam.
jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ tathājñātā
Entire creation consisting of tripuṭī, nāsti vāstavam in real is not there…World is
maha real from mind’s standpoint. If the questioner says he is speaking from
turīyam angle, world is unreal. If a vishshtadvaitin asks tell world is real. These
verses are highly misleading if we don’t understand the standpoint. Here it is
turīyam’s standpoint. because of sheer disclaiming the binary format, samsara
comes alive. world will have both sukham and duḥkham, in vyāvahārika, you will
have both. learn to welcome both or reject jiva and reject both and watch the
drama of sukham and duḥkham. so:'hamasmi nirañjanaḥ I’m not
impacted/contaminated by the happenings of the world

ैतमू लमहो ःखं ना ाऽ भेषज ।

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 मेत मृ षा सव मेकोऽहं च सोमलः ॥ २ -१६॥
Duhkham will continue as long as there is dvaitam. Even religion can only help
to some extent because triangular format is maintained. Devotees pray to the Lord
in puranas therefore we have a misconception that all problems can be solved
through prayers… ैतमूल अह As long as I’m in dvaitam, अहो ःखं sorrow will
be there (if not now, it will come later) अ ा: भेषज अ न अ , there is no
other medicine other than ātmā bhava. In old age, praarabhdha becomes more
and more active. Anything perceived एत मृषा सव is of a lower order of
reality, our body mind and the world. (entire world including body mind complex
is mithya). एकः अह च सोमलः I’m the non-dual one which of the nature of
चैत and मलः कम र हत ः .

बोधमा ोऽहम ाना उपा धः क तो मया ।

एवं वमृ शतो न ं न वक े तमम ॥ २-१७॥

अह बोधमा ः अ , I’m pure consciousness endowed with māyaśakti. Using this

I have created this cosmic drama. अ ाना because of ignorance I’ve forgotten
the truth, whole world including the body are all only for entertainment. उपा धः
क तो मया. When I regularly remind myself that I’ve created this drama. इ त
वमृशत: मम whenever problems overcome Me. न वक े त: then I’m in sahaja
samadhi all the time. Nirvikalpaka samadhi we don’t value because in the state
the divisions are dormant that’s they come up again. We only value nirvikalpaka
ātmā dwelling sahaja samadhi all the time. न न वक क न ा. I’m not interested
in temporary coming going समा ध
न मे ब ोऽ मो ो वा ा ः शा ो नरा या ।
अहो म य तं व ं व ु तो न म य त ॥ २-१८॥

First I looked upon myself as a ब जीवः and mokṣā was very important for Me,
once I got मो ः and bandha was falsified, I relished it. After I discovered मो as
my real nature, even that I don’t bother. ा ः शा ा all delusions are gone.
Class 12 on 15th November 2020

न मे ब ोऽ मो ो वा ा ः शा ो नरा या ।
अहो म य तं व ं व ु तो न म य त ॥ २-१८॥

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Change of perspective alone is called … In jñāna yoga I’m not improving the jiva
with help of Iśvara but replacing the format itself and move to binary format. Only
ātmā anātmāformat. Entire material universe is nāmarūpa superimposed on myself,
therefore they can never affect Me. In 50 years of our life, we cannot remove
pāpams. Only way of liberation is by changing the format. My ा ः शा : delusion
is now gone as it does not have a basis of its own, ajñānaṃ is the reason. अहो
मय तं व ं व ुतो न म य त .

सशर र मदं व ं न क दत न त ।
च ा आ ा च त क नाधु ना ॥ २-१९॥
World can affect Me from the standpoint of me, vedānta will not apply here only
vedapurva bhaga, dharma adharma etc. whole universe does not have an existence
of its own, iti न त . च ा आ ा च, I’m the caitanya svarūpam..I cannot
talk of any duties from this standpoint. त क नाधुना where are the projects?
Everything is nāmarūpa….like dream duties end the moment I wake up.. Janaka
says, I’m not even a King, I’ve nothing to do..

शर रं गनरकौ ब मो ौ भयं तथा ।

क नामा मेवैत कं मे काय चदा नः ॥ २ -२०॥
How does whole drama start? Moment I identify with body, the nāmarūpa śarīra
becomes real. Then we have to think of swarga where the body will be comfortable,
in naraka it will be uncomfortable. We think going to swarga will solve the problem.
Body is wonderful as long as it is young, but in old age it will trouble. All these
stories are śarīram drushtya.
शर रं body गनरकौ heaven and hell ब मो ौ bondage and liberation भयं fear
तथा affect. Powerful karma influences, therefore fear can never be avoided from
body standpoint, only solution is एत क ना मा , only solution is change format
to address insecurity. Struggles are whipped up by insecurity for me who is the
caitanya ātmā… I’m ever secure

अहो जनसमू हेऽ प न ै तं प तो मम ।

अर मव संवृ ं र तं करवा ह ॥ २-२१॥

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Changing format will not remove dvaitam experience. Experience is contrary to my
knowledge, but it does not disturb my knowledge of the fact. An advaitin will
continue to have dvaitam anubhavam. नेहनाना क न . Even when I’m with people,
even though I experience dvaitam through sense organs, paśyata: absolute genitive
ष ी, ततः ष ी even when I perceive duality, my wisdom is न अ , अर मव संवृ ं
even though I’m with people, I enjoy the forest like solitude. र तं करवा ह ,
in search of which sense object should I go? I stay at home. आ ेव संतु ः

नाहं देहो न मे देहो जीवो नाहमहं ह च ।

अयमेव ह मे ब आसी ा जी वते ृहा ॥ २-२२॥
Normally we speak of jivanmukta and videhamukti, ātmā(ever liberated) and anātmā
angle. Some people have a doubt, will God send a letter that my sūkṣma śarīram
merge with Bhagawan? After my death… should I not work for Videha mukti for
sūkṣma śarīra. Janaka says you have not heard vedānta correctly, you are saying
my sūkṣma śarīra, now that is due to ahankara first and now mamakāra my sūkṣma
śarīra and its liberation. Ātmā does not have any relationship with any śarīra.
Therefore, why are you bothered about a particular sūkṣma śarīram taking a
rebirth? They are all phenomena happening in mithya prapañca. I don’t have
connection with any of these. When your obsession with jivanmukta and
videhamukti go away, you are nitya muktaha. These are only for attracting students
to vedānta. नाहं देह: न मे देहः no connection with a particular sūkṣma śarīra, I’m
not an individual associated with any śarīra. I’m ह च . All bondages are due to
obsession with the life journey of a particular sūkṣma śarīram. What karmas will
my children do? The preoccupation with the sūkṣma śarīram is there even with
senior students. He says mithya sūkṣma śarīram. Why are you over obsessed with
this? Janaka says this has gone for me, I’m totally relaxed.

Class 13 on 16th November 2020

नाहं देहो न मे देहो जीवो नाहमहं ह च ।

अयमेव ह मे ब आसी ा जी वते ृहा ॥ २-२२॥

Whenever there is crisis, we press the panic button Iśvara. When a person decides
to change the format, first difficulty is it is against the natural thinking. To start

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and end the day with nirvana ṣaṭkam, pratahsmaranam etc. when there is an
emergency we look for the emergency button. In binary format this button is
missing. Discomfort is very intense that I’ve to find the support within myself. It
is during these times that a person begins to wonder if he should continue in
binary format or switch back to triangular format. Aṣṭāvakra is addressing the
serious people. Self-invocation has to be practiced repeatedly, it requires long
nididhyāsanam. During crisis, I must remember the teaching and all these roles
are drama.
Being obsessed with your relative journey and roles is bandha..roles becoming real
is bondage

अहो भु वनक ोलै व च ै समु त ।

म न महा ोधौ च वाते समु ते ॥ २-२३॥
In these verses, Aṣṭāvakra points out that converting unreal roles into real is the
job of the mind. The whole world is nāmarūpa prapañca. च वाते समु ते When
the ignorance wind of the mind, (wind is responsible for raise of wave nāmarūpa
in the ocean), that’s why wind is used. भुवनक ोलै व च ै: varieties of beings in the
creation, plurality , समु त waves called world is born. I lend reality because
of my mind, I’m in reality the ocean like consciousness. The rise and fall of wavs
make no difference to me. In Me, महा ोधौ the limitless ocean, I don’t require an
external source. When I’m adhiṣṭāna ātmā, I don’t require external support.
म न महा ोधौ च वाते शा त ।
अभा ा ीवव णजो जग ोतो वन रः ॥ २ -२४॥
In the previous verse, he says, I’m the sṛṣṭi kāraṇam, now he says I’m the sthiti
Karanam. Janaka says so… च वाते शा त स त when the wind of the mind is
subdued, the boat (पोतः) of the world is absent the moment I wake up from the
dream, boat belongs to जीवव णजः , Iśvara is also only from jivas standpoint. All
three are resolved unfortunately for the trader jiva.
म न महा ोधावा य जीववीचयः ।
उ खेल वश भावतः ॥ २ -२५॥
Janaka concludes, not only am I sṛṣṭi sthiti kāraṇam, the whole world rests in
Me. Every jiva is none other than wave. The waves are all born from Me. The
cycle doesn’t end.

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Aim is to understand the maya wind causes the waves, I’m not affected by maya
wind. My own body has come and will resolve later. My aim is not to stop maya
but remain aloof…in Me, the vast and infinite screen, जीववीचयः उ
(collide, hit) खेल (play friendly) वश (death), आ य jiva waves encounter
and interact, every interaction creates kāma krodha etc. भावतः because of the
nature of maya.. maya brahman creation are all eternal…

Chapter 3
Aṣṭāvakra is going to test Janaka if he has received the teaching.
अ ाव उवाच ॥
अ वना शनमा ानमेकं व ाय त तः ।
तवा ान धीर कथमथ जने र तः ॥ ३ -१॥
So through this dialogue an important message is conveyed. Real jñāna yoga is
changing format from jiva jagat format to ātmā anātmā format. Internal
sanyāsa….right through the day I draw strength from real I. this is real sanyāsa.
That is going to be taught. A sanyasi continues to be a karma yogi only as long
as he continues in this format. On the other hand even a gṛhastha can become a
jñāna yogi with the transformation of format. Janaka clarifies that as a King I do
everything but I see them as roles.. nāmarūpa only…A gṛhastha has to do regular
puja must take care of children etc, very important portion…
ेयः स न सं ासी, यो न े न का त ।
न ो ह महाबाहो, सुखं ब ा मु ते ॥ 3॥

This chapter is Aṣṭāvakra is criticising Janaka’s role. Janaka is going to listen.

अ वना शन आ ान एकं व ाय Oh Janaka, व ाय you have understood your nature
very well. By studying vedānta आ ान एकं non-dual ātmā, that is pāramārthika
satyam, त तः , you know the experience of a lower order, you are a jñāni and
dheeraha तवा ान धीर:, how come you are continuing to pursue wealth and
showing interest कथ अथ जने र तः, isn’t it a sign of ignorance? Janaka will say
attitude towards karma is important. Lord Krishna says I don’t have anything to
accomplish but still I do karma
न मे पाथ कत ं, षु लोकेषु क न ।
नानवा मवा ं, वत एव च कम ण ॥ 22॥

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आ ा ानादहो ी त वषय मगोचरे ।
े र ानतो लोभो यथा रजत व मे ॥ ३-२॥
Because of ignorance only one gets interest(likes and dislikes) in mithya viṣaya,
and gets involved in activities. You are involved in activities therefore there seems
to be a contradiction. Janaka wants to establish that gṛhastha jñāni is possible.
Like in unreal shell silver, desire comes, because of the shell ignorance.

Class 14 on 17th November 2020

आ ा ानादहो ी त वषय मगोचरे ।

े र ानतो लोभो यथा रजत व मे ॥ ३-२॥
Janaka maharaja happens to be a great jñāna yogi and has clear wisdom that I’m
the nondual consciousness principle, everything else is names and forms. All
happenings are superficial disturbances in the nāmarūpa. These cannot affect Me
the screen like consciousness. Janaka continues to be a gṛhastha. According to
vedic scheme, gṛhastha aśrama is designed for karma yoga, ajñāni way of life. It
requires jiva jagat iśvara format, therefore, Janaka even though he is a jñāna yogi
internally, he has to declare outside that I’m a Jiva. He has to acknowledge social
relationships with relatives and religious relationship with Iśvara. He has to
therefore do all duties externally. Superficially looking jñāni gṛhastha and ajñāni
gṛhastha both appear similarly to external world (in terms of activities). Where is
the difference? Difference is purely within the mind. When he wants to take stock
of his life in private, he will revert to ātmā anātmā format. Like actors have real
life and reel life. He can look at himself only as an ever-free ātmā. In private he
will never address Bhagawan as a samsara, how is our drama going on? You are
playing your role and I’m playing my role. Other people have no way of knowing
whether internally a person is samsara or Asamsari. Aṣṭāvakra is trying to find out
about Janaka, he is taunting Janaka. Why are you pursuing all these activities?
Enjoying sense pleasures. In next chapter Janaka will respond…

व ं ु र त य ेदं तर ा इव सागरे ।
सोऽहम ी त व ाय कं दीन इव धाव स ॥ ३-३॥

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You know that you are brahman. सोऽहम ी त व ाय. In which brahman the whole
universe is falsely appearing व ं ु र त य ेदं, whole world is nāmarūpa like waves
in the ocean तर ा इव सागरे . You seem to accept the world as real and are seriously
engaged in performing all the duties… After wisdom, why are you running after
money like a samsara कं दीन इव धाव स. Jñānam and pravriti don’t go together. In
Naiṣkarmyasiddhi they can never coexist, jñāna and karma.

ु ाप चैत आ ानम तसु र ।

उप ेऽ संस ो मा ल म धग त ॥ ३-४॥
Hey Janaka as a gṛhastha performing your duties, you are also engaged in sense
pleasures, dance beach eating out etc as a parent. (Kāma puruṣārtha can be
renounced by a sanyasi but for the sake of family he should allow entertainments)
How come you are involved in all these? चैत ु ा प, you have heard that
you are pure consciousness, you are supposed to be an embodiment of vairayam
and आ ानम तसु र ātmā is real source of Ānandā. Aṣṭāvakra is saying sense
pleasures are fake sources of joy. Hoe come you are continuing. उप ेऽ संस ो
you seem to be attached to sense pleasures (upasthā) ; sensory pursuit of wealth,
war etc. I have a suspicion if you are really a jñāni. मा ल म धग त aren’t you
polluting your mind by getting attached/addicted by becoming slave to these sense
pleasures if you are a jñāni really?

सवभू तेषु चा ानं सव भू ता न चा न ।

मु नेज नत आ य मम मनु वतते ॥ ३-५॥

Hey Janaka, as a jñāni you must have the vision of ātmā alone everywhere…there
should be no second thing other than this. If you are non-dual ātmā you cannot
have relationship with anyone. Word mama should never arise. Janaka I see you
have so much mamakāra, my country, my accomplishments etc, मुनेः जानतः wise
person like you who knows सवभूतष
े ु च आ ान ātmā is in everything as its inner
essence. Everything is nāmarūpa superimposed on ātmā. सवभूता न चा न
everything is superimposed nāmarūpa upon the ātmā. मम अनुवतते how come
you continue to have mamakāra? It is a wonder आ य

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आ तः परमा ै तं मो ाथऽ प व तः ।
आ य कामवशगो वकलः के ल श या ॥ ३-६॥

Aṣṭāvakra continues with same topic. परमा ैतं आ तः you have attained status
of jñāni, destination of advaitam, you have no more goals in life, even mokṣā is
not your goal as you are nitya muktaha. मो ाथऽ प व तः. I need not seek mokṣā
as its my own svarūpam. Bri upa has Yagnavalkya Janaka dialogue, there he says
Janaka you have attained mokṣā. How come you continue to pursue worldly
pursuits, kamya karma also say children’s education etc even prāyascitta karma
you are doing कामवशग: you seem to be enslaved by kāma. वकलः (becoming weak)
के ल (worldly entertainments) श या (by regular practice) you seem to be
weakening yourself by getting addicted to sensory pleasures by getting habituated
to worldly activities. If you are a jñāni should you not quit all of these? Janaka
remains unshaken.

उ ूतं ान म मवधाय त बलः ।

आ य काममाका े कालम मनु तः ॥ ३-७॥
ान म मवधाय त बलः ।
आ य काममाका े ॥ ३-७॥
Aṣṭāvakra says you have been involved in worldly activities continuing such a life for a
long time, कालम मनु तः you are in last days you are weak and surprising that
you claim yourself to be a jñāni but continue pursuing your activities. उ त
ू ं they
have become intense, उ त
ू ं काम activated worldly desires (intense), how come
आका े you pursue? In chapter 3 of Gita we studied, that kāma is vairī. ान म
enemy of jñānam is kāma. Naturally you should not be allowing kāma in
your life… avadhaarya..

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Class 15 on 19th November 2020

उ त
ू ं ान म मवधाय त बलः ।
आ य काममाका े कालम मनु तः ॥ ३-७॥

In 3rd and 4th chapter the debate is on “is sanyāsa aśrama required for liberation”?
Aṣṭāvakra is taking the stand that it is compulsory and testing King Janaka his student.
You have reached the later part of life, and you clearly know pursuit of artha and kāma,
उ त
ू ं कामं ान म अवधाय अ त बलः you know they are obstacles (enemy) to jñānam
and न ा . This kāma raises in the mind to only spoil jñānam. You should not allow kāma
to enter and why are you continuing in gṛhastha aśrama. काममाका े ; आ य

इहामु वर न ान ववे कनः ।

आ य मो काम मो ा एव वभी षका ॥ ३-८॥
Aṣṭāvakra continues, you claim you are a jñāni but you are still hanging on to gṛuhasth aśram,
are you scared of sanyāsa aśrama I’m wondering if you are putting on a veṣam. What is your
internal condition? इहामु वर you claim to be a vairagī towards the things of
this world as well as other world. न ा न ववे कनः you claim to have clear
discriminative knowledge, only one nityam rest are impermanent. You claim to
have all the साधनचतु य inclusiove of मुमु ु (शमा द is not mentioned here). मो ा
वभी षका how come you have mortal fear of sanyāsa? । आ य it is a surprise, as
jñāni must have attained abhayam…

धीर ु भो मानोऽ प पी मानोऽ प सव दा ।

आ ानं केवलं प न तु त न कु त ॥ ३ -९॥
What should a real jñāni be doing? Real jñāni must become a sanyasi. He should
not hold on to anything for security. This jñāni becomes a sanyasi, he discovers
security in himself. धीरः (a wise sanyasi)he does not identify with this body. He
does not hold on to his body. A real jñāni renounces this hold. सवदा आ ानं केवलं
प . He has shifted his identity to ātmā, the higher nature. Body is given varieties
of experiences by praarabhdha. तु भो मानः अ प when body is fed with pleasurable
experiences by the world and people, न तु त he is not carried away-elated;
पी मानः अ प न कु त, doesn’t get upset with torment of body or bad experiences
also. Sakshi bhava has to be practised during healthy times so that it becomes a

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vāsana. Jñāni will not say people are tormenting me, because that can lead to
dveṣa. So he says my own prārabhdha is troubling through neighbours family
members etc.

चे मानं शर रं ं प शर रव ।
सं वे चा प न ाय कथं ु े महाशयः ॥ ३ -१०॥

चा प कथं ु े ॥ ३-१०॥
A reasonably good intellect will grasp vedānta, nididhyāsanam is required for
assimilation. Prārabhdha afflicts body should be the attitude not people affect me.
महाशयः this great jñāni. शर रं ं प त अ शर रव He practices seeing everybody
rising and falling in Me. Learn to look at every body as bubble of matter. चे मानं
which is moving or playing its role like the actor wearing costumes. Let the body
cry or laugh as per the role. सं वे sometimes people heap praises न ाय some
criticise, he looks upon as the sūkṣma śarīram going through the experiences. ādhī
afflicts sūkṣma śarīram, vyādhi impacts physical body. A wise person does not
allow these thoughts to impact him.

मायामा मदं व ं प वगतकौतु कः ।

अप स हते मृ ौ कथं त धीरधीः ॥ ३ -११॥
A wise person does not try to get answers for all the events that are happening
in this world.

Class 16 on 20th November 2020

मायामा मदं व ं प वगतकौतु कः ।

अप स हते मृ ौ कथं त धीरधीः ॥ ३ -११॥
One need not bother about aśrama but pay attention on yogyata and jñānaṃ. This
is going to be the message of Chapter 3 and 4. Janaka will point out that gṛhastha
can get liberation. मायामा मदं व ं प . this world, body relationships he look at
as anātmā, whole universe is maya. My priority is different from that of others.

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Variety is its nature. Nature of maya is change. My own body and mind included.
Mystery is the nature of maya. Behaviour of human beings, events in universe,
they all throw up 100s of questions. Jñāni will accept variety, change, mystery etc
without questioning or eternal probing वगतकौतुकः (curiosity) As long as I observe
the maya world without involvement, it is an entertainment. Moment one gets
involved it becomes an entanglement. Forgetting I’m sākṣī is involvement.
Therefore, at regular intervals I have to come to ātmā anātmāformat. मृ ौ स हते
अ प even when death is close by; धीरधीः wise man engrossed in ātmā anātmāformat
कथं त how can he be scared of which family member passes away or if he
himself will pass away. Have a nice entertainment until the body falls.

नः ृ हं मानसं य नैरा ेऽ प महा नः ।

त ा ानतृ तु लना केन जायते ॥ ३ -१२॥

He has no expectations, he is contented because of I’m satyam, world is maya.

Maya is here for entertainment not for involvement.
नासतो व ते भावः, नाभावो व ते सतः ।
उभयोर प ोऽ ः, नयो द श भः ॥ गीता 2-16॥
महा नः One who has claimed I’m the infinite ātmā नः ृहं मानसं his mind does
not have any rigid expectation. He is a flexible person… not rigid. If options are
given he will choose, otherwise they are not my concern. He does not have a
desire for desirelessness. तुलना केन जायते such a mind is a wonderful mind, cannot
be matched with anyone.

भावा एव जानानो मेत क न ।

इदं ा मदं ा ं स कं प त धीरधीः ॥ ३ -१३॥

When a jñāni understands it is maya, he knows there is no such thing called

building, body etc. everything is just energy is in high motion, it creates an illusion
of tangibility. I lend existence to this world and I get trapped and complain the
world is persecuting Me. Use the world as an entertainment. एत ं न क न
…this world has no essence, because it is the nature of maya. भावा एव, world
is a mystery because it is maya. More you probe it disappears into nothingness.

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Maya is not a curse but for entertainment, it’s a blessing. I convert it into a curse
because of an inappropriate attitude. इ त जानानः wise person knows this fact. World
has variety novelty this jñāni knows, इदं ा so does not have rigid stressful
strong expectations. इदं ा this should not happen to me etc. Rigid raga
dveṣa. In this manner धीरधीः wise person , स कं प त will he confront this
universe with this bhavana? Day may throw up welcome as well as unwelcome
experiences. I’m ok you’re OK as in transactional analysis..

अ कषाय न नरा शषः ।

य यागतो भोगो न ःखाय न तु ये ॥ ३-१४॥

Aṣṭāvakra says jñāni’s contentment or relaxation has come because of internal

transformation. Freedom from rigid expectation कषाय. Loose preferences are ok.
He does not strongly divide the world into favourable and unfavourable. नरा शषः
with regard to future he is flexible. न with regard to present, he is flexible.
य यागतो भोग: whatever comes because of praarabhdha. न ःखाय न तु ये
favourable or unfavourable.

Class 17 on 21st November 2020

Aṣṭāvakra challenge to Janaka was to quit gṛhastha aśrama. This leads to King
Janaka doing soul-searching.

Chapter 4
जनक उवाच ॥

ह ा ान धीर खेलतो भोगल लया ।

न ह संसारवाह कैमू ढैः सह समानता ॥ ४ -१॥
The answer is not unknown to Aṣṭāvakra. He wanted the answer from Janaka.
vedānta says as long as there is self-ignorance there will be problem of attachment
and therefore insecurity called samsara. Lesson 1: Ignorance causes attachment
and insecurity, knowledge causes detachment and security. Lesson 2) Aśrama will
be the cause of bondage as long as ignorance continues, aśrama does not determine
your liberation. Only object of attachment will change from gold chain to rudrākśa,

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apartment to kuṭiya. Even if the person renounces everything, body will remain.
With attachment if I renounce, it can be even more insecure. I don’t have money
relatives when I become sick. Therefore, problem is not with aśrama but with
ignorance. When there is no attachment, fear of anything going away is not there.
Only jñānaṃ matters.
Therefore, Janaka says it is prārabhdha which makes me continue as gṛhastha, I
live like water on lotus leaf. I’m ready to lose anything at any time, I don’t hold
on to anything. For worldly duties, I follow triangular format. Jiva jagat Iśvara
format, even if it is for going to movies..
Internally, aham ātmāsatyam. I’m ever-free. I am not in gṛhastha aśrama out of
attachment but prārabhdha, if sanyāsa aśrama comes, I’m ok with that.
chapter 2 वीतरागभय ोधः, तधीमु न ते ॥ 2-56॥
Janaka boldly and loudly declares that. Sanyasa is not at all compulsory…
ह ा! Alas, you are equating gṛhastha jñāni and ajñāni. Don’t compare me with
other samsārī gṛhastha. I’m a gṛhastha, I’m आ :, धीर , have a viveka śakti, I
know everything else is mithya. खेलतो भोगल लया For me all these roles are fun.
Rama’s difficulties we refer as avatāra līla (sport). No difference between jñāni and
avatāra. मूढा: these people take all events to be real…each part of mind is burdened
with worries of different people. संसारवाह कैमूढैः - वह त इ त वाह कः insecurity of
other people becomes my problem. When jñāni is alone, no burdens of worries,
his internal dialogue is based on ātmā anātmāformat. How can you equate worried
ajñāni gṛhastha and free and light jñāni gṛhastha? Because Janaka is jñāni gṛhastha,
he did not get angry with Aṣṭāvakra. Every gṛhastha must use these 6 verses to
check himself as to where he stands.

य पदं े वो दीनाः श ा ाः सव देवताः ।

अहो त तो योगी न हष मु पग त ॥ ४-२॥
This jñāni always enjoys inner happiness and therefore does not depend on his
family. न हषमुपग त Some gṛhastha claim that the family needs them therefore
they are there. Suppose family says we don’t depend on you, are we ready to
take the sanyāsa decision? If mind gets disturbed, then I’m here because I need
them. Family or position or possessions. त in such a state of freedom, I am.
We cannot see this externally. We can cheat ourselves; we have to be honest.

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श ा ाः सवदेवताः even gods in heaven like Indra, even they are stuck with their
set-up. पदं े व: earning to attain this mental state दीनाः struggling to attain
that attitudinal change is important..
य ा र तरे व ा , आ तृ मानवः ।
आ ेव च स ु ः, त काय न व ते ॥ 3-17॥
A jñāni gṛhastha enjoys this status.

त पु पापा श न जायते ।
न ाकाश धू मेन माना प स तः ॥ ४-३॥

This jñāni gṛhastha has this knowledge. In private, he practices binary format.
Anātmā is heavily influenced by prārabhdha karma. Without any reason, sometimes
there may be disturbances. May get influenced by thoughts of past vāsana. He can
still stand aloof from this also.

काशं च वृ ं च, मोहमेव च पा व ।
न े स वृ ा न, न नवृ ा न का त ॥14-22॥

The jñāni is aware of his mind and therefore he avoids transactions at this time
and he postpones decisions/interactions. Even his mind can go through rajas and
tamas. पु पापा when there are fluctuations due to prārabhdha punya pāpam,
jñāni does not say I’m disturbed, but he says his mind is disturbed. He does not
use the mind for self-judgement too. Like body mind also can get affected some
time. न श like the space is not tainted by smoke, I the ātmā am not disturbed
by fluctuations in the mind.
Class 18 on 22nd November 2020

त पु पापा श न जायते ।
न ाकाश धू मेन माना प स तः ॥ ४-३॥
Janaka pointed out that samsara and mokṣā do not depend on āśrama at all.
Liberation is possible in gṛhastha āśrama and bondage is possible in sanyāsa
āśrama. If aśrama does not determine then what determines? It depends on
whether I lead ahankara pradhāna life or a sākṣī pradhāna life. As long as my life

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is ahankara pradhāna whatever be my āśrama, I can never escape samsara. As long
as I look upon myself as an individual being, prārabhdha will affect my ahankara.
It will either affect my body mind complex or by influencing my relatives around
me. In sanyāsa āśrama ahankara is related to aśrama member. Only solution is
I’ve to elevate myself to a higher order of reality and abide in sākṣī svarūpaha.
Ahankāra will continue but it will appear as a veṣam. Once I’m in sākṣī pradhāna
life, āśrama does not matter. I continue in gṛhastha āśrama not because of raga
dveṣa but my prārabhdha has created such a situation that I’ve to play the role of
emperor. I’m ready to lose this emperorhood any time. I’m ever free. त
पु पापा श न जायते the ahankara status is only temporary role, I’m not
attached to any role.. पु पापा शः न जायते , anything may go away due to
pāpam or any favorable thing may come due to puṇyaṃ. Nothing can change my
अ ः (internal) mental balance. न ाकाश धूमन
े माना प स तः Just like space
is not apparently even contaminated by smoke.

आ ैवेदं जग व ातं येन महा ना ।

य या वत मानं तं नषे ंु मेत कः ॥ ४-४॥
This jñāni might remain in gṛhastha āśrama playing a variety of roles in triangular
format, for लोकस हः. For his own personal life, he follows binary format (in
solitude). आ ैवेदं जग व Entire universe is nothing but names and forms does
not exist separate from ātmā.. (Stay in an āśrama and watch if it makes a
difference. No, its only your mind change that make a difference.) ातं येन महा ना,
this the mahātmā knows. Then he continues in this body to exhaust the
prārabhdha. As a karta, accomplishing puruṣārthas is one purpose, second is as a
bhokta exhaust prārabhdha as ahankara. Sakshi has no purpose to accomplish.
Although mokṣā puruṣārtha may be accomplished, second purpose has to be
achieved, Bhagawan’s law will have to take its own course. This prārabhdha will
bring in favourable and unfavourable conditions. Jñānis ahankara will never take
to adharmic actions and blame it on prārabhdha, remember he has developed
strong dharma vāsana before even coming to jñānaṃ.
कठोप नष 1.2.24 says
ना वरतो िरता ाशा ो नासमा हतः ।
नाशा मानसो वा प ानेनैनमा य
ु ा ॥ 1.2.24 ॥

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One has right to come to serious vedānta only after developing strong dharma
vāsanas. Every jñāni has developed this, therefore his ahankara is incapable of
doing adharma. Also, adharmic activities are born out of raga dveṣa which are
already neutralised by him.

य या वतमानं तं नषे ंु मेत कः How can you deny the existence of such a jñāni
gṛhastha. In Bri.upa and Chan upaniṣad we see many gṛhastha jñānis. Ajataśatru
2.1 of Bri upa. Teaching through avastatraya viveka. Garga Ajātashatru teaching.
Gargi is a rishi. Ajatasatru gives teaching.
स यथोणना भ ुनो रे था ेः ु ा व ु ल ा ु र ेवमेवा ादा नः सव ाणाः सव
लोकाः सव देवाः सव ण भूता न ु र त ोप नष स मत ाणा वै स ं तेषामेष
स ॥ 2.1.20 ॥
He was a kṣatriya gṛhastha was a jñāni and liberated.

आ पय े भू त ामे चतु वधे ।

व ैव ह साम म ान ा ववजने ॥ ४-५॥
Here Janaka says samsara is not caused by various events in life, it’s caused by
our raga dveṣa and we judge our events by good and bad. Conversion of mind is
required. The judging mind alone is the cause of samsara, a bhikṣu says in Uddhava
Gita. Never make it into a strong need. आ पय े भूत ामे चतु वधे In this
Universe there are several human beings, -lowest living being भूत ामे चतु वधे
– four types जरायुज – from womb अ ज - from egg like birds ेदज minute
organisms from moisture उ – all plants creepers etc born out of earth.
Whoever has this knowledge व ैव ह साम म ान ा ववजने, I’m not ahankara
but sākṣi, all raga dveṣa will be converted into non-binding ones

आ ानम यं क ाना त जगदी र ।

य वे त कु ते न भयं त कु च ॥ ४-६॥

आ ानम यं क ाना त there are only very few jivas who come to this knowledge,
and very few succeed in gaining this knowledge. I alone can play these 3 fold
roles. Jiva jagat Iśvara. जाना त जगदी र ; य वे त कु ते whatever is required

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he does, न भयं त कु च , no anxiety related to future as there is no attachment.
This fearless life is a jivanmuktas life.
Class 19 on 23rd November 2020

आ ानम यं क ाना त जगदी र ।

य वे त कु ते न भयं त कु च ॥ ४-६॥

With the 6th verse, 4th chapter is over. Janaka responded to Aṣṭāvakra’s questions
and said jñānaṃ has nothing to do with the aśrama. If a person lacks jñānaṃ,
every aśrama is responsible for bondage. A life centered on individuality, ahankara
pradhāna life results in samsara. When I have sakṣi pradhāna life in my vision
ahankara and its role appears as a dream. I’m in gṛhastha aśrama purely based on
prārabhdha, I’m agnostic to any aṣrama. I’m engaged in लोकस हः when Janaka
gave this reply, Aṣṭāvakra was very pleased. In 5th chapter Aṣṭāvakra admires Janaka.
(regardless of varna aśrama, a jñāni is praised)
जा सुषु षु ु टतरा या सं व ृ ते
या ा द पपी लका तनुषु ोता जग ा णी ।
सैवाहं न च व त ढ ाप य ा चे-
ा ालोऽ ु स तु जोऽ ु गु िर ेषा मनीषा मम ॥ मनीषाप क १॥
If one is convinced firmly, that he is that very Soul which manifests itself in all
the conditions of sleep, wakefulness and dream, in all the objects from the great
Brahma (the creator) to the tiny ant and which is also the vibrant, but invisible,
witnesser of all, then as per my clear conclusion, he is the great teacher/preceptor,
be he a twice-born (i.e higher castes) or an outcaste.

A jñāni is beyond caste or aśrama, I will do prostration to such a person.

Chapter 5
अ ाव उवाच ॥

न ते स ोऽ केना प कं ु म स ।
स ात वलयं कु व ेवमेव लयं ज ॥ ५-१॥

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Aṣṭāvakra joins Janaka and says for a jñāni even sanyāsa does not have relevance
at all. A sanyasi renounces all possessions and relations. He always refers to even
father as poorvaśrama father. A jñāni knows he is the nondual ātmā. I’m in the
form of everything.

ैवेदममृतं पुर ा प ा द णत ो रे ण ।
अध ो च सृतं ैवेदं व मदं विर ॥ Mun.upa 2-12 ॥
For such a jñāni possessions are not relevant and also ātmā is asanghaha therefore
where is the question of relationship. Asanghoham….

There is no relationship to renounce,. From vedantic angle talking of relationship

is due to ignorance.
You are pure consciousness without any possessions :. You do not have
relationships न ते स ोऽ केना प. So what should you renounce in life? कं
ु म स.
May you renounce the very ahankara which claims I’m a great renouncer? continue
rest of life as sakśi pradhāna aham. May you resolve the स ात as वलयं as a
dream. I the sakṣi am real. कुव व
े मेव लयं ज May you thereafter merge into
brahman. Satyam advayam jñānaṃ Ānandā brahman. I’m a karta, abhokta. Worldly
duties are a dream.

उदे त भवतो व ं वािरधेिरव बु ुदः ।

इत ा ैकमा ानमेवमेव लयं ज ॥ ५-२॥

May you find time and invoke the whole universe is like a bubble, what to talk of
family. Never get preoccupied with worries. उदे त भवतो raises from Me like व ं
वािरधेिरव बु द
ु ः bubbles. इ त ा ा आ ान knowing his ātmā, may you claim your
oneness with brahman.
mayyeva sakalam jatam in kaivalya upaniṣad
अणोरणीया हतो मह याना ा ज ो न हतो गुहाया ।
तम तुः प त वीतशोको धातु सादा हमानमा नः ॥ kata.upa.1.2.20 ॥
there are beautiful nididhyāsanam mantras in Kaivalya upaniṣad. Janaka is going
to ask, who will meditate? एव एव लयं ज May you see the aikyam

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 म व ु ा व ं ना मले य ।
र ु सप इव मेवमेव लयं ज ॥ ५-३॥

Vedantic meditation or reinforcement of ātmā anātmāformat are both important

aspects of meditation. Manobuddhya ahankara helps here. An equally important
aspect is anātmādhyānam. Generally people do not recognise this. You have to
spend time on this too. Anātmā is of lower order of reality. (like dream). From
standpoint of body mind complex the world is real, but from ātmā standpoint
whole world and body mind complex is mithya. Waker alone lends existence to
dream world. This unreality of the world is an object of meditation. I have to
deliberately spend time on jaganmithyātvam. That par of world where I’ve strong
raga dveṣa, I don’t have to meditate on pluto!! In the world there is a small
segment where there is strong attachment on which you meditate. व ं ना य,
world is not there. म व ु ा I don’t deny experience but I still assert that
this world is not really there in you as experience does not prove reality. अमले
pure one, since it is unreal like dream. र ुसप इव (falsely appearing) एव
एव लयं ज may you see this truth of anātma, with this nididhyāsanam may you
resolve the world and merge into brahman. Previous verse 5-2 was ātmā satyam,
this verse 5.3 is anātma mithyātvam. Proof is my preoccupations should come
down.

सम ःखसु खः पू ण आशानैरा योः समः ।

समजी वतमृ ु ः स ेवमेव लयं ज ॥ ५-४॥
Benefit of nididhyāsanam. A real test of vedānta is working for me. सम ःखसुखः
worldly I will go through its prārabhdha. Good and bad things will happen, mind
will not get disturbed by these events. Equanimity. Can I claim I’m mukta
puruṣaha. I’m pūrnaha. पूण आशानैरा योः समः I’m involved in several activities for
the different roles, some are wonderful, successful, some are hopeless or difficult
ones also, my mind is not disturbed by any of these also. समजी वतमृ ुः I’m
equanimous in life and death, स व
े मेव लयं ज with this may you merge into
birthless deathless brahman.

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Class 20 on 24th November 2020

सम ःखसु खः पू ण आशानैरा योः समः ।

समजी वतमृ ु ः स ेवमेव लयं ज ॥ ५-४॥
With the fourth verse 5th chapter is over.

A wise gṛhastha is far superior to an ignorant sanyasi. Importance is given to

jñānaṃ and how I look upon myself.

Janaka argues with Aṣṭāvakra, what is there for me to renounce when I don’t own
anything? There is no question of sanyāsa or tyāga.

May you now dissolve your ahankara into brahman, aṣṭāvakra concluded. The
spiritual occupation for Janaka. In all shlokas, लयं ज. He dropped taking sanyāsa.
In 6th chapter, Janaka says there is nothing called ahankāra to resolve.

Chapter 6

जनक उवाच ॥

आकाशवदन ोऽहं घटव ाकृ तं जग ।

इत ानं तथैत न ागो न हो लयः ॥ ६ -१॥
Janaka replies, “ahankara is a myth which will disappear on enquiry”. In two text
books we saw. In उपदेशसार and स शन we saw. Ramana Maharishi loves this
topic.
अहमयं कुतो भव त च तः ।
अ य पत हं नज वचारण ॥ १९॥
Whence, therefore, does this 'I-thought' have its birth? With vigilant and ever active
mind Seek this, and crestfallen the 'I' becomes. The search, itself, the quest of
Wisdom is
When you enquire, there are only ātmā and anātmā, there is no ahankara.. no 3rd
entity possible. Ātmā cannot be karta or bhokta as it is changeless principle. Like
space. In गीताभा , न वकार ा आ ा न कत

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 य एनं वे ह ारं , य ैनं म ते हत ।
उभौ तौ न वजानीतः, नायं ह न ह ते ॥ 2-19॥

न जायते यते वा कदा च ,

नायं भू ा भ वता वा न भूयः ।
अजो न ः शा तोऽयं पुराणः,
न ह ते ह माने शर रे ॥ 2-20॥

Anātmācannot be a karta, anātmā also cannot be a karta since it has to be a

cetana tatvam. जड ा अना ा न कत .
Doer must be someone other than these two, therefore ther cannot be anything
else which is karta. So it is a third mysterious entity which is doing this role..
it’s a myth,

like the pratibimba mukham, like reflected face in mirror. Certain features of face
and mirror are both there in the reflected face, it is different from mirror and
original face. Features are borrowed from the original face. At the same time,
location of pratibimba mukham is borrowed from mirror, whether it should be
bright or dull, depends on the mirror. If mirror moves, pratibimbam also moves,
it seems to be a 3rd entity. It is not a real entity. It cannot exist independently.
Its existence is borrowed.
Similarly the ahankara, karta bhokta, is appearing real until enquiry. When it does
not exist in the first place where is the question of resolving.
आकाशवदन ोऽहं I’m the infinite ātmā like akāśa. घटव जग ाकृतं world is a
material not sencient. इ त ानं this is the knowledge I possess. तथैत न ागो न
हो न लयः That being so, there is nothing to acquire, renounce or dissolve.

महोद धिरवाहं स प ो वी चसऽ भः ।

इत ानं तथैत न ागो न हो लयः ॥ ६ -२॥

Janaka now says there is no sādhaka so where is the question of sadhana. Aṣṭāvakra
says you said there are only two things ātmā and anātmā. You are accepting two.
Why cant you dissolve anātmā into ātmā? That’s your sadhana, world resolution
meditation. प ीकरण वा तक , Sureshwaracharyas commentary on Adi Sankara’s

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work. I dissolve the whole anātmā here. Janaka says not possible for me. I can
resolve only if anātmā exists separate from ātmā. How can you dissolve wave into
water? There is no such thing called wave to be dissolved into water. In advaitam,
there is nothing o be dissolved. Even dissolution is not possible when there is only
one.
महोद धिरवाहं स I’m like the vast infinite ocean, the world the anātmā is like the
waves in the ocean. प ो वी चसऽ भः Where is the thing called wave? इ त ानं I
don’t see a second thing to be dissolved. तथैत न ागो न हो लयः this being so
there is no acquisition, renunciation or dissolution…there is no duality so who will
dissolve what, give up what?

अहं स स ाशो व व क ना ।
इत ानं तथैत न ागो न हो लयः ॥ ६ -३॥

Here the idea is the same as previous shloka, anātmā cannot be dissolved into
ātmā, matter cannot be dissolved into consciousness as it does not exist separate
from consciousness. Here the example is, shell silver. Fake silver coin is matter,
shell silver is consciousness here. अहं स स ाशो I the ātmā is similar to shell
silver. स भः, स ाशः, नभः, तु ः स श
ु ः so many words for like, whole world is
myth व व क ना , a superimposition, like dream, इ त ानं तथैत न ागो
न हो लयः , this is the knowledge that I possess, just as shell silver does not exist
separate from shell, there is nothing to dissolve in the case of world too.

न नरोधो न चो :,न ब ो न च साधक: I

न मुमु ुन वै मु :, इ ेषा परमाथता IIवै.३२॥मा ु कािरका

There is no dissolution, no creation, none who is bound, none who strives (for
liberation), none who seeks liberation, and none who is liberated- this is the
absolute truth.

अहं वा सव भू तेषु सवभू ता थो म य ।

इत ानं तथैत न ागो न हो लयः ॥ ६ -४॥

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Here also the idea is the same, anātmā cannot be resolved into ātmā.
सवभूत मा ानं, सवभूता न चा न ।
ई ते योगयु ा ा, सव समदशनः ॥ गीता 6.29॥
Ātmā sees wise man in every anātmā, he sees every anātmā in ātmā. He sees water
in waves and waves in water. This is the vision of every wise man. Wise man sees
anātmā as mere nāma rūpa or superimposition upon the ātmā. He sees ātmā as
the adhiṣṭānam (inner essence) in every mithya anātmā. Water is the adhiṣṭānam
in every wave. अहं वा सवभूतष
े ु I the ātmā am there in all śarīrams as the
adhiṣṭānam, as core pith or essence, सवभूता न म य all the anātmās are there in
Me as mere superimpositions. इ त ानं तथैत न ागो न हो लयः therefore one
is satyam rest are mithya, there is only advaitam, where is acquisition?
Renunciation? Dissolution? So you cannot prescribe any sadhana for Me.
Class 21 on 25th November 2020

अहं वा सव भू तेषु सवभू ता थो म य ।

इत ानं तथैत न ागो न हो लयः ॥ ६-४॥

The format (binary or triangular) I use for handling personal and emotional
situations is what determines whether I’m a jñāni or not. Ātmā anātmāformat
means aham satyam anyat sarvam (jagan) mithya. I must understand this statement
very clearly. It has to be a fact and well assimilated by Me and it has to be in
the sub-conscious mind. All the pañca anātmā are mithya, they are all nāma rūpa
only. Such a jñāna yogi will get jivan mukti and videha mukti. Janaka says although
I’m a Gṛhastha, I’m a jñāna yogi. That’s chapter 7.

Chapter 7

जनक उवाच ॥

म न महा ोधौ व पोत इत तः ।

मत ा वातेन न ममा सह ु ता ॥ ७ -१॥

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म न महा ोधौ I don’t look upon myself as a householder, King etc but as sakṣi
caitanyam like Ocean व पोत इत तः the galaxies are like rafts or small boats
moving around (tossed) here and there. World is small, I’m infinitely bigger than
the world. Universe is also tossed about. मत ा वातेन because of the wind
that obtains within the world, the karma wind, puṇyaṃ cool weather, pāpam bad
weather, the whole world is tossed about. What to talk of our body? I’m not the
tossed body but the sakṣi caitanyam. ा means mind or antahkaranam also,
world is tossed around due to the thoughts of the mind. When thoughts care not
thee, there is no world. न ममा सह ुता I’m not impatient, not disturbed by all
these events. Whole world is mixture of graded pleasures or graded pains.
म न महा ोधौ जग ी चः भावतः ।
उदेतु वा मायातु न मे वृ न च तः ॥ ७ -२॥
Reinforcement of ātmā anātmā format. म न महा ोधौ I’m the vast ocean of
consciousness जग ी चः there are huge waves in the form of world, born and gone.
In astronomy we hear of stars exploding. Like our Sun also, which will also
go.. भावतः that’s the nature of matter, matter can never remain steady.
उदेतु वा अ आयातु Let the world come and go, may you see this as the nature,
न मे वृ न च तः I’m also not influenced by the changes in my mind or body.
म न महा ोधौ व ं नाम वक ना ।
अ तशा ो नराकार एतदेवाहमा तः ॥ ७ -३॥
These are repeated so that it gets assimilated. म न महा ोधौ I’m the infinite
ocean of consciousness. (1- boat, 2 wave 3 now world is compared to
superimposition like movie vikalpana) व ं नाम वक ना, actors are acting,
thousands are engrossed in emotional upheavals, from standpoint of turīyam its
all nāma rūpa serial अ तशा ो I’m totally unaffected by the events of the serial
नराकार I’m formless consciousness एतदेवाहमा तः I follow this wisdom for
conducting my day to day life. When different difficult situations come, I look at
the world only with this format. Mind should get used to the new format.

ना ा भावेषु नो भाव ान े नर ने ।
इ स ोऽ ृ हः शा एतदेवाहमा तः ॥ ७ -४॥
In previous chapter shloka 4, he gave an idea, now exactly opposite idea presented.
In 6-4 I’m in every object and every object is in Me. I’m the very adhiṣṭānam was

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the interpretation. In every object is in Me, as superimposition every object is in
me.

Now he says I’m not there in any object, they are not in Me. He says so because
all objects are in lower order of reality therefore as good as non-existent. Since
objects are not at all there, I’m not in them, they are not in Me.
ना ा भावेषु I’m not in the objects,नो भाव ान े नर ने in the infinite pure ātmā
no object is there (pāramārthika dṛuṣṭi) इ स ोऽ ृहः I’m asanghaha, aspṛhaḥ not
related to them, I’m not disturbed. शा I’m ever tranquil एतदेवाहमा तः I make
use of this knowledge for my day to day life.

अहो च ा मेवाह म जालोपमं जग ।

इ त मम कथं कु हेयोपादेयक ना ॥ ७ -५॥
अहो च ा मेवाह great wonder indeed, my nature is pure consciousness, I have
managed to miss that. इ जालोपमं जग universes of pañca anātmā is like a magic
show, greatest magician being Bhagawan. इ त मम कथं कु where can I have
vyāvahāra, there is no space in reality, I transcend all transactions, life is a sport
हेयोपादेयक ना

Class 22 on 26th November 2020

One of the sadhanas prescribed for a spiritual seeker is the sadhana of refining
the mind. This has to be practised before receiving knowledge and after gathering
knowledge too. Before is called jñāna yogyata prāpti. After gaining knowledge,
when the seeker continues mental refinement,
1) first lesson he must remember is both world as well as mind are mithya
objects. Only difference is world is totally a mithya object, mind is a mithya
object serving as an instrument. Like a spectacle, when worn it serves as
an instrument (an instrumental object, mind too is instrumental object).
This knowledge jñāni has gained by studying shastras.
2) This process of mental refinement after knowledge is called jñāna nishtāor
jīvanmukti.
3) Mental refinement is an ongoing process a life-long unending process. There
is no limit to mental refinement. At any point in time, if somebody asks is

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 the mind refined, it will always be against the standard of refinement. So
it will vary. You can say refined or not… (say pass mark is 40, you ask a
student has passed, depending on 40, you will say pass. Imagine next year,
they lowered to 35, people who failed last year would pass. So it depends
on the standard). Therefore, jīvanmukti is a relative term. I may claim and
you may judge me differently. In shastra also, whenever they speak of
jīvanmukti there is gradation. Like second class, first class distinction.
व , व रः, व र या , व िर ः, I’m therefore a lifelong sādhaka.
Even greatest jñānis are sadhakas from their own standpoint.
4) This jīvanmukti is only a secondary liberation because it is the improvement
of mithya mind (object) and not I the subject. Even though jīvanmukti is
very important for improving the quality of my life and other’s life.
Jīvanmukti alone improves the quality of life. Gaunamukti meaning secondary
liberation (as it belongs to mithya mind)
5) If jīvanmukti is secondary, then primary liberation is the real ātmā I am
always liberated. It is not an unending lifelong process but a fact about the
real Me. I’m never a sādhaka nitya mukta ātmā. This is mukhya mukti or
primary. Remembering I’m nitya muktaha and I’m unimprovable ever
perfect… a jñāni should remember this… in the shastra, sometimes they
deal with primary liberation and sometimes with secondary liberation.

ःखे नु मनाः, सुखेषु वगत ृहः ।

वीतरागभय ोधः, तधीमु न ते ॥ 56॥
here Lord Krishna is dealing with the mental conditions. When he says गुनातीतः,
he is talking of ātmā.

In chapter 7 the topic was mukhya muktihi. I’m nitya siddhaha.. in the last shloka
he said, I’m ātmā pure consciousness whole world, worries in mind are all mithya.
In chapter 8 Aṣṭāvakra comes down to gauna mukti or secondary liberation (mental
refinement chapter).. Remembering the 5 lessons, you keep improving the mind…

Chapter 8
अ ाव उवाच ॥

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तदा ब ो यदा च ं क वा त शोच त ।
क मु त गृ ात क त कु त ॥ ८-१॥

First Aṣṭāvakra defines bondage based on mental condition. तदा ब ो mind is in

bondage यदा च ं when the mind has क वा त craving for things शोच त and
grieves because of lack of things, the craving is disturbing the mind. क मु त
गृ ा त as long as mind rejects and clings on to things क त mind gets
excited कु त or gets irritated. Losing poise because of favourable or unfavourable
conditions. We must keep the 5 lessons in mind and improve mind. Gradual
reduction of 6 parameters FIR of these 6 is sadhana. Even if he is a student or
expert, this is applicable. Who is reasonable jivanmukta?

तदा मु यदा च ं न वा त न शोच त ।

न मु त न गृ ात न त न कु त ॥ ८-२॥

Only न is addition. यदा च ं न वा त never craves or grieves न शोच त because

of craving, or rejects anything, old age he knows at the level of body is a natural
process, न मु त न गृ ात न त न कु त this is jīvanmukti. तदा मु ः

तदा ब ो यदा च ं स ं का प षु ।
तदा मो ो यदा च मस ं सव षु ॥ ८-३॥

In this shloka, both bandha and mukti are defined from standpoint of secondary
liberation. First line on bondage: emotional dependence on any external factor is
a bondage. People objects or situations. physical dependence on external factors
is natural, we are not speaking about that. Even a maha jñāni may physically
depend on his students to get up. This is emotional dependence. Whenever a
dependent object goes away we can use that as a training period. Inclusive of non-
availability of coffee. Even diseases can be utilised for jīvanmukti training. Am I
troubling others? यदा च ं स ं का प षु when I lean on any external factor
तदा ब ो a jñāni grihastha must be always alert, he should not depend on family
members. They can depend on you. यदा च मस ं सव षु suppose family members

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say they are not dependent on you, you should be ok. That should not disturb.
तदा मो ो hat mental condition is jīvanmukti or secondary liberation.

यदा नाहं तदा मो ो यदाहं ब नं तदा ।

म े त हेलया क ा गृ हाण वमु मा ॥ ८ -४॥
It is an extension of previous shloka. When I claim these emotional factors as
mine, I have got a weak I, this weak I is called ahankāra. It claims a few things
as मम मम, as long as this is there I’m ब ः, यदा नाहं तदा मो ो when ahankāra
(the one with mamakāra) is absent, I’m free यदाहं when it continues. Wherever
there are mines (ममकार), explosions will come. ब नं तदा , म े त having known
these मा गृहाण don’t cling on to anything मा वमु do not reject anything हेलया as
a sport remain lightly. This is the definition of jīvanmukti.

Class 23 on 27th November 2020

यदा नाहं तदा मो ो यदाहं ब नं तदा ।

म े त हेलया क ा गृ हाण वमु मा ॥ ८ -४॥
Two different standpoints discussed, pāramārthika ātmā dṛṣṭi and vyāvahārika
antahkarana dṛṣṭi, mukhya mukti and gauna mukti. Like we see in
Naiṣkarmyasiddhi, ātmā is ever free regardless of the mental condition. Quality of
life is dependent on the conditions of the mind. Mental refinement after vedantic
studies is jñāna nishtāor jivanmukti. In this context nididhyāsanam is emphasised
(secondary liberation) for primary liberation śravanam and mananam are required.
Nididhyasanam is emphasised for secondary liberation and is a life-long process.
1st 7 chapters, primary liberation was emphasised, Aṣṭāvakra said you are ever free
and Janaka also claimed, when whole world is not thee, no mind is there where
is the question of transaction sukha dukha etc, no question of improving the
quality of liberation.
To improve the quality of life, the teacher has to come down and look at improving
mind through nididhyāsanam. This secondary liberation is being talked about in
Chapters 8 and 9. Mental refinement trough nididhyāsanam to improve quality of
life. Also discussed in Mandukya karika chapter 3
मनसो न हाय मभयं सवयो गणा ।
ःख यः बोध ा या शा रे व च ॥ ४० ॥

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This nididhyāsanam process he calls manonigrahaha. Same manonigrahaha before
jñānaṃ is sadhana catuṣṭayam, after it is called jivanmukti or jñāna nishtā.
Managing my own mind is the most important aspect.

Chapter 9
अ ाव उवाच ॥

कृ ताकृ ते च ा न कदा शा ान क वा ।
एवं ा ेह नवदा भव ागपरोऽ ती ॥ ९ -१॥
Mind refinement finally involves raga dveṣa neutralisation. World is a mixture of
opposites. So if you have attachment towards one you will have hatred towards
the other. ा न pairs of opposites. It is important to accept both with equanimity
कदा शा ा न the two opposites will never go away. World has these opposites. .
कृताकृते च what we do and not do will have opposites, omissions and commissions
. In तै. उप नष . ान व
यतो वाचो नवत े । अ ा मनसा सह । आन ं णो व ा । न बभे त कुत ने त । एतं
ह वाव न तप त । कमहं साधु ना करव । कमहं पापमकरव म त । स य एवं व ानेते
आ ानं ृ णुते । उभे ेवैष एते आ ानं पण
ृ ुते । य एवं वेद । इ युप नषत ् ॥ १
definition of mokṣā ,
in ी शवापराध मापण ो I planned to retire upon you after retirement… now
in my mind only past life is continually running.
वाध े चे याण वगतग तम त ा धदैवा दतापैः
पापै रोगै वयोगै नव सतवपुः ौढह नं च दीन ।
म ामोहा भलाषै म त मम मनो धूजटे न ं
ो मेऽपराधः शव शव शव भो ीमहादेव श ो ॥ ४॥
And in old age, my organs (of action and perception) lose their respective powers
of acting and sensing. My body becomes emaciated (though it continues to exist)
with worries caused by afflictions mental, physical etc., by sins (committed),
diseases and separation (from dear objects). My mind, devoid of power and pitiable,
wanders restlessly impelled by vain delusion and desires without any thought of
Dhurjsûti (Shiva).
बृ उप says.. एतमु हैवैते न तरत इ तः पापमकरव म तः क ाणमकरव म ुभे उ हैवैष
एते तर त नैनं कृताकृते तपतः ॥ 4.4.22 ॥

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sign of jñāna nishtāis mind is not disturbed by kurta and akruta, as they cannot
be avoided in vyāvahārika क वा शा ा न,
एवं ा ेह having understood this नवदा by developing detachment, transcended
raga and dveṣa (even towards myself over omissions and commissions) भव
ागपरोऽ ती be committed to the renunciation of raga and dveṣa. Avratee…
varieties of religious conditions to change worldly conditions, stop but learn to
change your mind.
Bhikshu gita says use religious practices to change your mind.

क ा प तात ध लोकचे ावलोकना ।

जी वते ा बु भु ा च बु भु ोपशमः गताः ॥ ९ -२॥

Some people give up doṣās initially itself some go through difficult times to give
up attachments. 3 types of attachment, जी वते ा jeevita icchaa bodily attachment,
we don’t see the prospect of old age even by seeing others suffer. Wise people
understand this limitation. Some have to go through old age, ध the wise
person sees this early. We nowadays don’t even have opportunity to learn by
seeing others as they don’t stay with us. बुभु ा all the pleasures depending on
youthful body, eating murukku, बुभु ा च (बो ंु इ ा) even craze after knowledge,
that’s also an attachment. उपशमः गताः are gone क ा प तात लोकचे ावलोकना by
observing other old people and understanding

अन ं सव मेवेदं ताप तय षत ।
असारं न तं हेय म त न शा त ॥ ९-३॥
If you should have a quality life, you should have reduction of rāga dveṣa, I should
have healthy attitude towards the world. it is wonderful as a means to achieve
spiritual growth. World as a sādhyam is to be criticised, as sadhana is wonderful.
Why cants we say world is a sādhyam, name fame money profession relationships.
हेय म त as a goal world must be rejected न तं. What are the defects? अ न ं
सवमेवेदं it is anityam. Unpredictable unsustainable uncontrollable. 2nd dosha
ताप तय षत three-fold pain, ādyatmikam, ādibhautikam, ādidaivikam. असारं it
does not have intrinsic reality. Like a new house is great until complete, then
when you have to maintain, the problem hits. Vedānta says you decorate your

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interior. न even sanyāsa as an aśrama is not a source of joy, he also will feel
disappointed if he think so. If you want to improve quality of life, look at world
as a means. शा त mind becomes quiet because there are no expectations from
the world.
कोऽसौ कालो वयः कं वा य ा न नो नृ णा ।
ता ुपे यथा ा वत स मवा ु या ॥ ९-४॥
Treating the world as an end means expecting PSH. कोऽसौ कालो At what time is
the world free from pairs of opposites नृणा for the people. वयः कं वा at what age
are people free from pairs of opposites य ा न नो, ता ुपे reject them, reject
raga dveṣa, expectations from the world यथा ा वत be satisfied with whatever you
get स मवा ुया bringing up children use it only for your growth.
Class 24 on 28th November 2020

कोऽसौ कालो वयः कं वा य ा न नो नृ णा ।

ता ुपे यथा ा वत स मवा ु या ॥ ९-४॥
Aim of quality improvement of mind has no end….it’s a life-long process, life-long
nididhyāsanam is required which we refer as jīvanmukti or jñāna nishtā. Many
people miss the primary teaching of vedānta. For these people, we say jñānaṃ is
not enough, you have to continue with mental refinement which is secondary
teaching. Mind should not be under the control of raga dveṣa. I use vedantic
meditation for FIR reduction life-long. Nobody can claim, its over. Secondary
liberation is an ongoing process. Only from standpoint of primary liberation, I can
be a siddha, otherwise only life-long sādhaka. Strong raga dveṣa for class will also
affect the mind. Fear disturbs the mind. When are the pair of opposites going to
end? Therefore learn to accept. Aṣṭāvakra said. Give up all your expectations strong
raga dveṣa and accept whatever comes.

नाना मतं महष ण साधू न यो गन तथा ।

ा नवदमाप ः को न शा त मानवः ॥ ९ -५॥

There are so many religions holding on to different philosophies. May you be very
alert with regard to raga dveṣa for deities. Dvaitam viśiṣṭadvaitam etc. नाना मतं
महष ण the systems of philosophies sānkhya yoga etc propounded by maharishis,
Patanjali, Kapila etc, let anybody follow any deity, philosophy. Never criticise other

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people. साधून there are many acharyas. यो गन there are many siddhas तथा ा
having understood that in vyāvahārika plane differences will be there नवदमाप ः
transcending both raga and dveṣa, he can accommodate anything मानवः शा त
such a human being’s mind will quieten, को न which seeker’s mind will not quieten
if he handles raga dveṣa?

कृ ा मू तपिर ानं चैत न कं गु ः ।

नवदसमतायु ा य ारय त संसृ तेः ॥ ९ -६॥

If different acāryas are there, which one should I ultimately follow? We say
ultimately you have to go to that system that will take you beyond relative. Using
advaitam you go beyond dvaitam and advaitam. Gaudapadacharya says we have to
go beyond the word advaitam. Such a person is the ultimate Guru Aṣṭāvakra says.
नवदसमतायु ा A person who follows the 3 – 1)vairagyam (nirveda); 2) equanimity
or poise of mind (samata- a consequence of nirveda), refer to sadhana catuṣṭayam..
śamaha is calmness of mind. 3) vedānta vicaraha we should know the absolute
truth (śravanam, mananam, nididhyāsanam) चैत मू तपिर ानं कृ ा gaining clear
knowledge of svarūpam (mūrti here)
य ारय त – a person takes across himself संसृतेः the ocean of samsara न कं गु ः
that person is capable of saving others. Isn’t he the real Guru? He takes me to
pāramārthika advaitam. That person alone is the Guru.

प भू त वकार ं भू तमा ा यथाथ तः ।

त णा ब नमु ः प ो भव स ॥ ९-७॥
How can I do nididhyāsanam, reduce FIR, improve quality of life. Another method,
he is explaining asāram of verse 3. World is changing nāmarūpa. भूत वकार ं प
the entire world of relatives are भूतमा ा nothing but pañca bhūtas, all objects
यथाथतः in reality त णा ब नमु ः you will be free from the clutches of bondage
प ो भव स you will abide in your higher svarūpam naturally.
वासना एव संसार इ त सव वमु ताः ।
त ागो वासना ागा तर यथा तथा ॥ ९ -८॥
वासना एव संसार: raga dveṣa vāsana, powerful ones that have become a habit in
mind, its very difficult to get over , when subconscious mind reacts, we have to

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bring out the raga dveṣa and deal with it in meditation and knock off. That alone
is samsara. इ त having known this. सव : ताः वमु may you regularly practise
removal of this attachment, by seeing them as prārabhdha. Nobody belongs to
anybody. त ागो वासना ाग: by the reduction of these vāsanas life-long तर
यथा तथा the aśrama you are in, you need not give up, stay there.
Class 25 on 29th November 2020

वासना एव संसार इ त सव वमु ताः ।

त ागो वासना ागा तर यथा तथा ॥ ९ -८॥
Importance of manonigrahas was discussed.
मनसो न हाय मभयं सवयो गणा ।
ःख यः बोध ा या शा रे व च ॥ मा. का. अ ैत करण ४० ॥
mano nigraha is most important. If this mental discipline is there, aśrama does
not matter. Aṣṭāvakra congratulates Janaka saying you have this mental discipline.
Whatever be the lifestyle you are in, please continue. You need not take to ochre
robes. Aṣṭāvakra continues with the same topic in chapter 10 too.

Chapter 10
अ ाव उवाच ॥

वहाय वैिरणं काममथ चानथ स ु ल ।

धमम ेतयोहतुं सव ानादरं कु ॥ १० -१॥

Most important virtue to be acquired is vairagyam or detachment, as attachment

is the enemy for spiritual growth. Aṣṭāvakra emphasises throughout this chapter.
Rāga tṛṣṇa vāsana synonyms of attachment. Why is this emphasised? When we are
attached to a person or object, it expresses as control of object of attachment,
future and conditions. This eagerness to control causes constant mental pre-
occupation. Anxiety is there about these objects. More I try to control, more
anxiety I have. We don’t have control over some of these. If we give up anxiety
and attachment, then mind is relaxed. This is detachment or vairagyam. We may
have a doubt. Am I not shirking my responsibilities? Śāstra never says you should

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be indifferent but śāstra says you have duty to contribute but not control, Love is
contribution, attachment is control. When I want to control, I have anxiety. A
Doctor treats so many patients, he contributes but does not control. Therefore he
does not have anxiety. Aṣṭāvakra says without detachment any amount of vedānta
will not give peace of mind.
अ पूण सदापूण श र ाणव भे ।
ानवैरा स थ भ दे ह च पाव त ॥ ११॥
.. कामं वैिरणं enemy is desire to control the anātmā(all sense objects and pleasures)
अथ another puruṣārtha (object meant for security) puṇyaṃ, (materialistic as well
as one used for spiritual growth) here materialistic puṇyaṃ धम being attached
to these 3 is the biggest enemy. Therefore give up attachment to all these three.
धमम ेतयोहतुं use all religious activity to improve the mind and develop detachment.
सव ानादरं कु

े जालव प दना न ीण प वा ।
म े धनागारदारदाया दस दः ॥ १० -२॥
Why attachment should be dropped? े जालव प entire creation is like a
dream or magic world. Even for a jñāni he does not have control of the type of
svapna, similarly in magic you cannot explain how it happens. From the standpoint
of infinite time, duration is very short. दना न ीण प वा before we realise we
are born, 50 years run away. म your friends े your property धना money आगार
house दार wife दाय - inherited property etc (we get angry with spouse because
of our attachment) स दः all these anātmāpositions, drop the control. Be mentally
prepared to accept the future as it unfolds.

पिर म स कं मुधा चन च व ा त
यं भव त य था भव त त था ना था ।
अतीतमननु र प च भा संक य
नत कतसमागमाननुभवा म भोगानह ॥ ६२॥

Oh Mind! Why do you wander about in vain? Rest somewhere. Whatever

happens is bound to happen, of itself, not otherwise. Thus not recalling the

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 past, nor planning for the future, I experience the joys that come, without
question (vairagya satakam)
अतीतमननु र प (without regretting about past or future) Oh mind why are you
stressing so much….. यं भव त य था भव त त था ना था. We are not fatalistic,
we contribute to the future…
न े यं ा , नो जे ा चा य ।
रबु रस ढ
ू ः, व ण तः ॥ गीता 5-20॥
Don’t hold on to anything..

य य भवे ृ ा संसारं व त वै ।
ौढवैरा मा वीततृ ः सुखी भव ॥ १०-३॥

What percentage of vairagyam is required? What is percentage of attachment

allowed? Aṣṭāvakra says I can’t permit even one. Its like a hydrogen balloon held
by 100 strings and you have cut 99 of them..its still not free य य भवे तृ ा
wherever there is attachment संसारं व त वै three attachments are allowed first,
guru shastra, Bhagawan, then you drop attachment to it later. ौढवैरा मा
tīvra vairagyam, by resorting to intense detachment, required before and after
jñānaṃ. Purpose is different but practice is compulsory. वीततृ ः सुखी भव you
remain happy. In your own interest, I’m saying this.

तृ ामा ा को ब ाशो मो उ ते ।
भवासंस मा ेण ा तु मु मु ः ॥ १०-४॥
Very bandha and mokṣā can be defined in terms of attachment and detachment,
ब ः तृ ामा ा क: of the nature of attachment मो : ब ाशो उ ते jñānaṃ has
to be supported by vairagyam, otherwise you are at best an academic scholar.
Vairagyam is the only difference. भवासंस मा ेण Aṣṭāvakra glorifies vairagyam
more than vedānta jñanam. Even without jñanam vairagyam contributes to peace.
ा तु मु मु ः

Class 26 on 30th November 2020

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तृ ामा ा को ब ाशो मो उ ते ।
भवासंस मा ेण ा तु मु मु ः ॥ १० -४॥
Aṣṭāvakra is highlighting the importance of reducing detachment. In attachment, I
always try to control the object of attachment. (in the name of love and care,
vedānta says this is attachment, not love). In love, one contributes not control.
Since I don’t have control anxiety and stress arise. Directly proportional to the
attachment. The ahankara I is a distressed I. an anxiety ridden I, kidnapped I, sick
I, it is impossible to say ahankara is mithya. When body is sick, I can never say
mano budhyahankāra chittāni nāham…. When you are healthy you never remember
the body. Mithyatva niścayaha requires healthy ahankara. Ahankara is light only
when it is detached. Vairagyam makes it easier to say ahankara is mithy a.
Ahankara mithyātvam is required for sākṣi niścayaha. Only then I can claim I am
the sākṣi. A coup is required for this shift. Do what you can and let go, especially
with family members.
Distressed ahankara is cause of bondage. De-stressed is mokṣā.

मेक ेतनः ो जडं व मस था ।

अव ाप न क ा का बु भु ा तथा प ते ॥ १० -५॥
मेक ेतनः You are one without a second. : once you dismiss ahankara even
Videha mukti is irrelevant, therefore ever free from the body जडं व मस था the
objective universe अ व ा प न क ा that ignorance called maya which is the
cause of this unreal universe is mithya. Don’t even be attached to the knowledge
of universe. Why Bhagawan create? Why did ahankara raise etc? it will just get
more mysterious. Trim your curiosity. Ramana Mahaṛṣi in Saddarśanam says
वधेः य च कोऽ प वाद-
यो योमूलमजानत ा ।
वधेः य च मूलव ु
स ानत नैव व धन य ः ॥ २१॥

You can eternally argue. What is kāraṇam what is kāryam? Ever abide in ātmā. का
बुभु ा तथा प ते intellectual curiosity to probe into anātmā, maya term is used just
for this. बुभु ा -बो ु इ ा बुभु ा

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रा ं सु ताः कल ा ण शर रा ण सु खा न च ।
संस ा प न ा न तव ज न ज न ॥ १० -६॥
Whole universe is maya, intellectually inexplicable, sensorily experienceable. Mayic
universe will keep on unfolding… many unimaginable terrible. Nobody can stop..
go through them, don’t resist, you can never hold onto anything. Don’t attempt,
enjoy their arrival, allow their departure. संस ाप न ान Even a person who
tries his best to hold on to things, they slip off रा ं his/her empire over which
he/she wants to have control, starting with children, you can give inputs if they
are available for listening. There is no assurance. सुताः children कल ा ण wives (a
group of students, therefore wives) शर रा ण bodies (śarīratrayam or śarīrams over
several jenmas) सुखा न च happiness. enjoy every stage of life of the children, enjoy
their struggle for freedom. If you have this philosophy you will enjoy the family
life. Do your best and let go. तव ज न ज न in every jenma this happens.

अलमथन कामेन सु कृ ते ना प कमणा ।

ए ः संसारका ारे न व ा मभू मनः ॥ १० -७॥
Among the four puruṣārthas, first 3 fall within maya, dharma artha (security giving
possessions) kāma (entertainment giving possessions), possessions can be things or
relatives. अल enough, try to get off their jaws, until you depended on them, fine,
now get out ए ः मनः व ा न अभू mind never enjoyed lasting peace because
of any of these three अथन कामेन सुकृतेना प कमणा during ignorance I thought,
once marriage is over problem solved, mind was never relaxed संसारका ारे in the
forest of samsaraha

कृ तं न क त ज ा न कायेन मनसा गरा ।

ःखमायासदं कम तद ा ु पर ता ॥ १०-८॥

In the concluding verse, Aṣṭāvakra says you have struggled throughout life, short
term and long term to master the external factors for lokajayaha, have you ever
succeeded, therefore drop your attempt to control anātmā. क त ज ान for how

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many jenmas कायेन मनसा गरा actions have been done by you ःखमायासदं painful
as well as stressful karmas you never succeeded कम कृतं; तद ा ुपर ता at least
henceforth learn to abide in ātmā, have manojayaha rather than lokajayaha.
Class 27 on 1st December 2020

कृ तं न क त ज ा न कायेन मनसा गरा ।

ःखमायासदं कम तद ा ु पर ता ॥ १०-८॥

Evan after gaining ātmā jñānaṃ, one has to confront anātmā, experienced perceived
universe. Therefore, unless vedānta helps us develop a healthy attitude towards
the world, we won’t derive benefit. Developing objectivity towards the nature of
the world including the body. If I become part of the world, I can never look at
it objectively. This is possible only if I identify with ātmā and look at pañca
anātmā as different my real nature. Phalam is manasaha śānti. In Chapter 11, how
to look at the world objectively (vairagyam) worth reading regularly, to develop a
healthy attitude towards anātmā.

Chapter 11
अ ाव उवाच ॥

भावाभाव वकार भावा द त न यी ।

न वकारो गत े शः सु खेनैवोपशा त ॥ ११ -१॥

When you look at micro level everything appears and disappears, it appears to
be quick at macro level, it appears to take time. But nature of the world is
appearing and disappearing.
अ ादी न भूता न, म ा न भारत ।
अ नधना ेव, त का पिरदेवना ॥ गीता 2-28॥
We accept this with respect to everything, with our own body we found it difficult
to accept. भावाभाव वकार भावा द त accept as nature, anything you hold on, do
it loosely. So that it does not hurt you when it goes away. Mind does not react
to appearance or disappearance then न यी; न वकारो non reacting mind, गत े शः

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there is no worry सुखेनैवोपशा त that mind ever remains relaxed, claiming my
svarūpam becomes easier. Remind yourself in the morning with these shlokas.

ई रः सव नम ता नेहा इ त न यी ।
अ ग लतसव शः शा ः ा प न स ते ॥ ११ -२॥

The world and the events can never be controlled by Me as an individual, world
is governed by a huge set of laws of the universe, only Bhagawan has control. I
can only contribute, I should do the best in every situation. ई रः सव नम ता
Bhagawan alone decides every event in the creation, in this world, nobody as an
individual can decide. Collectivity is called iśvara. नेहा nobody else.. इ त न यी
may you remember this before you start any activity, marriage business etc we are
only contributors. Internally one is free from binding expectations. Keeping the
goal in mind is required for performing the action. अ ग लतसव शः one who is
nirasaha शा ः no worries ा प न स ते that person does not get attached to
anything. 2) I’m only a contributor not controller. 1) things will come and go, I
cannot stop them.

आपदः स दः काले दै वादेवे त न यी ।

तृ ः े यो न ं न वा त न शोच त ॥ ११ -३॥
When situations come and go, they are of two types आपदः स दः adversity and
prosperity काले it is governed by the laws of karma दैवादेवे त that alone decides
न यी;
समोऽहं सवभूतेष,ु न मे े ोऽ न यः ।
ये भज तु म भ ा, म य ते तेषु चा ह ॥ 9-29॥
I don’t want anybody to suffer or enjoy, I’m just distributing their karma phalam.
That’s my duty. Bhagawan is karma phala data. Worry cannot change what is going
to come, worry will spoil today also. Therefore enjoy the present thoroughly. We
also think worry is a form of love. Vedanta says contribution towards their future
but not worry, that is foolishness. Aṣṭāvakra says.. तृ ः you can enjoy your
possessions े यो let all your organs be relaxed, all the time न ं न वा त न
शोच त such a mind does not have expectations with regards to future..

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सु ख ःखे ज मृ ू दैवादेवे त न यी ।
सा ादश नरायासः कु व प न ल ते ॥ ११ -४॥

सुख ःखे ज मृ ू pleasurable and painful conditions at body family level; birth and
death दैवादेवे त will definitely happen according to laws of Karma (Iśvara also;
daivam has both meanings) न यी (iśvara is samaya kāraṇam, karma is vi viśeṣa
karma) , don’t be surprised when situations come. नरायासः free from stress कुव प
न ल ते he is not bound even when he is active in the world सा ादश because
he is not attached to the karma phalam. Here knowledge is not the problem, only
implementation is issue. nididhyāsanam or reminder in the morning is what is
required.

च या जायते ःखं ना थेहे त न यी ।

तया ह नः सु खी शा ः सव ग लत ृ हः ॥ ११ -५॥
च या जायते ःखं worry cannot achieve anything, we don’t know the difference
between planning and worrying. Planning is an action based on my will, at a
particular time. Worry is not at will, but happens by itself.. ना थेहे त worry alone
is the cause of sorrow न यी may you understand तया ह नः once you learn to drop
the worry सुखी शा ः mind is peaceful सव ग लत ृहः with respect to future events
mind has dropped worry attachment.

नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽह म त न यी ।

कैव मव स ा ो न र कृ तं कृ त ॥ ११ -६॥
How come we are very philosophical with others problems and not ours, this is
because we have identified as my body. नाहं देहो the body is not Me, its part of
the world controlled by iśvara न मे देहो the body does not even belong to Me,
belongs to īśvara as per laws of karma बोधोऽह म त I’m the consciousness principle
unrelated to anything, asangha caitanyam न यी if this attitude is there, he has
got Videha mukti here and now, you are not going to claim this body as mine…
कैव मव Videha mukti स ा ो; न र कृतं कृत after things or people go, he
does not live in the past anytime. (past and future Aṣṭāvakra has covered) learning
from past will improve the situation. He does not remember omissions or

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commissions. Neither past nor future disturbs. Healthy attitude towards anātmā,
Ānandā svarūpam can be claimed. Sivoham must be real not chanted mechanically.
Wise handling of the world is vairagyam.

Class 28 on 2nd December 2020

नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽह म त न यी ।

कैव मव स ा ो न र कृ तं कृ त ॥ ११ -६॥
Aṣṭāvakra continues his dialogue. First he spoke about the importance of sanyāsa
ashtama then he realised Janaka is a greater sanyasi. Now he supports Janaka says
jñānaṃ and vairagyam are both very important. In these verses of the 11th chapter,
these are being reinforced. न यी means one who has got the nishcaya jñānaṃ.
बोधोऽह म त I’m the consciousness principle unrelated to anything, asangha
caitanyam. Remember the 5 features of consciousness. This reinforcement is one
component of meditation. 2nd one is न मे देहो the body does not even belong to
Me, belongs to īśvara as per laws of karma. I have no relationship with it, I cannot
even worry about it. Asangha sakṣi avasthānam, I’m mithya mukta, no jīvanmukti
or videhamukti; He does not regret over the past (verse 5) or future (verse 6).

आ पय महमेवे त न यी ।
न वक ः चः शा ः ा ा ा व नवृ तः ॥ ११ -७॥
न यी by conviction a wise man establishes this. आ पय महमेवे त from
Brahma to a small plant like grass, entire universe is “aham eva” , I alone am
appearing as creator with a particular nāma rūpa and appear as created with my
own experience. Exactly the Swapna and me the observer of dream. When I wake
up its easy to accept that there is no dream other than me. A jñāni wakes up to
the jagrat prapanca also this way. With constant nididhyāsanam, he establishes
this. न वक ः I’m without any division, no second thing other than me. In sastra
we speak of two nirvikalpas, I’m divisionless, being my real nature, I don’t have
to work for it. This is what is emphasised in vedānta shastra. Another one is when
the mind resolves all the thoughts, the thoughtless state is nirvikalpaka avastha
which is temporary. Other one is nirvikalpaka swarūpam. A vedantic student does
not give importance to nirvikalpaka avastha. Ātmās silence can never be disturbed

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by mental noise. चः therefore I’m ever pure..शा ः I’m calm and relaxed
ा ा ा व नवृतः with arrival and with non-arrival of objects, people and experiences.
Mind also quietens down automatically.

नाना य मदं व ं न क द त न यी ।
नव सनः ू तमा ो न क दव शा त ॥ ११-८॥
Bangle is nāmarūpa, gold is substance. Weight of nāmarūpa is the same of
substance. It does not have weight of its own, it cannot add to the burden or
pressure. The whole world is nāmarūpa prapanca. Therefore, इदं व ं, the entire
universe, नाना य the pluralistic universe which is the greatest wonder, nothing
can equal īśvara shṛśṭi; न क द त न यी there is no substance called universe.
Scientifically analysing, body is energy or invisible particles in motion. What is
there behind the movie is screen, that is nothing but Myself. I should be
intellectually convinced, through long śravanam and mananam. There is intellectual
conviction is a prerequisite for nididhyāsanam. Get out of two fold habitual
thinking deha ātmātva vāsana and jagat satyatva vāsana. As long as these are there
in subconscious mind, I will have reactions. Reactions are impulsive and thoughtless
coming from sub conscious mind. So I have to change this habitual thinking.
नव सनः ू तमा ो pure consciousness, the vāsanas are addressed by a jñāni, न
क दव for this jñāni, the world is experienced as mithya, as good as non existent
शा त therefore his mind is always calm, although he does not focus on mental
peace.

Chapter 12

जनक उवाच ॥

कायकृ ासहः पू व ततो वा रासहः ।

अथ च ासह ा एवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -१॥
Hey Aṣṭāvakra, my life is exactly as you described in spite of my being a gṛhastha
and an emperor. I’m perfectly with peace all the time. Karma and karma phalam
are not a burden to me. Karma should first become burdenless like a hobby. Karma
phalam also. No anxiety (future karma phalam) or regret or frustration (past karma)

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कायकृ ासहः I know more carry my physical activities as a burden, I don’t carry
as a burden. वा रासहः vacikam karma is no more burden. No more struggles
अथ च ा असहः in thought, manasa karma. I don’t have burden, their phalam
also, in yogasastra they work for thoughtlessness, vedāntin never looks upon
thought as a burden. Mind may go through conditions because of prārabdha. पूव
तत:; No condition will stay permanently, tell this will also pass away. त ा this
way I abide in my unaffected svarūpam. एवमेवाहमा तः
Class 29 on 3rd December 2020

कायकृ ासहः पू व ततो वा रासहः ।

अथ च ासह ा एवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -१॥
All dharmic activities aligned to the duties of the ahankara are fine. A jñāni never
creates disharmony by not doing any of these. He understands these are just
veṣams that I put on. In initial stages of sadhana we focus on ahankara, therefore
focus is on aśramas. Initially we focus on refining the ahankara. Sadhanacatuṣṭayam
belonging to ahankara. Then ahankara does śravanam mananam and then
nididhyāsanam as a dhyāta ahankara. Finally become jñāni ahankara. Jñāni status
belongs to ahankara. Knower is pramāta. Initially I pay lot of attention to
ahankara, and then become jñāna nishtā. Then I realise this ahankara I’m not,
only cleaned ahankara can be renounced, uncleaned ahankara can never be
renounced.
Let the ahankara be active or inactive. Kartṛtva tyagaha is essence of verse 1.
This is superior to karma sanyāsa.
कम कम यः प े , अकम ण च कम यः ।
स बु मा नु ेष,ु स यु ः कृ कमकृ ॥ गीता 4.18॥
नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गीता 5- 8॥

ी भावेन श ादेर ेन चा नः ।
व ेपैका दय एवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -२॥
A person may ask, Hey Janaka, if you are involved in your activities, how can you
find mind for ātmā dhyānam, meditation? You have to drop karmas to find time.
Janaka says why should I meditate? People may say withdrawing from anātmā and
focussing on ātmā. He says I don’t need this, I’m not attracted by any object, if

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I’m attached then I have to drag my mind from them. I know they are all mithya
nāma rūpa prapañcam. Why should I focus mind on ātmā? Even that is not
required, I don’t need to focus my mind like other upāsakas who are concentrating
on various objects. That Ātmā happens to be myself. I ever remain relaxed. No
withdrawal or focussing required. I always abide in myself the ātmā allowing
ahankara to do whatever it has to do. ी त means attachment श आदेः refers to
sound etc (sparśa, rūpa etc) all sense objects ी भावेन I’m not attached, no raga
dveṣa अ ेन चा नः ātmā is not an object to be focused upon, ātmā will never
come or go, I’m व ेपैका दय I have a mind free from distractions of anātmā or
requirements of focussing on ātmā. एवमेवाहमा तः I don’t practise meditation, I
just remain as I am allowing the ahankara to go through the prārabdha. Without
judgement and reaction I sallow it to go through, no eager ness even for Videha
mukti, I know ahankara is mithya, not bothered about the exhaustion of prārabdha.
Śankara bhāṣyams heavily lean on sanyāsa, balance with such texts.

समा ासा द व ौ वहारः समाधये ।

एवं वलो नयममेवमे वाहमा तः ॥ १२ -३॥ ।
The practice of meditation is required when there is extrovertedness.
समा ासा द व ौ intense identification with body mind complex and its
consequences; powerful ahankara is generated, individuality associated with
different roles. However great I may be, I can never control other people’s
happiness/sorrow. Everyone has to handle by himself or herself. I have a
responsibility to do my duty towards others. I will handle my happiness and
sorrow. We should learn to live with some people in the family. I cannot control
their happiness or sorrow. If the mind is distracted by the worry of others, वहारः
effort or practice is required समाधये for meditation (Janaka does not worry about
others) एवं नयमं वलो understanding this basic rule, I’m free from adhyāsa,
ahankara, mamakāra and worry, I don’t have to quieten the mind, having
understood this, एवमेवाहमा तः I abide in my ānanda svarūpam. Many family
members think that only if we worry we love them. A jñāni knows love and care
express in the form of doing whatever has to be done. Worry is an solid expression
of ignorance. In Page 74 chapter 11 verse 5
च या जायते ःखं ना थेहे त न यी ।

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 तया ह नः सुखी शा ः सव ग लत ृहः ॥ ११-५॥
worry will never improve the mind and make it useless for any worthwhile pursuit.
Janaka says I’m in sahaja samadhi.

हेयोपादेय वरहा एवं हष वषादयोः ।

अभावाद हे एवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -४॥
हेयोपादेय वरहा I don’t look upon anything in the creation to be given up or
acquired, only when I look upon the object as a source of joy or sorrow, I will try
looking for the sources. I’m the source of joy as well as sorrow. Understood I is a
source of joy, misunderstood I is a source of sorrow. एवं हष वषादयोः ।
अभावाद I don’t have ecstasy when things come, no despondency when they go
away हे एवमेवाहमा तः just enjoy the happenings, Janaka is addressing
Aṣṭāvakra as jñāni, he brahman, in this manner I abide in my higher nature. He
looks upon his own ahankara as going through ups and downs caused by prārabdha.
He is neither ecstatic not despondent depending on his health. Anātmāgoes
through unpredictable uncontrollable situations. Now Janaka asks should I be taking
up sanyāsa?

Class 30 on 4th December 2020

हेयोपादेय वरहा एवं हष वषादयोः ।

अभावाद हे एवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -४॥
We generally speak of mind based liberation which is actually gauna mukti which
improves quality of life. Through śravanam mananam and nididhyāsanam, mind is
further refined and ultimately nididhyāsanam removes/dilutes all vāsanas. We also
saw gradations in this. This gradual improvement is jīvanmukti. Mind’s ultimate
merger into Iśvara is called Videha mukti. Many seekers are obsessed with this
kind of mukti, constantly working on improving the mind. After practicing
jīvanmukti for some time, one has to change the very method of nididhyāsanam.
From mind centered to ātmā centered, then liberation is no more a gradual process
ātmā happens to be ever refined. Everything inclusive of ātmā is mithya. Primary
liberation is claiming I’m nitya mukta svarūpam nothing to do with mind or world.
Once I practice ātmā centered nididhyāsanam, I don’t need to practice mind

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centered meditation. jīvanmukti and videhamukti are byproducts, I focus on
nityamukti.

आ माना मं ानं च ीकृ तवज न ।

वक ं मम वी ैतैरेवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -५॥
I’m no more interested in any particular aśrama as each of them is involved with
sadhana. Different processes of liberation. I’m not interested in any of these, for
me liberation is no longer a result of any process, it’s a fact for me. These
sadhanas are distractions for me, kāyika, vācaka or mānasa karma. आ माना मं
very stages of life or absence of these, do not matter. All entries and exits into
aśramas are just rituals, it does not matter to me. ानं I am no longer interested
in replacement of one set of thoughts by another set of thoughts च ीकृतवजन
I’m not interested in avoidance or elimination of thoughts centred on any particular
object, they are all conditions of mithya mind. एतैः मम वक ं I don’t want to
be an eternal seeker, I don’t want distraction by being a sādhaka, being a sādhaka
is denial of liberation, I’m a siddhaha वी ैतर
ै े वमेवाहमा तः I may enjoy meditation
as ever free person, will not meditate for liberation. This is how I lead my life as
nityamuktaha

कम नु ानम ाना यथै वोपरम था ।

बु ा स गदं त मेवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -६॥
Primary liberation spoken about here which is different from secondary liberation.
A time should come when we focusses on nitya mukti. This is the best book, it’s
a special book focussing on nitya mukta. Janaka says karma sanyāsa is not done
by jñāni, one who takes sanyāsa is ajñāni. Idea of renouncing comes only when
you have an idea you have karma. Such a person is looking at himself as karta.
कम नु ानम ाना performance of karma is also because of ignorance, renunciation
is also based on ignorance. Since I’m a nitya sanyasi, having understood this,
कम कम यः प े , अकम ण च कम यः ।
स बु मा नु ेष,ु स यु ः कृ कमकृ ॥ गीता 4.18॥
activities belong to anātmā. यथैवोपरम था ; बु ा स गदं no craving for either of
the aśrama त मेवमेवाहमा तः I’m ever liberated

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अच ं च मानोऽ प च ा पं भज सौ ।
ा त ावनं त ा एवमेवाहमा तः ॥ १२ -७॥
Meditation is considered to be a great sadhana, when this ātmā is meditated upon,
real ātmā is will come one day. Many sādhakas think this way. Nityam describes
Me, nirgunam is myself. Ātmā is myself अ च ं च मानोऽ प च ा पं भज सौ ;
ा त ावनं I have given up this idea of meditating, dhyānam, nididhyāsanam
त ा एवमेवाहमा तः I remain in this awareness. Activities cannot threaten
knowledge. This is the way I lead my life.

एवमेव कृ तं येन स कृ ताथ भवेदसौ ।

एवमेव भावो यः स कृ ताथ भवेदसौ ॥ १२ -८॥
Generally in the beginning stages we only speak of mind centred liberation. Kama
krodha etc must go, we say practise meditation etc. upto a particular stage jivan
mukti and Videha mukti are focussed. Anger must be reduced significantly, like a
plane has to go on runway of śravanam, mananam, nididhyāsanam, mind
refinement etc. A appropriate time we enter ātmā centred liberation. एवमेव कृतं
one who practises mind centred and then ātmā centred liberation will learn to
claim nitya mukti, jīvanmukti and Videha mukti are only by products येन स कृताथ
भवेदसौ this person does not bother about rebirth, he is ever fulfilled. Initially I
have to deliberately claim I’m free as for years I have been oriented towards I
have to get mokṣā. एवमेव भावो Nitya muktitvam will become my second nature.
This thought need not be deliberately entertained, it is there in my mind all the
time. It is in my subconscious mind. यः स कृताथ भवेदसौ I’m ever fulfilled,
Aṣṭāvakra do I need sanyāsa at all? It does not matter at all.
Class 31 on 5th December 2020

Chapter 13
जनक उवाच ॥

अ क नभवं ा ं कौपीन ेऽ प लभ ।
ागादाने वहाया ादहमासे यथासु ख ॥ १३-१॥
Janaka continues his observations and continues to speak about sanyāsa. Two types
of sanyāsa talked about, atyantika sanyāsa and 2nd is karma janya sanyāsa ritualistic

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sanyāsa. Janaka looks at this as relative sanyāsa. Janaka feels absolute sanyāsa
alone is real. Inner peace and comfort born out of absolute renunciation is rarest
born only out of knowledge. अ क नभवं I the ātmā have no possessions to renounce.
This can come from two types of knowledge. When there is no second thing,
where is the question of my possessing anything? Everything is possessed by Lord
alone (including my body), I cannot claim anything. Therefore everything is mithya,
or everything belongs to Bhagawan, I don’t possess anything. This knowledge is
न व ते क न य सः – अ क न ; भव means born out of this knowledge
ा ं there is inner peace and comfort. No fear of losing anything. When a person
takes to sanyāsa aśram, yes he may distribute everything, at least he possesses
कौपीन ेऽ प लभ minimum dress, rudrakṣa mala, hut books etc, a jñāni does
not have mamakāra in anything. He may live in palace, even if it goes away, its
ok. कौपीन refers to aśrama sanyāsa. ागादाने वहाय I have given up ownership
with regard to anything in life. Even children. They have come to this world
through me. इदं न मम we say that after every ritual to remind ourselves.
अ ादहमासे यथासुख I comfortably remain in life, you can take away health
prestige wealth anybody. Mental sanyāsa to lose everything losable.

कु ा प खेदः काय ज ा कु ा प खे ते ।
मनः कु ा प त ा पु षाथ तः सु ख ॥ १३-२॥
Janaka says not only have I given up mamakāra includes relationship, love and
affection from people, when we stop working that respect will go. Every human
being should know all of them are losable. Better be prepared. Vedānta is required
to strengthen the mind… our own children inclusive. Mental strength is important
to lose the losable. Karmas also are losable. Real renunciation is being mentally
prepared to lose the 3 types of karmas, kāyika karma (may be nitya pooja), mānasa
karma (meditation etc), vacika (japa, parāyanam etc) karma. I will be involved in
noble activities, but am not attached to it.
नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गीता 5-8॥
Leave mamakāra in everything inclusive of karmas. कु ा प खेदः काय in certain
cases sorrow comes from attachment to kāyika karma, I do those karmas regularly,
any addiction is a problem. ज ा कु ा प खे ते sometimes a person experiences

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sorrow and worry, including regular speech. मनः कु ा प sometimes there is
disturbance due to mānasa karma too. Sometimes even though we don’t lose
anything up to 95 years, but the imaginary loss creates problems. त ा पु षाथ
तः सुख . Having given up that, abide in mokṣā puruṣārthas, I deliberately avoid
thinking about future possibility of body going through difficulty.

कृ तं कम प नैव ा इत स त तः ।
यदा य तु माया त त कृ ासे यथासु ख ॥ १३-३॥
Janaka says even though I don’t want to have mamakāra, in kāyika vacika mānasa
karma, whatever actions should be done, as duties to the body, I perform. Old
people, children taking care, earning money, all role playing will be done perfectly.
In and through I remember they are all veshams. Body mind complex is vesham.
All these are returnable to Bhagawan. I have paid prarabha for this. Role playing
a jñāni will do as per the aśrama. कृतं कम प every action done at anātmālevel
त तः नैव ा that action really do not belong to me , very body mind complex
costume has these actions not Me. They never belong to Me.
कृतेः यमाणा न, गुणैः कम ण सवशः ।
अह ार वमूढा ा, कत ह म त म ते ॥ गीता 3-27॥
त व ु महाबाहो, गुणकम वभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वत े, इ त म ा न स ते ॥ गीता 3-28॥
An actor who takes the role as real is वमूढा ा, who takes role as role is त वत
; इत स त कृ ा, I do all that’s required for the role. Worry is indication
of mamakāra in the karma. Smile will never come, body language indicates if life
is a play. Janaka says, for me life is sport..I’m ever peaceful and happy.. यदा
य तुमाया त अह आसे यथासुख

कमनै नब भावा देह यो गनः ।

संयोगायोग वरहादहमासे यथासुख ॥ १३-४॥
I’m nether obsessed with karma or karma tyāga. One who is obsessed with karma
looks upon himself as karta and wants to be associated with karma. Even the idea
pf renunciation of karma is born out of ignorance. I’m indirectly accepting I have
karma to renounce. That idea is also born out of ignorance. कमनै नब भावा
those who are obsessed with karma and renunciation of karma देह यो गनः they

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are seekers identified with the body. They are ignorant. Even if they renounce
karma at body level, even then the renunciation is only relative renunciation. But
sanyāsa aśrama related activities are there. So many sanyasis are obsessed with
the sanyāsa aśrama related activities. That creates tension and worry. Both are
worries only, gṛhastha or sanyasi संयोगायोग वरहाद अह आसे यथासुख

Class 32 on 6th December 2020

कमनै नब भावा देह यो गनः ।

संयोगायोग वरहादहमासे यथासु ख ॥ १३-४॥
Vedantic study, conviction and shifting our mindset to ātmā are all difficult. My
attachment to one or more anātmā indicates the significance I place on anātmā.
Aversion also indicates. I look upon all of them as satyam. Through these 3, I
know they are significant in my life. This is the first stage of vedānta, all these
must become insignificant. Only if my mind removes the significance of anātmā,
and be occupied with ātmā tatvam predominantly. Ātmā vismaranam, I should
strongly dislike. When I lose sight of reality and insignificant world impacts me I
should be disturbed. Only if the shift to ātmā happens, I’m said to be jñāna niṣtā.
Typical example we get here is Janaka is declaring such a state of mind. He has
switched the significance table. Only ignorant people look at themselves as
individuals. They have abhimāna in the body. Body has got two states possible,
active and inactive state. When body becomes significant, karma and karma tyāga
become significant. कमनै नब भावा For a real jñani both are insignificant.
In my vision, there is no body at all, there is only ātmā. Through long effort he
has switched over. संयोगायोग वरहाद I don’t have any sambanda with any karma, I
don’t have problem with renouncing them as well. अह आसे यथासुख I abide in
the myself comfortable, whatever action is taking place is a drama in my vision.
For others it may be important.
तदेकोऽव श ः शवः केवलोऽह
अथ नथ न मे ा ग ा न शयनेन वा ।
त ग प त ादहमासे यथासु ख ॥ १३-५॥
Therefore, Janaka says I look upon all these as costume exactly like an actor. An
actor is careful while playing the role, I play the role extremely well, but it’s not

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a preoccupation. अथ नथ न I never see any gain or loss. मे ा by remaining
in one place or another place ग ा न movement शयनेन वा or if I’m immobile त
stays in one place ग moving प let the body lie down त ादहमासे यथासुख
Janaka says none of these impact me, I the ātmā continues to be sat cit Ānandā.
I comfortable abide in my svarūpam. (therefore- since I’ve nothing to gain or lose)

पतो ना मे हा नः स य वतो न वा ।
नाशो ासौ वहाया दहमासे यथासु ख ॥ १३-६॥
पतो ना if I remain without action मे हा नः I will not miss anything.
अ े ा सवभूतान , मै ः क ण एव च ।
नममो नरह ारः, सम ःखसुखः मी ॥ 12-13॥
स य वतो when I’m engaged in action, it’s not because I’m going to get anything,
नैव त कृतेनाथः, नाकृतेनेह क न ।
न चा सवभूतेष,ु क दथ पा यः ॥ 3-18॥
When I do something for getting something, there is stress, otherwise no worry
or anxiety, its līla. Worry is the indication. न वा । नाशो ासौ वहाय mind does not
go through extreme states whatever be the results, before and after results,
whatever it is. A sense of loss is not there, if the results are not as expected.
There is no elation as well. अ दहमासे यथासुख I’m equanimous poise comfortable,
at home with myself. Because of this reason, I have nothing to lose or gain.

सु खा द पा नयमं भावे ालो भू िरशः ।

भा भे वहाया ादहमासे यथासु ख ॥ १३-७॥
Nobody can say what’s the cause of happiness or unhappiness at anātmālevel. Even
rich people are not happy so you can’t say money is not a reason for happiness
or unhappiness. सुखा द पा नयमं the rules of happiness or unhappiness
भावे ालो भूिरशः having seen that , I never tag any condition as favourable or
unfavourable. No more judgemental about what should happen in the future.
भा भे वहाया ादहमासे यथासुख I comfortable remain with or without people. I
enjoy company as well as seclusion.
Class 33 on 7th December 2020

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Chapter 14

A jñāni is free from ahankara and mamakāra and result is equanimity or poise. In
vedānta sastra ahankara means identifying with body mind complex. Once the
ahankara, everything associated with the ahankara will come. Mamakāra with
respect to family will come. These two are looked upon as the cause for samsara.
Therefore, these two have to be addressed. Any news item does not impact us as
it is beyond aham mama. It becomes an event causing scars/impact if it is within
aham mama. So if you dilute ahankara and mamakāra, every event will be just
news and will disappear without scarring. I in the body, mine in the family, this
circle has to be wiped out. How it must disappear is your choice? One method is,
in Karma yoga they say handover the body and family to Iśvara. तन मन धन सब
कुछ तेरा. From bottom of the heart, I should be able to say that. 2nd method is
through wiping out aham and mama by discovering asangha caitanyam, In
नव णष
न मृ ुन श ा न मे जा तभेदः पता नैव मे नैव माता न ज ।
न ब ुन म ं गु नव श दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ ५॥
Bhakti is first-aid, jñānaṃ is final stage. I’m in the family but not of the family,
Janaka says.

जनक उवाच ॥
कृ ा च ो यः मादा भावभावनः ।
न तो बो धत इव ीणसं रणो ह सः ॥ १४ -१॥
कृ ा च ो यः wise person is one whose mind is not disturbed by thoughts.
They are both bhāram, it is a news item. It is his nature. He should have practised
śravanam mananam nididhyāsanam. In karmas too…इदं न मम.. तु महं सं दते. I
offer everything to you, they are not mine. The wife offers water too. मादा
भावभावनः I think of everything in the creation very casually without any worry or
anxiety. It does not create a deep anxiety or tension. न तो बो धत इव Perceiving
the world, he is as though in sleep, worries do not wake up as aham and mama
are absent. ीणसं रणो ह सः

धना न म ाण मे वषयद वः ।

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 शा ं च व ानं यदा मे ग लता ृ हा ॥ १४ -२॥
Here Janaka says what a clarity he must have, he boldly declares. मे ग लता ृहा
for me ahankara and mamakāra have fallen off, I do not have obsession, worry
about anything. I’m not disturbed by them. Just as a waker dismisses the entire
dream world as mithya. धना न where is that wealth which till now I claimed
as mine, I’m a trustee who carefully handles and spends the wealth, I’m a trustee…
म ा ण there are friends and relatives…I don’t want to develop emotional
dependence. My security comes from either Lord within or I do not need security
as I the ātmā am security. God dependence or self-dependence is final solution. I
don’t want to depend on anybody. मे वषयद वः I don’t have anymore enemies
in the form of sense objects. Sense objects rob my peace of mind by creating raga
and dveṣa. once I develop attachment or dveṣa, I empower the object to disturb
me. शा ं scriptures: vedantic seeker comes to scriptures after renouncing
everything, even Guru may go away but shastra he holds on to, that can become
a bondage, that can cause a bondage. Books generally go away and do not come
back. Even shastra is a padārtha for me.
न शा ा न शा ं न श ो न श ा
न च ं न चाहं न चायं प ः ।
पावबोधो वक ास ह ुः
तदेकोऽव श ः शवः केवलोऽह ॥ ७॥
In dāsaśloki. च व ानं यदा what about jñānaṃ? That’s a thought that arises in
the mind of the student. After removal of ignorance that also becomes irrelevant.
That also is mithya.

व ाते सा पु षे परमा न चे रे ।
नैरा े ब मो े च न च ा मु ये मम ॥ १४ -३॥
Janaka revels in declaring his freedom. व ाते सा पु षे परमा न चे रे I have
clearly understood the sakṣi. नैरा े ब मो े from sakṣi stand point bandha and
bandha mukti are both mithya, so I have no craving for liberation. Like running
away from dream tiger and being free. Similarly I wake up to understand that I
never have bondage that requires freedom. Through knowledge I understand I don’t
require freedom, no more anxiety about mokṣā. च न च ा मु ये मम no anxiety..

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अ वक ब हः चािरणः ।
ा ेव दशा ा ा ा शा एव जानते ॥ १४ -४॥
My entire life is sport and fun, I don’t need any means and end in life. No strict
binding plan or agenda in life. अ वक fee from conflicts and choices in
life. ब हः चािरणः I freely move about, without any sankalpa. ा ेव
दशा ा ा ा शा एव जानते For worldly people this wise person looks like
bhranthaha a madman. He goes through various motions of life, only another jñāni
will understand his state of mind.

Class 34 on 8th December 2020

Chapter 15

अ ाव उवाच ॥

यथातथोपदेशेन कृ ताथ ः स बु मा ।
आजीवम प ज ासु ः पर वमु त ॥ १५ -१॥
Internal freedom from worry is jivan mukti experience. Janaka spoke in Chapter
14. Janaka claimed his jivan mukti status. Aṣṭāvakra has nothing to do, therefore
he can only share his knowledge. He admires Janaka and the vedānta teachings.
स बु मा यथातथोपदेशेन कृताथः A person who has prepared the mind before
coming to vedānta benefits maximum. Everything belongs to the Lord, I cannot
claim anything as mine. He has practised that during bhakti itself. Referred here
as स बु मा .
ैगु वषया वेदाः, न ैगु ो भवाजुन ।
न ो न स ः, नय ग ेम आ वा ॥ 2-45॥
such an Adhikari कृताथः bhavati, vedānta blesses him. He does not require long
teaching. यथातथोपदेशेन simple and limited teaching. पर:, On the other hand,
आजीवम प ज ासुः un prepared student he may study vedānta life long वमु त ,
no benefits, worries will continue, he continues to be uncertain. He is waiting for
some mystic experience. Aham mama abhimāna tyaaga is missing.

मो ो वषयवैर ं ब ो वैष यको रसः ।

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एतावदेव व ानं यथे स तथा कु ॥ १५-२॥
Raga dveṣa cannot be totally avoided, but you must remember that these can be
used to choose the action as a karta, as a bhokta when I’m experiencing karma
phalam, I should accept whatever prārabhdha gives, (raga dveṣa renunciation)
वैष यको रसः ब : raga dveṣa with regards to various experiences as a bhokta is
bandhaha. As a jñāni I don’t ask if I like or dislike. वषयवैर ं मो : accepting
without likes or dislikes is mokṣa. एतावदेव व ानं this much alone is the essence
of vedantic teaching. Aham brahmasmi is the knowledge that must get converted
into raga dveṣa sanyāsa. I don’t get disturbed by their arrival. I should never ask
why am I still living? whether body is useful or useless, longevity does not depend
on this. It depends on prārabdha. यथे स तथा कु once you have attained this
jīvanmukti do whatever you want.

वा ा ामहो ोगं जनं मू कजडालस ।

करो त त बोधोऽयमत ो बु भु भः ॥ १५ -३॥
Here Aṣṭāvakra says ātmā jñānaṃ is so powerful, that it will bring about
transformations in the person. वा - a talkative person will change into a quiet
person मूक. First misconception is trying and change family members. Even
mahātmās declare that they tried to change the world. Second is by changing the
world we will get happiness. World is neither source of sorrow or happiness.
Misunderstood I is cause of sorrow. Most talking in this world are dependent on
these two. Talk will come down. ा : to जड: scholarship with respect to apara
vidhyāmaterial sciences. जड: he will become ignorant with regard to material
sciences. Next at physical kāyika level. Because of his misconception that physical
set up can be changed, he was driven by desires, better dress, home, work etc.
amount of income required made us active. After vedānta, this has gone. We do
require some clothes, home but need not work hard to get too many things.
Therefore activity will come down. महो ोग: workaholism (18 hour working, stress,
lower back pain will come down) अलस – becomes quiet (not literal meaning -
lazy). Therefore many materialistic people are not interested in spiritualism. अतः
बुभु भः let go of vedānta करो त त बोधोऽयमत ो

न ं देहो न ते देहो भो ा कत न वा भवा ।

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च ूपोऽ स सदा सा ी नरपे ः सु खं चर ॥ १५ -४॥
Previously in verse 2 Aṣṭāvakra spoke of giving up mamakāra abhimāna, even idea
of name fame status prestige. Even these have to be reduced. In verse 4, our own
body is spoken about. You have to practice long meditation; it does not have any
specific status. न ं देहो न ते देहो भो ा कत न वा भवा Bhagawan as per law of
karma will do as required, may you learn to take the body out of I, put it in the
world and see it as other external object. Performing duty to body wont increase
abhimāna. You are not the body but observer of the body, you are deho not deha.
देह न मव ोऽयं, देहे सव भारत ।
त ा व ण भूता न, न ं शो चतुमह स ॥ गीता 2-30॥
You are the observer of the deha. Neither body deserves ahankara or mamakāra.
I’m asangha ātmā. No relationship with any anātmā. Stop your worry about your
body.
class 35 on 9th December 2020

न ं देहो न ते देहो भो ा कत न वा भवा ।

च ूपोऽ स सदा सा ी नरपे ः सु खं चर ॥ १५ -४॥

च प
ू ोऽ स सदा सा ी you are of the nature of witness consciousness, you witness
body mind and through them you witness the world. During śravanam you learn
this, then in mananam you dwell on these teachings. Body is neither me nor mine.
Just like akāśa can never be related to anything. The body does not belong to me
therefore it must belong to Bhagawan. Date and mode of death is depending on
laws of karma. Adṛṣṭam means I do not know. What I have to do and what
bhagawan will do, I must clearly demarcate. न ं देहो न ते देहो is mananam.
Worrying about future is entering into Bhagawan’s territory. Bhagawan will give
punishment for worrying about future, samsara. नरपे ः सुखं चर cut off all viparīta
bhavana in form of worry about the future. More I worry I neutralise the benefit
got from vedānta. Nididhyāsanam is deliberately eliminating the habit of worry.
च प
ू ोऽ स सदा सा ी I gather in śravanam . न ं देहो न ते देहो to be dwelt upon
during mananam नरपे ः सुखं चर during nididhyāsanam, deliberately cutting off
worries.
Shubhaa shubhaabhyaam;;; Paurushena prayatnena..(16th minute)

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Same is true with regard to mind also, the rule we applied to body. Mind is also
neither me nor mine. Bhagawan has created the mind out of karana śarīram.
Whatever I have to do to keep mind fit, I have to do. Worry elimination is an
important duty. Whether I will get Videha mukti or not. We are unique that we
worry abut the mind after becoming vedantic student. You are not the mind, the
mind does not belong to you also. Do your best and stop worrying.

राग ेषौ मनोधम न मन े कदाचन ।

न वक ोऽ स बोधा ा न वकारः सु खं चर ॥ १५ -५॥
बोधा ा I’m caitanya svarūpam, न वक ोऽ स without division न वकारः drop your
worry. Arrival of worry is not in our control, its perpetuation is dependent on my
support. सुखं चर once worry is gone, mind is light. राग ेषौ मनोधम न मन े कदाचन
।

सवभू तेषु चा ानं सव भू ता न चा न ।

व ाय नरह ारो नमम ं सु खी भव ॥ १५-६॥
सवभूतष
े ु चा ानं May you discern the ātmā as I the caitanyam in all the beings.
You can never experience the all pervasiveness of consciousness. You can only
know not experience. सवभूता न चा न may you see the reverse also, really speaking
all beings are in consciousness. First, I say space is there in stomach hall etc,
then I say al of them are in one indivisible space. First is called immanent nature
second is called transcendental nature. This body cannot claim any privilege. व ाय
and having understood these facts as facts नरह ारो नमम ं भव may you drop all
claims of ownership towards the body mind, ahankara and mamakāra (referred as
abhimāna). Abhimāna tyaga means chinta parityaagaha. सुखी भव – may you be
happy

व ं ु र त य ेदं तर ा इव सागरे ।
त मेव न स ेह ूत व रो भव ॥ १५ -७॥
Meditation of totality repeated here. व ं ु र त य ेदं in the all-pervading space
like consciousness. (varieties of preparatory meditations are prescribed, space is
one such prescribed meditation, they have common features.) which is all
pervading, the whole cosmos is like a bubble. We have a rare biryh and our life

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span is getting shorter and shorter. I have to prepare from तर ा इव सागरे all
the 14 lokas are like small waves in an ocean like ātmā. त मेव you are the ocean
of consciousness, not the decaying body or mind.न स ेह: no doubt about that.
व रो भव be without mental worry (jvaram), with nidididhyasanam crocin. Hey
च ूत!

तात ना मोऽहं कु भोः ।

ान पो भगवाना ा ं कृ तेः परः ॥ १५ -८॥
May you have faith in me. I’m saying only for your good.. I’m not promising
after death. You can see the benefit here and now. Enjoy vedānta through
śravanam, give up abhimāna through mananam. Give up worries through
nididhyāsanam. तात oh child! Have faith and try it out sincerely
repeat ना मोऽहं कु भोः may you not have delusion or confusion. Worrying is
not a duty. ान पो . You are the ātmā of the nature of caitanyam. भगवाना ा
only when I see the responsibility of Bhagawan (as ātmā), I will not have worries
ं कृतेः परः you are beyond prakruti (the whole observed world).
Class 36 on 10th December 2020

गु णैः संवे तो देह ाया त या त च ।

आ ा न ग ा नाग ा कमेनमनु शोच स ॥ १५ -९॥
Aṣṭāvakra says entire prakṛti is made of 3 gunas. All events happen in changing
prakṛti. Every event happens only in prakṛti. Event itself is a change. These are
governed by laws of karma (micro and macro level). Infinite number of laws govern
the prakṛti. Puruṣaha or ātmā caitanyam is governed by only one law which is it
is beyond all the laws of prakṛti. For enjoying the benefit of brighter side of any
law you have to pay the price of darker side of that law. You have to see both
sides. This is known as pratipakṣa bhāvana. Growing is a long process, therefore
going is also a slow process. May you practice pratipakṣa bhāvana when you
confront prakṛti. गुणैः संवे तो देह ाया त या त च born is gone, continuously
represented by Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. When one generation is going, the other
generation is arriving, see both आ ा न ग ा ātmā is not subject to arrival or
नाग ा departure कमेनमनुशोच स what are you grieving for? Life of a jñāni is
window shopping.

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देह तु क ा ं ग ैव वा पु नः ।
वृ ः च वा हा न व च ा पणः ॥ १५ -१०॥
देह तु क ा ं if you have not purchased the body (not identifying with the
body), then you don’t have to worry about old age disease etc. worry is directly
proportional to every enjoyment I had. Give back the body to the shop (Bhagawan),
le it remain there for one kalpa, Bhagawan will take care. ग व
ै वा let the
shelf-life of the body be short or long, its shopkeeper’s (Bhagawan’s) headache..पुनः
वृ ः च वा हा न: ..you are only a window shopper तव च ा पणः caitanya
svarūpam

न महा ोधौ व वी चः भावतः ।

उदेतु वा मायातु न ते वृ न वा तः ॥ १५ -११॥
न महा ोधौ if you have decided not to identify or have abhimāna, व वी चः
भावतः उदेतु according to law of prakṛti, its going to arrive and depart. Because
of its svabhava, body arrives and goes. Creation also, even Bhagawan can’t stop
prakṛti from forming and disappearing. वा मायातु let it dissolve, that also nobody
can stop अन महा ोधौ, in the ocean of consciousness You, this process will
continue… न ते वृ न वा तः .no increase or decrease when waves come or go.

तात च ा पोऽ स न ते भ मदं जग ।

अतः क कथं कु हेयोपादेयक ना ॥ १५ -१२॥
Highest principle of vedānta: this unstoppable universe does not exist separate
from You. Exactly like the dream universe not being separate from the waker. तात
च ा पोऽ स if you raise your level and see from the stand point of cinmatra
roopa, न ते भ मदं जग this universe is not separate from you हेयोपादेयक ना no
question of acquiring or losing anything. अतः क कथं कु both ideas how is it
possible? Where is it possible? As waves are never different from ocean.

एक ये शा े चदाकाशेऽमले य ।
कु तो ज कु तो कम कु तोऽह ार एव च ॥ १५ -१३॥

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एक ये शा े चदाकाशे when you look from standpoint of ātmā, which is non
dual, consciousness, undisturbed, ever pure and which is you yourself. अमले य
कुतो ज कुतो कम where is the question of janma karma कुतोऽह ार or ahankara
एव च some people do not like mokṣa as it destroys myself.. that’s why people
prefer Vaikunṭa. For them, we say you are immortal ātmā, ahankara only gets
Videha mukti, you don’t have to worry about disappearance. Here Aṣṭāvakra is
talking of eternity of ātmā.

य ं प स त ैक मे व तभाससे ।
कं पृ थ भासते ण कटका दनू पु र ॥ १५-१४॥
Aṣṭāvakra says learn to look at mokṣā from ātmā standpoint, there is no question
of destruction of ahankara required. Because ahankara needs to go through
prārabhdha. Many jñānis wait for this. Therefore instead of waiting for ahankara
destruction, learn to look at ātmā and no ahankara at all. From higher You, there
is no ahankara. य ं प स त ैक मेव तभाससे whatever you see, its like
reflections in mirror, they are not different from me the observer. कं पृथ भासते
ण कटका दनूपर
ु you the water alone are appearing as wave and ocean. Here
example is bangle, an armlet, an anklet they are just namarūpas of gold. Whole
creation is nāmarūpa of one stuff called ātmā that’s yourself. पृथ भासते कं do
they appear different?

अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं वभाग म त स ज ।

सवमा ेत न नःस ः सु खी भव ॥ १५ -१५॥
Therefore the only solution is having the two-tier vision for the sake of transaction.
Karmakanda stresses appropriate transactions. अयं सोऽहमयं This body is so and so,
father mother etc, this body is myself and नाहं this person I’m not वभाग म त for
transactions we need to maintain the differences स ज lighten all these divisions
by enlightenment, convert them into nāmarūpa. Give them up when you find life
to be a burden. सवमा े त न नःस ः free from all burdensome thoughts,
सुखी भव be comfortable..

Class 37 on 11th December 2020

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अयं सोऽहमयं नाहं वभाग म त स ज ।
सवमा ेत न नःस ः सु खी भव ॥ १५ -१५॥
What occupies our mind affects us more than what actually exists in the world .
Suppose an astrologer goes to a wealthy person and says your coming dasa is bad,
you will lose all wealth. This person’s mind works on the future poverty. Even
though poverty is future possibility, his mind is pre-occupied with fictitious poverty.
Now conflict is between current riches versus a possible poverty. Poverty may or
may not happen. Sometimes an actually non-existent thing occupies our mind.
Like people requesting that Harry Potter must not be killed in the 7th book. It has
occupied children and adults mind for a decade now. May your mind watch what
occupies your mind . Dhyānam is an important sadhana since I would decide
through this what occupies my mind, that alone influences my mind. Although
brahman is pāramārthika satyam, and ahankara is vyāvahārika satyam. Therefore
we need to displace ahankara thoughts with saguna īśvara dhyānam (Vishnu, Devi
etc) in the karma kanda of the mind. or in the jñāna kanda let ātmā thoughts
preoccupy my mind (nirguna brahma dhyānam).

In mimamsa, artha vada should not be probed. Iśvara dhyānam benefits me, so I
need not probe into whether he sits in Vaikunṭa or not whether Rama built setu
or not?
How do I know what is occupying my mind? Worry is the indication… ahankara’s
future is uncontrollable. Revamping mind has to be done by converting worry time
to dhyānam time. Changing thought habit can be only done by student. Our
acharyas have written 100s of shlokas so that we get variety for meditating. Nothing
new comes, because they are meant for dwelling on the same ātmā (both saguna
iśvara and nirguna brahman we have shlokas). Here in Aṣṭāvakra gita, either
through mouth of Janaka or Aṣṭāvakra, ātmā thoughts are presented.

Therefore, नःस ः free from all burdensome thoughts, सुखी भव be comfortable.

(by removing differences, this body I am, that body I am not, division promotes
tripuṭī, which promotes karta bhokta thoughts)

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तवैवा ानतो व ं मेकः परमाथ तः ।
ोऽ ो ना संसार नासंसार च क न ॥ १५ -१६॥
Here he says there is only one ātmā which is all-pervading and when it is
understood as one ātmā, the known ātmā is advaitam, when unknown it appears
as dvaitam prapanca, exactly like in sleep. तवैवा ानतो this entire bhogya prapañcam
is misunderstood as dualistic universe व ं मेकः परमाथतः in reality it is You
alone. Like dream guru tells the dream runner that you alone have projected this
tiger ोऽ ो ना there is no second thing other than You the ātmā caitanyam
संसार नासंसार either as samsārī nor Asamsari च क न ॥ १५-१६॥
न क ायते जीवः स वोऽ न व ते ।
एत मं स ं य क जायते ॥ ४८ ॥
mandukya kārika, jiva is viśva taijasa pragña is all mithya, you are turīyam.
You are not baddha jiva or mukta jiva.

ा मा मदं व ं न क द त न यी ।
नव सनः ू तमा ो न क दव शा त ॥ १५-१७॥
Whole universe is a misconception. I with my maya shakti project the whole world
including my mind. In kaivalya upaniṣad,
म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।
म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥
mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ, mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam,
mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti, tad brahmādvayaṃ asmyaham॥ 19॥
Everything is born in Me alone, everything is based on Me alone; everything resolves
into Me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.
ा मा मदं व ं न क द त न यी there is nothing other than Me which has
separate existence. World does not have an independent separate existence, may
you get convinced by long śravanam and mananam, even this conviction is not
enough because, whether I am happy or unhappy in life depends on what occupies
my mind rest of the week (between classes). नव सनः भव may you break the habit
of ahankara centred worry occupation. Family worries included (business too).
This requires special effort to remove these. You have to change your thought
pattern. ू तमा ो भव may you be pure consciousness principle, rest are all
borrowed attributes. न क दव शा त all samsara problems will settle down
automatically as though there is nothing

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एक एव भवा ोधावासीद भव त ।
न ते ब ोऽ मो ो वा कृ कृ ः सु खं चर ॥ १५ -१८॥
In the entire creation, ocean of universe, एक एव भवा ोधावासीद भव त you
the ātmā alone was there, is there, will be there. World is a provision for you to
have entertainment. To avoid boredom, maya TV has been given. Problems you
convert into adventure sport. न ते ब ोऽ मो ो you don’t have bandha or mokṣā.
Only misconception and freedom from misconception वा कृ कृ ः सुखं चर either
upāsana dhyānam or nididhyāsanam should occupy, if so, you have nothing more
to accomplish, live your life happily not for happiness.

मा स वक ा च ं ोभय च य ।
उपशा सु खं त ा ान व हे ॥ १५ -१९॥
स वक ा च ं मा ोभय don’t unnecessarily disturb your mind thinking of
all the possibilities of the future. We will never have complete data about future.
च य hey, mind who is the pure sakṣi caitanyam, witness उपशा may you quieten
your mind सुखं त spend your life comfortable counting your blessings
ा ान व हे abide in yourself which is an embodiment of Ānandā…

जैव ानं सव मा क द धारय ।

आ ा ं मु एवा स कं वमृ किर स ॥ १५ -२०॥
जैव ानं सव मा now final stage, till now he prescribed dhyānam especially
ātmā dhyānam. Now he says this dhyānam must be continued until vāsanas are
replaced with shubha vasanas, until ātmā thinking becomes a natural process. Now
this dhyānam itself becomes a bondage. Then you start having guilt feeling if you
don’t do it, therefore give up dhyānam after you have done for sufficient time that
you are naturally calm, cheerful and confident and you should be able to give it
to other too. Thereafter may you get our of addiction to dhyānam under all
circumstances. Let there not be anything in the mind as an addiction or slavery..
dhyānam is meant for mind to be occupied with thought I’m ever free. क द
धारय आ ा ं मु एवा स you are the ātmā , you don’t need meditation for freedom

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कं वमृ किर स what are you going to achieve through constant worry? Worry
cannot change the future.
Class 38 on 12th December 2020

Chapter 16

अ ाव उवाच ॥

आच शृ णु वा तात नानाशा ा नेकशः ।

तथा प न तव ा ं सव व रणा ऋते ॥ १६ -१॥

Scriptural studies are a sadhana. We should remember that is for knowledge of

fulfillment. Peace, security and happiness. We should remember that paper cup is
important because it holds the coffee, after drinking the coffee it is meant for
crushing. We should remember sastra is extremely important, but it is also like
cup. It holds jñānam drink. The beauty of the cup, you can’t get obsessed with.
Intellect, however brilliant it may be, as you grow old, won’t be able to remember
everything. This knowledge I should discover through the study of śāstra.
शृणु वा तात नानाशा ा नेकशः Hey student, you can study/engage in all the śāstras.
Don’t make your śāstra class as an addiction. Similarly, Guru also. आच the study
of śāstra/teaching of śāstra to others; सव व रणा ऋते you have to drop
dependence on guru śāstra etc तथा प न तव ा ं otherwise you will not get
benefit.

भोगं कम समा धं वा कु व तथा प ते ।

च ं नर सव शम थ रोच य त ॥ १६ -२॥
All activities we do is to improve ourselves only, although it appears we are trying
to help family, home etc. the limited self, finite I is the problem. When a person
wants to get married, real desire is he wants to convert the bachelor I into husband
I. truth is husband I will then become a husbandly dissatisfied I. dissatisfaction
continues right through, only the adjective changes. Aṣṭāvakra presents in 3 layers.
Struggles as a 1) karta 2) bhokta 3) pramāta. भोगं कम समा धं वा कु you may do
any amount of karma as a karta, endless karmas, miles and miles to go. Bhogam

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at different levels, samadhi is the struggle of pramāta the knower. व Oh
Intelligent one, even samadhi is not an end in itself. तथा प ते
च ं नर सव शम थ you want to enjoy a mind which is happy in itself without
depending on any of these 3. I practise them ok, if I don’t practise also ok. I
don’t crave to sit in samadhi. A mind which does not expect any conditions to be
comfortable, that’s the real mind you want. रोच य त

आयासा कलो ःखी नैनं जाना त क न ।

अनेनैवोपदेशेन ध ः ा ो त नवृ त ॥ १६ -३॥
आयासा कलो ःखी entire humanity is misdirected by an struggle over a lifetime,
I don’t have control over the extended family. नैनं जाना त क न because honour
name and fame are attractive, nobody understand this problem, therefore drop all
of these, you are Ānandā by your own nature.
ैगु वषया वेदाः, न ैगु ो भवाजुन ।
न ो न स ः, नय ग ेम आ वा ॥ 2-45॥
you drop the yoga kshema struggle.
अनेनव
ै ोपदेशेन ध ः ा ो त नवृ त even sastra knowledge included, remember the
teaching drop the attachment to sastra too. Dhanyaha a rare one enjoys peace
within himself नवृ त .

ापारे ख ते य ु नमेषो ेषयोर प ।

त ाल धु र ण सु खं न क च ॥ १६-४॥
Such a dhanya puruṣaha, one who has this knowledge wealth alone is a blessed
person. Internally he is empty. Such a person does not want to depend on even
the smallest action. Doing action is not a problem but needing action for fulfilment
is a problem. As small an action of winking an eye. Like one mosquito inside the
net. ापारे ख ते he is pained by dependence on even a small action. य ु
नमेषो ेषयोर प even that winking he wants to drop..त ाल धुर ण one who is
comfortable with inaction also, one who is not a workaholic सुखं न क च
only for such a person Ānandā is possible.

इदं कृ त मदं ने त ैमु ं यदा मनः ।

धम थकाममो ेषु नरपे ं तदा भवे ॥ १६ -५॥

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What will happen if there is dependence? We normally say, that the person will
need to go on increasing the quantity of sense pleasures. Here Aṣṭāvakra extends
it to karma also, the karma will keep increasing. Greed for more karma, jñānaṃ
too. Vyakaranam, mimamsa, tarka even vedānta texts. Bhoga breeds bhoga, jñānaṃ
breeds jñānaṃ. I am never satisfied at any time, only the field changes, sense of
incompleteness continues. Always unticked list will be there instead of saying list
is incomplete, I say I’m incomplete. All this is the case without ātmā jñānaṃ. इदं
कृत मदं ने त this I have completed, this I have not completed. I should not be
listless but list less . ैमु ं this pair of opposites यदा मनः muktam bhavati, when
I’m free from the list. धम थकाममो ेषु नरपे ं तदा भवे that mind is free from all
dependence of dharma artha kāma mokṣā.
Class 39 on 13th December 2020

इदं कृ त मदं ने त ैमु ं यदा मनः ।

धम थकाममो ेषु नरपे ं तदा भवे ॥ १६ -५॥
There are few people who argue that the beauty of creation is that it contains
pairs of opposites. Work is enjoyable as it comes after rest and vice versa. Union
of two people is enjoyable when it comes after separation. Pair means dvaitam.
Therefore, beauty is only in dvaitam. On the other hand, advaitam will be
monotonously boring. So why we should learn advaitam rejecting the beautiful
dvaitam? We never learn advaitam to reject dvaitam, we say advaitam is the
adhiṣṭānam of dvaitam. It accommodates dvaitam. Therefore, advaitin never rejects
the world or dvaitam, he admits dvaitam contains opposite and they add beauty.
We are learning advaitam because we see the world as beautiful as long as
everything is fine with us. When something hits us, we ask why this is happening?
Why is Bhagawan unfair etc. advaitam is to appreciate this philosophy even in
adversities. Life is beautiful amidst the pairs of opposites, when I’m old, when I
am facing separation. When things go fine, we have objectivity. Look at your own
pain as part of the totality. pleasure and pain are part of the creation. Only when
I see this as advaita ātmā this objectivity is there. Therefore, Aṣṭāvakra talks of
transcending dvaitam. This acceptance of opposites expresses as raga and dveṣa.
Aṣṭāvakra repeats jñāni doesn’t reject the world he accepts everything in the
creation. ैमु ं this pair of opposites , is explained in following shlokas.

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वर ो वषय े ा रागी वषयलो पः ।
हमो वह न ु न वर ो न रागवा ॥ १६ -६॥
An ajñāni accepts the world partially and rejects partially. वर ो वषय े ा There
are certain misguided virakta people hate many things in the creation. रागी
वषयलो पः some partially accept the world by partially accepting the world.
हमो वह न ु the one who is free from holding on to things and rejection (mokṣā
meaning here) of things न वर ो न रागवा He is free from dveṣa and raga.

हेयोपादेयता ताव ंसार वटपा ु रः ।

ृ हा जीव त याव वै न वचारदशा द ॥ १६ -७॥
When we lose the holistic vision, we have a coloured vision which makes us want
only certain events to happen in our life. Success alone should come, no failure
etc. याव ह
ृ ा जीव त when we have selective expectations. न वचारदशा द we
don’t make an enquiry into the totality of the creation. That’s why people ask
why vedānta? When things are going fine. Similarly during sorrow also, there is
no time for vedānta. Some how maya maintains us in either happiness or sorrow
that we never enquire. We never prepare ourselves for emotional insurance. Only
when calamity hits, we realise. Vedānta is really meant for gṛhastha only.
हेयोपादेयता rejection or acceptance as part of creation, raga and dveṣa will come.
ताव ंसार वटपा ु रः this is the cause of the tree of samsara.

वृ ौ जायते रागो नवृ ौ े ष एव ह ।

न ो बालव धीमा एवमेव व तः ॥ १६ -८॥
वृ ौ जायते रागो passionately running after anything any person any event will
promote raga, both worldly as well as religious actions नवृ ौ ेष एव ह running
away or rejecting any experiences, escapism also will promote dveṣa , even rituals
to get rid of somethings that’s also kāmya karma. That’s why sastra wants us to
do only nitya naimmitika karma. (for mental strength to accept opposites), the
question may arise, isn’t Sanyasi going away from life permanently, sanyāsa aśrama
is vividiṣā, its for learning, thereafter he comes back and lives amongst families
serving society. It is accommodation of whole universe not rejecting the world.
न ो बालव धीमा एवमेव व तः renunciation is of the small I replacing with

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iśvara I, a jñāni has Iśvara I ; such a person has transcended duality , accepted
duality which includes pleasure and pain. Exactly like a baby doesn’t reject
anything. Every wise person is child-like.

हातु म त संसारं रागी ःख जहासया ।

वीतरागो ह न ःख प न ख त ॥ १६ -९॥
Ajñāni samsārī changes his philosophy about life depending on the situation he
faces. Vedānta says one who has neutral attitude is a mukta purushaha. हातु म त
संसारं रागी a person of attachment, who wants to give up and run away from the
world, , ःख जहासया when samsara impacts वीतरागो jñāni doesn’t say either, he is
free from opposites ह न ःख पन ख त he does not resist painful situations
also. He does not brood.

य ा भमानो मो ेऽ प दे हेऽ प ममता तथा ।

न च ानी न वा योगी केवलं ःखभागसौ ॥ १६ -१०॥
Height of vedānta. If you include mokṣā in the pair of opposite (to bandha), you
should learn to transcend this too. य ा भमानो मो ेऽ प if you are attached to mokṣā
न धम न चाथ न कामो न मो दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ ३॥
देहऽे प ममता or attached to deha the sūkṣma deha, knowledge is in mind. After
knowledge, I transcend the mind also. तथा
नच ानी otherwise he is not a real jñāni न वा योगी or a real yogi केवलं ःखभागसौ
otherwise even that will create samsara.

हरो य ुपदे ा ते हिरः कमलजोऽ प वा ।

तथा प न तव ा ं सव व रणा ते ॥ १६ -११॥
सव व रणा ते even from the standpoint of śāstram, attachment to śravanam,
remembering mantras, that also can create problems. हरो य ुपदे ा you might have
a great teacher like Siva or Dakṣiṇāmūrti ते हिरः or Hari or Hayagrīva कमलजोऽ प
or Brahmaji वा ultimately whatever words you have learnt , you have to drop even
the words and retain the wisdom. तथा प न तव ा ं only then you will be
comfortable.
Class 40 on 14th December 2020

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Chapter 17
अ ाव उवाच ॥

तेन ानफलं ा ं योगा ासफलं तथा ।

तृ ः े यो न मेकाक रमते तु यः ॥ १७ -१॥
Aṣṭāvakra continues his teaching to the entire humanity through Janaka. All
spiritual sadhanas must fructify in overhauling the mind that we possess. Through
all sadhanas we are trying to change the mind. World, will, vāsana based
disturbances in the mind are there. The mind gets into a pattern of anxiety panic
grieving etc. mind has to be revamped, vasanakshaya. World based disturbing
thoughts can be removed only by understanding the mithyātvam of universe.
However much will power I have, I cant control my future, I’m not the controller
but only a contributor, there is no use imagining the future. Do the best, leave
the rest and rest mentally. Vāsana based or habitually disturbing thoughts can
change only by replacing every such thought by shubha thought. Auto suggestion,
sankalpaha and abhyāsaha, all 3 together can change the habitual thoughts. Ātmā
kṛpa is required, otherwise even with Bhagavans kṛpa, a person cannot be helped.
उ रे दा ना ानं, ना ानमवसादये ।
आ ैव ा नो ब ःु , आ ैव िरपुरा नः ॥ गी 6.5॥
a light mind is a jivan mukta mind… only when I enjoy this jivan mukti at
mental level, then only I can claim nityamukti at ātmā level. With a heavy mind
I cannot do this. For saying
मनोबु ह ार च ा न नाहं न च ो ज े न च ाणने े ।
न च ोमभू मन तेजो न वायु दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ १॥
I need a light mind. Jivan mukti becomes a kind of pre-requisite for nitya mukti.
Here Aṣṭāvakra speaks about the phalam. तेन ानफलं ा ं benefit of all the vedantic
studies is only in how it reflects in the mind. Lightening of the mind. योगा ासफलं
तथा all the spiritual disciplines like karma yoga upāsana yoga are attained only
when तृ ः े यो न मेकाक रमते तु यः mind is totally relaxed, the jñānedriyas
and karmedriyas do not demand anything. indriya refer to all 10 psychological
problems. When psychological issues are there. Varieties of eating disorder,
shopping disorder etc are there. Being free of all these disorders is the phalam.
Jñāni is healthy also. He does not require any external factors to be happy. He is
fine with solitude. आ ेव च स ु ः, त काय न व ते ॥ गी 3-17॥

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Always he revels this way.

न कदा च ग त ो ह ख त ।
यत एकेन तेनेदं पू ण ा म ल ॥ १७ -२॥
ह wonderful indeed, न कदा च ग त ो ख त , a wise person does not
have any disturbing thoughts (grief etc) at any time. All 3 types of disturbances,
world, will and vāsana. Non demanding mind alone can command peace. No
demands even from the body. It will give me experiences that prārabhdha
determines. A jñāni understand this truth. The Q may be will he not miss anything?
यत एकेन तेनेदं पूण Aṣṭāvakra says I’m the ātmā in which the whole world is existing..
I’m the ātmā in which every beautiful thing exists, I’m the owner of everything.
(like the waker owns the dream world). Mayyeva sakalam… he pervades everything,
ा म ल . Do you want to be an incomplete owner (of a few things) or complete
ātmā? ा म ल whole cosmos is pervaded by Me.

न जातु वषयाः केऽ प ारामं हष य मी ।

स क प व ीत मवेभं न प वाः ॥ १७ -३॥
Aṣṭāvakra says once pūrṇatvam is there, whatever extra pleasure the punya
prārabhdha brings, it is a bonus, he is not going to be carried away by these
experiences. This person does not get addicted to these as well. न जातु वषयाः
केऽ प ारामं हषय मी he is self-sufficient, therefore any sense pleasures that come
do not make him over elated.स क प व ीत मवेभं न प वाः like an elephant which
enjoys leaves of sallaki tree which is sweet and nice, lemon bitter leaves are not
going to affect. Worldly pleasures have doshatrayam he knows. Jñāni is not carried
away by viṣayānanda.

य ु भोगेषु भु े षु न भव धवा सतः ।

अभु े षु नराका त शो भव लभः ॥ १७ -४॥
Suppose a jñāni gets opportunity to enjoy sense pleasures (only legitimate ones),
they do not form a strong vāsana in him. It won’t create, even if there is a
possibility, he will not permit that. Like coffee habit, न भव धवा सतः a jñāni
handles prevention of vāsana formation.
वषया व नवत े, नराहार दे हनः ।

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 रसवज रसोऽ , परं ा नवतते ॥ गी 2.59॥
… next day when the time for coffee comes, I should be able to tell the mind no.
य ु भोगेषु भु े षु
अभु े षु when those sense objects are not there, relationships included, नराका
mind does not miss the person, that object or experience, त शो भव लभः such a
person is extremely rare in the world.

बु भु ु िरह संसारे मु मु ुर प ते ।
भोगमो नराका वरलो ह महाशयः ॥ १७ -५॥
Most people have disturbed mind because of one reason or other. Dharmarthakama
demanding people are called बुभु ु: here. संसारे मुमु ुर प ते some rare people
have got out of these demands, he has renounced all these demands, but he has
mokṣā demand. This is also a disturbing aspect. Will I get Videha mukti? Aṣṭāvakra
says there are very rare people who are not even worried about Videha mutki and
are nitya mukta. भोगमो नराका वरलो ह महाशयः very few people have claimed
nitya mukti. Such great minds are very very rare.

Class 41 on 15th December 2020

बु भु ु िरह संसारे मु मु ुर प ते ।
भोगमो नराका वरलो ह महाशयः ॥ १७ -५॥
Strengthening of the mind is a life-long process. First stage, Bhagawan helps me.
In the next stage, Bhagwan’s teachings(self-knowledge) strengthen my mind. Its
like building two storeyed building. Second floor can’t come before first floor.
Unfortunately, people use religion for getting some material objects. I don’t use
God for what God is intended to be used. An intelligent person uses God for
mental strengthening. Aṣṭāvakra is talking of an intelligent mind, a jñāni who is
enjoying a stronger mind than an ordinary bhakta. A jñāni enjoys triple C all the
time.

धम थकाममो ेषु जी वते मरणे तथा ।

क ा ुदार च हेयोपादेयता न ह ॥ १७ -६॥

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उदार च A jñāni bhakta enjoys a strong mind not disturbed by धम थकाममो ेषु,
puṇyaṃ is a fluctuating entity. Potential prārabhdha will unfold, a jñāni bhakta is
not impacted. He does not have anxiety even with respect to mokṣā, he knows he
is ever free. He has nothing to lose or gain. Running after or running away from
any puruṣārtha is not there. जी वते मरणे तथा even with regard to life and death.
क ा प हेयोपादेयता न ह even Videha mukti is not a goal. sūkṣma śarīra joining
sthūla śarīra is jenma, ātmā is beyond life and death, so he doesn’t bother about
even Videha mukti, life and death are both ok.

वा ा न व वलये न ेष च तौ ।
यथा जी वकया त ा ध आ े यथा सु ख ॥ १७ -७॥
ध : the one who is wealthy, internal two fold riches, jñāna dhanam- vidyaa
dhanam, in taitriya shikashavalli..10th section वणं सवचस । सुमेधा अमृतो तः
। इत श ोवदानुवचन ॥ १ ॥…trisanku. He says I have the greatest wealth self-
knowledge and therefore I don’t care for ext wealth, second important wealth is
mental strength derived from Bhagawan and his teachings. The mental readiness
is second wealth. This rich man or rich woman just as he is not worried about
life or death, similarly at cosmic level also, he is not bothered about presence or
absence of world. व वलये च तौ , our family members are with us because
they have rinam , in past jenma we have become indebted, the gum or binding
force is rinam.
अ ादी न भूता न, म ा न भारत ।
अ नधना ेव, त का पिरदेवना ॥ 28॥
वा ा न, न ेष comfortable with or without, I don’t hate/dislike or like our
family.. यथा जी वकया त ा आ े यथा सुख ; imagine that phase. Use knowledge
for mental strength.

कृ ताथ ऽनेन ानेने ेवं ग लतधीः कृ ती ।

प शृ ृश ज अ ा े यथा सु ख ॥ १७ -८॥
कृताथ ऽनेन this person of non demanding mind is called कृती, he has attained this
state of mind through this knowledge, aham ānanda svarūpaha, jagat dukkha
svarūpaha. This knowledge ानेने ेवं he has (after bhakti), कृताकृथ: he has

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accomplished everything (as though) ग लतधीः mind is not tension ridden, relaxed
and resting , he goes through the karmas accepting them with equanimity, like
Rama, प seeing शृ hearing ृश touching ज smelling अ ा े eating
यथा सुख . we are able to accept others in family going through bad prārabhdha
too. Sometimes we don’t complain outside, āste he goes through without internal
complaints too

ा वृ था चे ा वकलानी या ण च ।
न ृ हा न वर व ीणसंसारसागरे ॥ १७ -९॥
No perception is capable of generating raga dveṣa because the mind of jñāni is
ever fulfilled. For an ajñāni, every perception generates a raga or dveṣa, a yoga
kṣema problem, of protecting/getting ownership of something you like.
ैगु वषया वेदाः, न ैगु ो भवाजुन ।
न ो न स ः, नय ग ेम आ वा ॥ गी 2.45॥
ा वृथा jñānis perception is as though blank perception.
ोधा व त स ोहः, स ोहा ृ त व मः ।
ृ त ंशा बु नाशः, बु नाशा ण त ॥ 63॥
.. a jñāni does lot of lokasangraha, but he does not want any benefit from these.
नैव त कृतेनाथः, नाकृतेनेह क न ।
न चा सवभूतेष,ु क दथ पा यः ॥ 18॥

वृथा चे ा pūrnatvam brings out natural compassion, cruelty is acquired character.

वकलानी या ण च all his sense organs are deficient as it were, her looks are blank,
because they are incapable of producing raga dveṣa. न ृहा न वर व he doesn’t
have aversion or likes. ीणसंसारसागरे

Class 42 16th December 2020

ा वृ था चे ा वकलानी या ण च ।
न ृ हा न वर व ीणसंसारसागरे ॥ १७ -९॥
In these verses Aṣṭāvakra is continuing with mukta lakṣanāni. They are spontaneous
to the liberated person due to the assimilated ātmā jñānaṃ. By describing these,

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he wants us to take it as sadhanas. Śankaracārya tells this in his gita bhashyam.
He says these sadhanas are required at all stages, for jñāna yogyata prāpti, then
for jñāna prāpti also, for śravanam mananam success, called daivi sampat in 16th
chapter. We have to thereafter assimilate the jñānaṃ and get jñāna nishṭāor
stiraprajñā, so that knowledge is available at all times (jñāna nishṭāprāpti). During
nididhyāsanam time also, we have to try and practice. Only with jñāna nishtā,
benefir of jivan mukti is available. (jñāna phala prapti). Description of a jñāni from
the stand point of ātmā and from worldly people standpoint, both are covered,
antahkarana drushtya and ātmā drushtya descriptions , from mind angle,
samaatvam or equanimity discussed, different occasions are mentioned and
Aṣṭāvakra says a jñāni enjoys samatvam in all these conditions. Reduced FIR,
increased CCC. We should not be over idealistic, they can never become zero. Like
ideal gas of chemistry.. increased CCC, calmness cheerful and confidence.

न जाग त न न ा त नो ील त न मील त ।
अहो परदशा ा प वतते मु चेतसः ॥ १७ -१०॥
Mind is called ahankara, we should be able to categorise as we read, jñāni does
not keep awake at all. न जाग त न न ा त does not stay awake or does not go to
sleep, here the description is from standpoint of ātmā नो ील त न मील त he does
not close or open the eye lid. Definitely not mind level.
य एष सु ेषु जाग त कामं कामं पु षो न ममाणः । तदेव ं त तदेवामृतमु ते ।
ति मं लोकाः ताः सव तद ु ना ये त क न । एत ै तत ् ॥ kata.upa 2.5.8 ॥
mind has three states, fully active, passive and half and half. Ātmā is avastatraya
sakṣi. अहो परदशा wonderful!! the supreme natural state of the ātmā, jñāni is in
this condition all the time, aka sahaja samadhi. ा प वतते मु चेतसः enjoyed by
a jñāni who has disidentified from the mind. (Conscience is part of mind,
consciousness is ātmā)

सव ते ः सव वमलाशयः ।
सम वासना मु ो मु ः सव राजते ॥ १७ -११॥
Description from both angles. सव ते ः सव mind does not lose sight of
the fact that I’m ātmā, like the karagattam, where they don’t lose sight of the
pot. In all conditions, jñāna niṣṭābhavati.

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 त व ु महाबाहो, गुणकम वभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वत ,े इ त म ा न स ते ॥ गी 3.28॥
reducing all different activities as playing different roles, I the ātmā am free from
any of these. वमलाशयः The advantage of remembering this fact is all times mind
is clear and calm. सम वासना मु ो मु ः he is free from all samskaras and vāsana.
From past experience based impressions, many emotions are caused by this. सव
राजते these vasanas are gathered from past jenmas too, jñāni is free from all
vāsana. Is it possible? No mind can ever be free from vāsana. It is anadi kala
pravṛtta. sañcita vāsana is infinite. We can only try to reduce the impact of these
negative vāsana. FIR reduction. Even jñānis mind will have vāsana, he has reduced
the impact to a great extent. From the stand point of ātmā a jñāni claims I have
no vasanas, I’m free, because vasanas belong to mind. Detaching from mind is
सम वासना मु ः samasta vāsana muktaha. Jñāni is able to remain as sakṣi even
when he goes through difficult situations. The disturbances mildly arise and go
away…

प शृ ृश ज अ गृ वद ज ।
ई हतानी हतैमु ो मु एव महाशयः ॥ १७ -१२॥
The jñāni will continue in this world depending on his aśrama. CLaSP rejection is
more important. He is not attempting to remain in liberation. प seeing शृ
listening ृश facing different weather conditions ज smelling अ tasting
गृ interacting with hands वद speaking ज walking ई हतानी हतैमु ो to desire
or not desire, raga and dveṣa , he does not categorise.
राग ेष वयु ै ु, वषया न यै र ।
आ व ै वधेया ा, सादम धग त ॥ गी. 2. 64॥

struggle/running after/running away from things मु एव महाशयः such a noble

minded person is a liberated person. There is a constant approval/disapproval
process in all minds, this is not there for a jñāni. Mokṣā is loosening the rigidity,
world need not agree with the norms that I have, once that wisdom or maturity
comes, mind learns to accommodate.

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न न त न च ौत न त न कु त ।
न ददा त न गृ ा त मु ः सव नीरसः ॥ १७ -१३॥
न न त न च ौ त jñānis mind does not criticise anyone, perfection does not
exist at anātmālevel. I have no right to criticise people. He does not flatter anyone
with a motive. न त न कु त he is not excited when things go in his favour or
get angry with God when things don’t go well. न ददा त न गृ ा त मु ः सव नीरसः
no vyahāra from ātmā level, such a mukta puruṣaha is free from emotional tastes
which empower the world to disturb him.

Class 43 on 17th December 2020

न न त न च ौत न त न कु त ।
न ददा त न गृ ा त मु ः सव नीरसः ॥ १७ -१३॥
For a serious vedantic seeker, whether sakṣi should dominate or ahankara should
dominate, there is always a tussle. Depending on situation, attitude responses are
dependent. Generally attitude towards creation is dependent on sakṣi. Attitude and
responses to situations if based on ahankara, it is samsara. When we look at
situation and respond based on sakṣi I, life is a sport or game. Struggle in the
mind of vedantic student is which should dominate, sakṣi or ahankara, scripture
is presenting model minds, of sakṣi pradhāna life and how they respond to
situations. Sthiraprajñā lakshanani, parabhakta, gunateeta lakshanani of Gita. Entire
aṣṭāvakra gita is dealing with model mind. All 20 chapters. We can gradually make
our mind closer. This process is called nididhyāsanam. Day should start with
aṣṭāvakra gita.

सानु राग यं ा मृ ुं वा समु प त ।

अ व लमनाः ो मु एव महाशयः ॥ १७ -१४॥
A model mind is one whose philosophy does not change based on situation. A
person’s life depends on the spouse and each one’s life affects the other. सानुराग
a spouse endowed with affection, love care etc यं will serve as a cushion during
bad prarabhdha, life is a heaven in this case ा मृ ुं वा समुप त during serious

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diseases, either in oneself or a close relative. These two extremes do not impact
a jñāni, he does not judge them as good or bad. Relationships come and go… he
understands life is a flow of events.
उदे त स वता ता ा एवा मे त च।
स तौ च वप ौ च महतामेक पता॥
The Sun is red at the time of rising, and red at the time of setting too.
Similarly, noble people remain the same at the time of happiness and
distress.
Both in adversity and prosperity a mind of mahātmā is equanimous. अ व लमनाः
mind is composed, ो mind is dominated by sakṣi I, therefore there is objectivity
and equanimity. मु एव महाशयः such a mind is called jivan mukta mind. A sakṣi
pradhāna mind.

सु खे ःखे नरे नाय स ु च वप ु च ।

वशेषो नैव धीर सव समद शनः ॥ १७ -१५॥
Pairs of opposites are confronted by the ahankara. सुखे ःखे favourable and
unfavourable situations नरे नाय towards males or females स ु च वप ु च
prosperity or adversity वशेषो नैव धीर there is no powerful reaction, for a wise
person. सव समद शनः one who has got sama darshanam

न हंसा नैव का ं नौ ं न च दीनता ।

ना य नैव च ोभः ीणसंसरणे नरे ॥ १७ -१६॥
न हंसा he treats everyone in the same manner without hurting anyone, there is
only one ātmā behind every body. नैव च का ं here karunyam refers to
impure/contaminated compassion, contaminated with attachment only directed
towards some people. Compassion of an ajñāni is generally due to attachment
exactly like Arjuna. Raga, shoka, moha is an indicator of polluted compassion. In
the case of pure compassion, it will come out as action care etc without sorrow.
नौ ं न दीनता there is neither self-importance not self-pity. Jñāni is one who
does not have any complexes. Variety in ahankara is natural. ना य नैव च ोभः he
does not experience thrills in life, that’s also a samsara. No over-excitement. No
deep depressions/turbulences also. ीणसंसरणे नरे FIR reduction is taking place,
samsara is weakened. A person who is a nara in whom samsara has been reduced.
ीणसंसरणेऽनरे Anara-another reading meaning Iśvara.

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न मु ो वषय े ा न वा वषयलो पः ।
असंस मना न ं ा ा ा मु पा ु ते ॥ १७ -१७॥
As far as various things are concerned, world has power to disturb the mind. But
I should have a switch in the mind for happiness, handing over this switchboard
is foolishness. Moment I handover this power to the whole world, I’m at its mercy.
I won’t allow the pañca anātma to disturb my emotions. मु ः न वषय े ा मु ः न
वषयलो पः ; असंस मना न ं ा ा ा मुपा ुते every object person situation it
confronts, this mind confronts with a calm mind.

समाधान समाधान हता हत वक नाः ।

च ो न जाना त कैव मव सं तः ॥ १७ -१८॥
One has to practice sitting meditation to handle disturbing situations. Watching
your mind helps you identify what is unwelcome in the mind. Especially deeper
problems. Initially vedantic meditation is required for handling these, once nishthaa
comes, these won’t disturb. समाधानसमाधान हता हत वक नाः meditation and absence
of this do not make much difference later on.

Class 44 on 18th December 2020

समाधानसमाधान हता हत वक नाः ।

च ो न जाना त कैव मव सं तः ॥ १७ -१८॥
Meditation as sadhana appears in karma kanda as well as jñāna kanda. Their nature
is totally different. In karma kanda called upasana, is a manasa karma. All rules
governing the karma are there. Nitya naimittika karma must be done.
Sandhyavandam and gayatri upasna is compulsory. Performance will give benefit,
non-performance causes papam. Time, direction is important, result called karma
phalam wii be directly proportional to the quantity and quality. Vedantic medtation
or nididhyāsanam does not come under karma, there is no prescribed timing also.
By consistent and systematic study one should understand the reality.
Nididhyāsanam needs to be followed if and when required. Even after knowing I’m
the ātmā, if mind is disturbed by anātmā abhimaana, appropriate teaching has to

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be taken and meditated upon. Asangoham if too caufght up with relationship, for
fear, amrutoham etc. if there are no viparita bhavana, I don’t need nididhyāsanam.
Type and time of disturbance determines nididhyāsanam. If a person does not do
this meditation, there is no pratyavaya papa. A jñāni is not bpthered about
performance or non-performance of meditation. Ahangraha upasana is required in
sandhyavandanam. A jñāni does not have any conflicts at all…in chapter 7 of
pañcadaśī, we saw that no rules and regulations are required. Ramana Maharishi
says this in Saddarsanam.
सोऽहं वचारो वपुरा भावे, साहा कार परमागण ।
ा ै स ौ स पुन नरथ , यथा नर म तनर ॥ ३८॥
he does not meditate saying he is human being. समाधानसमाधान हता हत वक नाः
positive benefits of performing or problems due to non performance, these issues
are not there.
च ो his mind is free from worldly pre-occupations. Ahankara and mamakara
create preoccupation. Free from disturbing thoughts. For a samsara mind is never
available for meditation. न जाना त कैव मव सं तः as though in Videha mukti,
he abides.

नममो नरह ारो न क दत न तः ।

अ ग लतसव शः कु व प करो त न ॥ १७ -१९॥
His mind is so light because of नममो नरह ारो fee from identification in the body
mind complex is nirahankara, not claiming ownership of anything other than body
mind nirmama (all 5 anātmās covered), ownership and controllership is the biggest
issue..even the intimate body, Iswara can snatch any time. That’s why all our plans
go awry many times. We are contributors, not owners or controllers. This claim
expresses in the form of cinta or worry. Only few human beings cause worry, not
all why? Its because of ownership… special prayers. ClASp reduction is important,
otherwise each one will nourish other two. Mokṣā is all 3 must be given up.
In Kato, उ त जा त ा वरा बोधत ।
ुर धारा न शता र या ग पथ वयो वद ॥ 1-3-14 ॥ … Lord Yama says,
it is difficult. “The wise declare that path (of Self-knowledge) is difficult to
tread, (just as) the sharp edge of a razor is difficult to tread”

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Even saffron robes are not important, clasp rejection is important . I have to do
my duty as a contributor. Follow health rules but do not be worried about your
future health. न क दत न तः from higher ātmā angle whole world is as good
as non-existent. Svapnavat like dream.
न भू मरापो न च व र , न चा नलो मेऽ न चा रं च॥२२॥
in Kaivalya upa,,, a jñāni has understood this truth.
प ोपशमं शा ं शवम त
ै ं चतुथ म े स आ ा स व ेयः ॥ ७ ॥ mandukya karika.

अ ग लतसव शः all desires within the mind have all fallen. कुव प करो त न
absolutely free from binding desires. Fulfilment or not fulfilling binding desires
causes huge impact. What is the source of non-binding desires? It comes from
prarabhdha arises from pūrva jenma.
स शं चे ते ाः, कृते नवान प ।
कृ तं या भूता न, न हः कं किर त ॥ Gita 3-33॥
A jñānis life style is imfluenced by his character. Therefore different jñānis
svabhavas are different. Like Ramana Maharishi versus Śankaracārya..varieties of
loka sangraha karmani. That’s the svabhava. Their blessings come in different
manner, aśramas, temples, schools, hospitals… appropriate balanced clean
desires.abcd, vidyaranya says you can crores of non binding desires. Don’t empower
the worldto disturb you. Even if jñāni is active like a gṛhastha, earning money for
aśrama, he is still not ajñāni, he has no ahankara internally, kyurvannapi na
karoti… actions do not bind him.

मनः काशसंमोह जा वव जतः ।

दश काम प स ा ो भवे ग लतमानसः ॥ १७ -२०॥
Conclusion, by removing ahankara mamakara, jñāni removes all binding thoughts,
so mind becomes light, this is jivan mukti, next job is even this light mind, I’m
not, once mind is light, you can push mind to objective world and claim I’m not
the light mind also. You cannot disown the mind when it is disturbed . Exactly
like a heavy aluminium box which is full, you have to remove it so that its light
enough to push. Jivanmukta is lightening mind. Nityamukti is disowning the mind.
भवे ग लतमानसः this mind has fallen from him. He disclaims the thoughts also.
मनः काशसंमोह जा वव जतः satvik thought, rajasic and tamasic thoughts,

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resolved condition, all thesecstates of mind he frees himself, even over the mind
I don’t have 100 perc control. दश काम प स ा : it is inexplicable.
Class 45 on 19th December 2020

Chapter 18
अ ाव उवाच ॥

य बोधोदये ताव व भव त मः ।
त ै सु खैक पाय नमः शा ाय तेजसे ॥ १८ -१॥
Longest chapter-100 verses. We get a mangala shloka at the beginning. A
namaskāra to ātmā or brahman. त ै नमः. तेजसे A bright one, शा ाय tranquil one,
सुखैक पाय of the nature of happiness. Tai upa, Ānandā ātmā. Why should I know
about happiness? Should I not work for experience of happiness? We don’t lack
experience of happiness but we lack the knowledge of the happiness that we
experience therefore we have to work for knowing happiness which is knowing
ātmā. 5 features of happiness… according to vedānta there is no unhappy person.
Happiness does not manifest when ideal conditions are not there in the mind. To
that sat cit Ānandā ātmā, my namaskāras, य बोधोदये ताव व भव त मः
turīyam or ātmā is my higher nature and when I wake up, jagrat prapancha gets
falsified. Dream experience is real until I wake up. When a person wakes up to
the turīyam, the entire world becomes mithya bhramaha like dream. Dream is
never understood as dream in dream.

अज य ा खला अथ भोगाना ो त पु ला ।
न ह सव पिर ागम रे ण सु खी भवे ॥ १८-२॥
Now there are two types of happiness introduced. One is experiential happiness
which depends on pañca anātmā. Reflected happiness alone can be experienced.
Original happiness cannot be experienced. Reflected happiness depends on the
conditions of the reflecting medium and hence temporary. Ātmā Ānandā is
permanent but cannot be experienced. Nitya Ānandā has to be claimed as aham
nitya Ānandā svaroopa ātmā asmi, different from body mind complex.
अज य ा खला अथ by acquiring all desired sense objects, गाना ो त पु ला a
person gets abundant measure of experiential pleasure. Like when you buy a car,
you will have abundant joy. Slowly it diminishes. All sense pleasures are anityam.

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Even after coming to vedānta, a day will never come when you get permanent
Ānandā unless you claim it as I’m that Ānandā who is reflecting now and then in
the mind. सुखी भवे a person can attain permanent happiness न ह
सवपिर ागम रे ण only by disclaiming all the pañcakosa by looking upon them as
object of experience and claiming Ānandā ātmā.

कत ःखमात ालाद ा रा नः ।
कु तः शमपीयू षधारासारमृ ते सु ख ॥ १८-३॥
Suppose I don’t claim nityānanda and identify with body mind complex, I have so
many roles to play. Aṣṭāvakra says each role has innumerable duties. Duties only
increase with age. You will never get permanent joy…. Every kartavyam is a load
creating stress. each one creates an anxiety in mind. don’t get carried away by
duties. कत ःखमात ालाद ा रा नः The mind of the samsari is scorched by
the fierce rays of Sun, one with a load of duties (Sun is compared to duties). कुतः
शमपीयूषधारासारमृते सुख How can a person get real happiness without the
cessation of duties. Karta can never be rid of duties. We have to only understand
it’s a temporary vesha for this mithya world.
ना : ं न बह ं नोभयत: ं न ानघनं न ं ना I
अ म वहायम ा मल णम च म पदे एका यसारं प ोपशमं शा ं शवम ैतं
चतुथ म े स आ ा स व ेय: II आगम. म. ७॥
nāntaḥprajñaṃ na bahiṣprajñaṃ nobhayataḥprajñaṃ na prajñānaghanaṃ na
prajñaṃ nā prajñaṃ I adṛṣṭam avyavahāryam agrāhyam alakṣaṇam acintyam
avyapadeśyam ekātma pratyayasāraṃ prapañcopaśamaṃ śāntaṃ śivam advaitaṃ
caturthaṃ manyante sa ātmā sa vijñeyaḥ II Agama. M7॥

They consider the Turīya to be (that which is) not the outward consciousness, not
the inward consciousness, not the consciousness turned both sides, not a mass of
consciousness, not the all-knowing consciousness, not unconscious, beyond
perception, beyond transaction, beyond grasp, beyond inference, beyond thoughts,
beyond description, traceable through the unbroken self-awareness, free from the
world, tranquil, auspicious, and non dual. It is Ātmā. It is to be known.
nididhyāsanam is the only way out. If kartrutvam is comparable to scorching Sun,
then the akatrutvam by abiding Ātmā is comparable to a heavy downpour. Where
is happiness if kartrutvam does not end?

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Wake up with
ात: रा म द सं ु रदा त ं
स ख
ु ं परहंसग तं तुर य ।
य जागरसुषु मवै त न ं
त न लमहं न च भूत स :॥१॥
I remember in the morning the Ātma which shines in the heart, which is in the
form of sat, cit, ānandā, which is the goal to be attained by Paramahamsa sanyasis,
which is called the “fourth” because always witnesses the three states of waking,
dream and deep sleep. I am that Brahman which is indivisible and not composed
of the five elements space, air, fire, water and earth.

Class 46 on 20th December 2020

कत ःखमात ालाद ा रा नः ।
कु तः शमपीयू षधारासारमृ ते सु ख ॥ १८-३॥
Indication of internalisation is samatvam.
सम ःखसुखः ः, समलो ा का नः ।
तु या यो धीरः, तु न ा सं ु तः ॥गी 14.24॥
Samatvam with respect to pairs of opposites. Jivitam and maranam, principle of
life and death. All of us have to face life and death therefore most fundamental
pair. As we grow older, when possibility of death becomes more intense we become
aware of these opposites. Almost everyone develops raga or dveṣa towards either
of these. Therefore we have to get over both of these. Therefore shastra says we
have to cross over janam and maranam. No raga or dveṣa. If I have to get over
jenma bhayam and marana bhayam, I have to transcend both these, I have to
distance from both of these. Therefore distancing from ahankara will help me
transcend janana maranan, this is possible only by abiding in ātmā. I don’t favour
either of these.

भवोऽयं भावनामा ो न क परमाथ तः ।

ना भावः भावान भावाभाव वभा वना ॥ १८-४॥
भवोऽयं what is constantly changing is called bhāvaha, 6 forms asti jayate… maranam
is one of the changes. भावनामा ो life, it is nothing but a nama rūpa appearance.

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Its like a serial in a television. न क परमाथतः it does not have a real existence
of its own, it is anirvachaneeyam, cannot be explained, where when how it started,
what is the purpose etc
न पम ेह तथोपल ते,
ना ो न चा दन च स त ा ।
अ मेनं सु व ढमूल ,
अस श ण
े ढेन छ ा ॥गी-15.3॥
you cannot clearly define the universe, asangha shastrena learn to stand aloof as
a witness. What about I the sakṣi? Sakshi is free from birth and death. It is the
wirness, experienced attributes do not belong to the experiencer subject. I the
ātmā am
न जायते यते वा कदा च ,
नायं भू ा भ वता वा न भूयः ।
अजो न ः शा तोऽयं पुराणः,
न ह ते ह माने शर रे ॥ गी 2-20॥
भावान here, means Ātmā, ones own real nature or self, plural referring to
several bodies, for that ātmā भावाभाव वभा वना perceiving vibhaavanam,
vibhaavanee means sakṣi of presence and absence of things. Sakshi of absence
cannot be absent. Witness and absence of things, abhaavaha nasti. ना भावः
therefore, I’m janma marana ateeta:. This bhavana is liberation or nityamukti.

न रं न च स ोचा मेवा नः पद ।
न वक ं नरायासं न वकारं नर न ॥ १८-५॥
Distancing from ahankara is only way to transcend marana and punarjenma
bhayam. How can I learn to remain as sakṣi? Even during nirvikalpaka samadhi
one cannot distance himself from cidābhāsa. During life, you can never separate
cit and cidābhāsa, you can only understand them as changing I and changeless I.
न रं sakṣi I is neither far away or close by sankochat न च स ोचा मेवा नः the
very status of ātmā is already yours, only learn to claim. पद svaroopam Aṣṭāvakra
says न वक ं (ātmā svaroopam) is divisionless नरायासं is without tiredness
(initially people are enthused with life, later on get tired of life). From ātmā angle
life is an entertainment. न वकारं mind does not flutter, no emotional disturbances
नर न life is not a burden as it is not an impurity. From ātmā angle its not
pain or pleasure.

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 ामोहमा वरतौ पादानमा तः ।
वीतशोका वराज े नरावरण यः ॥ १८ -६॥
Aṣṭāvakra is talking of those balanced people who enjoy a neutral attitude, I look
at myself always as sakṣi ātmā. नरावरण यः whose vision is not covered, they
(bahuvreehi), पादानमा तः they have removing all the layers and claimed
ānanda ātmā svarūpam as a result of this knowledge. The biggest delusion is gone.
ामोहमा वरतौ when ahankara vāsana ends or weakened known through FIR
reduction. वीतशोका वराज े these people are free from samsara bharaha. They are
an ornament to the creation, they shine. All thse shlokas are emphasis of
nididhyāsanam.

सम ं क नामा मा ा मु ः सनातनः ।
इ त व ाय धीरो ह कम त बालव ॥ १८-७॥
This person has trained his intellect from ātmā angle सम ं क नामा whole
creation is from maya shakti only, ātmā मु ः I’m ever free whatever happens to
the bubble called creation. I’m nitya muktaha, सनातनः may you train your mind
to look at life as a drama. This is the only solution. इ त व ाय धीरो May you
assimilate this knowledge. ह कम त बालव thereafter what sadhana is there,
even mokṣā struggle ceases for this person, for a person who have a child like
intellect

Class 47 on 21st December 2020

सम ं क नामा मा ा मु ः सनातनः ।
इ त व ाय धीरो ह कम त बालव ॥ १८-७॥
Aṣṭāvakra is helping us with practising nididhyāsanam. Even if a person is unable
to continue with śravanam, one has to keep the teaching alive through
nididhyāsanam. Prārabhdha will bring out traumatic experiences. Life will have
unfavourable situations; all regular methods will not be able to help. Vedantic
teaching can only help. (exactly like maintaining emergency exits with regular
servicing, although used rarely), vedantic knowledge also is used rarely, but regular

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servicing in the form of nididhyāsanam. During nididhyāsanam, we need to use
the word I and not ātmā.
Five capsules of vedānta
1. I’m of the nature of eternal and all-pervading consciousness
2. I’m the only source of permanent peace security and happiness.
3. By my mere presence I give life to the material body and through the
material body I experience the material universe.
4. I’m not affected by any event that happens in the material body or
material universe.
5. Forgetting my real nature will convert life into a struggle and
remembering my real nature will convert life into an entertainment.
The 5 capsules are like emergency gates that need to be in good condition.

आ ा ेत न भावाभावौ च क तौ ।
न ामः कं वजाना त कं ू ते च करो त क ॥ १८-८॥
So this nididhyasaka, he repeatedly ascertains his higher nature. आ ा ेत न
he reasserts and भावाभावौ च क तौ the appearance and disappearance of the
material body and universe (money, relations etc) they are kalpitam. Meaning maya
or mithya. We should remember that maya or mithya means mystery. Probing will
only make it more and more confusing. Never get caught with why me syndrome.
Cause effect chain, you can never trace the beginning, creation karma etc.. neither
can I understand nor can I control, helplessness will be aggravated… it cannot be
awaited when I try to comprehend or control… Any event that happens in the
body or world cannot affect Me the higher order of reality. That’s what I have to
remember about mithya. HAFD will be relaced by an entertainment we watch.
न ामः 2nd capsule. I’m the only source of peace security and happiness. I won’t
have desire to find it outside. Don’t lean on external mysterious matter. कं
वजाना त कं ूते च करो त क what will he want to know? What will he speak?
What will he do? Whatever we experience is only 4% rest 96 percent is not even
available for studying.

अयं सोऽहमयं नाह म त ीणा वक ना ।

सवमा ेत न तू ी ूत यो गनः ॥ १८ -९॥

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यो गनः yogi here means one who has attained jivātmā paramātmā aikya knowledge,
he has clearly understood that सवमा े त everything, jiva jagat īśvara are all ātmā
with different names and forms. न तू ी ूत
Knowing this, inwardly he is de-stressed. For such a relaxed person of wisdom,
ीणा वक ना jiva jagat division is gone, triangular format is set aside. Advantage
of triangular format is iśvara but disadvantage is karma affected jiva battered by
jagat. Only temporary rest possible. अयं सोऽह “this body I am” is the notion
of the ignorant jiva. अयं नाह म त “that body I’m not” all division born problems
are dissolved. Perception wise the differences will be there. Intellectually I
understand they are one gold with nāma rūpa.

न व ेपो न चैका ं ना तबोधो न मू ढता ।

न सु खं न च वा ःखमु पशा यो गनः ॥ १८ -१०॥
न व ेपो न चैका ं no experience in life, does not seriously disturb the jñāni, FIR
is heavily reduced. Even worst tragedy creates only slight disturbance. He does
not have to sit and meditate on vedantic teachings. The 5 capsules are at the
surface.
यं ल ा चापरं लाभं, म ते ना धकं ततः ।
य तो न ःखेन, गु णा प वचा ते ॥ गी 6.22॥
.. ना तबोधो न मूढता neither knowledge nor ignorance, he is able to see both as
part of material mind only. Beyond distraction and concentration. न सुखं न च वा
ःखमुपशा यो गनः beyond worldly pleasures as well as worldly pains. Same
family member serves as both at different times.
न े यं ा , नो जे ा चा य ।
रबु रस ढ
ू ः, व ण तः ॥ गी 5. 20॥
Favorable and unfavorable prārabhdha will come, let me keep safe distance from
both

ारा े भै वृ ौ च लाभालाभे जने वने ।

न वक भाव न वशेषोऽ यो गनः ॥ १८ -११॥
In this incomprehensible uncontrollable life, opposite experiences have to flow.
ारा े emperor hood, on top of the world at one time. भै वृ ौ one tsunami and
lost everything, beggarhood, power and loss of power, losing respect from family

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members, च लाभालाभे loss and profit जने वने lot of people or in solitude in forest
(in loneliness in bed) न वक भाव I’m the all-pervading eternal consciousness;
there are no divsions/opposites, I’m the transcendental sakṣi, I don’t forget this
(at all times) न वशेषोऽ यो गनः ॥
Class 48 on 22nd December 2020

ारा े भै वृ ौ च लाभालाभे जने वने ।

न वक भाव न वशेषोऽ यो गनः ॥ १८ -११॥
This teaching alone can be of ultimate help/ remembering the 5 capsules at all
times is required. Ahankara goes from emperor hood to beggarhood, labha alabha,
profits to problems, with or without people. Even closest relatives can distance
themselves. No ahankara can escape, it is subject to powerful influence of
prārabdha. If I’m involved with ahankara, life will appear a bharam. A jñāni has
practised to be away from ahankara. When prārabhdha tosses the ahankara up and
down, jñāni is neither overwhelmed by positive situation nor upset by negative
situations. Sthiraprajñāha of chapter 2 of Gita.

धमः च वा कामः चाथ ः ववे कता ।

इदं कृ त मदं ने त ैमु यो गनः ॥ १८ -१२॥
He is looking back at how he was as a samsārī. How he did not value mokṣā.
धमः च वा कामः चाथः ववे कता He looked at wealth and property of
permanent peace and security. Artha, kama various sense pleasures. Dharma is also
for encashing in future. He had tremendous passion in all 3. He has understood
their limitations. All 3 are only serving as mirrors. Quality of pleasure and security
are far inferior because they are all pratibimba Ānandā. They are inferior quality,
he discovers. All 3 are subject to prārabdha. Therefore dependence on them is
risky. After discovering both these facts, he has got out of passion for them. He
is no longer a slave of these. He has got out of mental obsession for money, sense
pleasures, punya also. इदं कृत मदं ने त ैमु यो गनः dharma artha kama occupy
the mind, they have to be kicked out through jñānaṃ. These three were called
preyas in Katopanisad.
ेय ेय मनु मेत ौ स र व वन धीरः ।
ेयो ह धीरोऽ भ य
े सो वृणीते ेयो म ो योग ेमा ण
ृ ीते ॥ 1.2.2॥

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Nityanityavastu viveka is required. In mokṣā also, I’m not interested, by the study
of vedānta, 5th capsule of vedānta, I know that’s my real nature. So I don’t require
mokṣā. Like sitting in railway platform with a platform ticket and watching all
trains as an entertainment. This has been already accomplished, no anxiety on
anything that needs to be done. He is free from the dvandva of to be done, not
to be done. Duties will become part of entertainment, when I look at myself as
sakṣi.

कृ ं कम प नैवा न का प द र ना ।
यथा जीवनमेवेह जीव ु यो गनः ॥ १८ -१३॥
कृ ं कम प नैवा ahankara is never free from duties. Body mind complex with
cidābhāsa even a jñāni has his own duties as a Guru etc , Ātmā is ever free from
duties. Jñāni claims from standpoint of ātmā. From the relative world perspective,
he puts on ahankara dress. Duties are also not taken as a burden. Sakshi is my
svabhava. Sureshwaracharya uses the word kancukam, coat.
अ पता पता भव त मातामाता लोका अलोका देवा अदेवा वेदा अवेदाः । अ ेनोऽ ेनो
भव त ूणहा ण
ू हा चा ालोऽचा ालः पौ सोऽपौ सः
मणोऽ मण ापसोऽतापसोऽन ागतं पु ेनान ागतं पापेन तीण ह तदा सव ोका द
ृ य
भव त ॥ bri upa 4.3.22 ॥
A jñāni permanently remembers duty belongs to vesha. I’m free from duties from
sākṣi standpoint, the bharam of duties belong to the role. न का प द र ना I’m
not attached to any particular role also. Raising children is our duty, even marriage
we can only assist. Giving values is our duty. Otherwise every situation the children
go through will rock us. Family is a temporary set up to get cittaṣuddhi. We should
stop aham mama related prayers. I’m not attached to father status, husband status,
guru status even. Playing guru role is an entertainment. Don’t get trapped even in
this. Family,organisation, roles, don’t get enamoured. Living is role playing. Any
emotional disturbance, they are all pains giving the message. Insults etc, message
from vedānta regarding the 5 capsules. यथा जीवनमेवेह जीव ु यो गनः for a yogi,
jivanmuktaha, liberated while playing all these roles, so he goes through life as it
unfolds by prārabdha. I don’t know what will be the shape of life tomorrow or
future. Don’t imagine, that jñāni will know the future. He knows world is mithya.

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Its as much a mystery as it is for ajñāni. For jñāni future is a surprise element.
A jivanmukta refuses to worry about the future. Allow Bhagawan to do his work.
Class 49 on 23rd December 2020

कृ ं कम प नैवा न का प द र ना ।
यथा जीवनमेवेह जीव ु यो गनः ॥ १८ -१३॥
The assumption is that we are convinced of the teaching through śravanam and
mananam. We are only aiming at assimilation in various ways. 5 capsules of
vedānta. I am of the nature …..
मोहः च वा व ं त ानं मु ता ।
सवस सीमाय व ा महा नः ॥ १८ -१४॥
Aṣṭāvakra points out that whole world is brahman wrongly perceived, adhyāsa.
Ignorance of brahman is the case for misperception of the world. Therefore the
knowledge of brahman will make the world as mithya nāmarūpa. Even science does
this, they say world then elements then molecules then atoms in motion then sub
atomic particles then energy in motion. Non-tangible energy in motion gives a
feeling of universe. Vedānta goes one step further and says it is consciousness,
caitanya spandanam. For a jñāni who has internalised this teaching, this delusion
is not there. मोहः where is brahma ajñānaṃ for me? च वा व ं where is
the question of existence of the universe other than brahman , I accept the
appearance. world? त हानं where is the question of negating the problems of
universe? मु ता where is question of liberation mokṣa? Vedantic approach is
question the problem. By questioning the problem dissolves, there is no problem
to solve.
In nirvana ṣatkam
न धम न चाथ न कामो न मो दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ ३॥
सवस सीमाय व ा महा नः this is the truth for a jñāni who is abiding in
himself the ātmā which is the adhiṣṭānam of all the projected problems. As a
game all sankalpas are ok. Actions for fulfilment is samsara. The jñāni is de-
stressed but not distressed.

येन व मदं ं स ना ी त करोतु वै ।

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 नव सनः कं कु ते प प न प त ॥ १८ -१५॥
When an imaginary problem is solved, for some time there is a great relief. Like
a biopsy test, the way we get worried… the result may turn out ok. When the
result comes, there is bliss of freedom from non-existent problem. After few month
the imaginary problem becomes insignificant, then the relief will also become
insignificant. Similarly even claiming mokṣā I not significant. Aṣṭāvakra says let
these students jump with joy, im not even enamoured by bandha nivrutti. येन
व मदं ं those who saw the world as real, स ना ी त करोतु वै let him negate
and keep declaring
मनोबु ह ार च ा न नाहं न च ो ज े न च ाणने े ।
न च ोमभू मन तेजो न वायु दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ १॥

let him practise meditation of negating world नव सनः I don’t even have
subconscios samsara कं कु ते what sadhana he has to do प प न प त even
seeing experientially duality also he does not see really. A valid knowledge can
never be shaken by an opposite experience. I’m embodiment of Ānandā knowledge
is never negated even when tears are flowing down. That is nirvasanaha.

न भू मरापो न च व र , न चा नलो मेऽ न चा रं च॥२२॥ kaivalya upaniṣad

मनसैवेदमा ं, नेह नाना क न।
मृ ोः स मृ ुं ग त, य इह नानेव प त॥२.१.११॥
This has to be attained through the mind alone. There is no plurality at all here. One
who sees plurality, as it were, goes from death to death.
-kaṭopaniṣad
That’s why dvatins and vishshtadvaitin are not able to accept advaitam.

येन ं परं सोऽहं ेत च ये ।

कं च यत न ो तीयं यो न प त ॥ १८-१६॥
Aṣṭāvakra is talking of a sthiraprajñā who has transcended nididhyāsanam also.
During problems what is there in subconscious mind surfaces. Conscious mind gets
stunned and the subconscious vāsana come up. Nididhyāsanam is to make
subconscious saturated for I’m ever free thought. Only when problems come, you
know if the subconscious is working or not. Prārabdha will leave no one not even
of a maha jñāni. Whether we remember binary format or not. येन ं परं the

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one who has known param brahma through śravanam and mananam in he
conscious mind सः (prajñaha) he must practice nididhyāsanam to push the
knowledge into subconscious. अहं ेत च ये he has to practice the 5 capsules,
whereas one who has practiced and converted jñānam into jñāna niṣṭā for him कं
च य त what meditation does a sthiraprajña require? Vasnakṣyaha.. destroying the
vāsana that I’m a sādhaka. Manonāśaha, a mind that no more produces samsārī
thought. FIR has been so heavily brought down. न ो तीयं यो न प त who
does not see a second thing other than himself?

ो येना व ेपो नरोधं कु ते सौ ।

उदार ु न व ः सा ाभावा रो त क ॥ १८-१७॥
Ramana Maharishi has presented this very well. Soham vicaro… saddarśanam
सोऽहं वचार: साहा कार practice either sravanam mananam or nididhyāsanam is only
as long as you need to counter I’m the body. ा ै स ौ when I don’t have
any doubt, I’m the eternal all-pervading consciousness is redundant and irrelevant.
For him saying I’m body takes effort यथा नर म तनर do you regularly practise
meditation that im a human being… it is ever evident fact..
सोऽहं- वचारो वपुरा भावे साहा कार पर-मागण ।

ा ै -स ौ स पुन नरथ यथा नर - म तनर ॥ ३६

Form attachment to śāstrā, acārya & ĩśvara; grow, and drop the attachment! [32,
34, 36]

सोऽहं वचार: साहा कार = [so'ham-vicāraḥ sāhāyyakārĩ] - In the initial stages, this
Mahāvākya vicārā is very, very relevant, valid, purposeful & compulsory. "That
Paramātma, 'I' the jĩvātmā AM". [jĩvātma-paramātma-aikyam]. It is a great
sādhanam- pramāṇam = means. [pramā = basis].

परमागण = [paramārgaṇasya] - In the search of mokṣa, until "aham brahm āsmi"

becomes a fact for me; as long as jĩvātma bhāva continues; I should take to this
sādhanā. Saṁsārā can be defined as a struggle to become someone else {a target /
a goal}. Purṇatvam / Satisfaction is not connected with the completion of any
project. I am purṇaḥ / complete inspite of imcomplete projects.

ा ै स ौ = [svātmaikya siddhau] - Once I have discovered jĩvātma-paramātma-

aikyam, I do not connect my purṇatvam / satisfaction to the completion of any
project. स नरथ: = [sa nirarthaḥ] - Vedānta-vicāraḥ is not required for fulfillment.

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 [It should be a non-binding desire]. यथा नर म तनर = [yathā naratvapramitir
narasya] - A normal person need not repeatedly do japa that "I am a jĩvaḥ" / मनु :
= [manuṣhyaḥ] - because, it is already a fact for him. Fact, is not meant for japa .
नरथ: = [nirarthaḥ] - It is redundant for a human-being. Similarly, for a wise
person, "Aham Brahmāsmi" is neither required for enquiry nor for japa.

Class 50 on 24th December 2020

ो येना व ेपो नरोधं कु ते सौ ।

उदार ु न व ः सा ाभावा रो त क ॥ १८-१७॥

5 capsules of vedānta. Whether life is struggle or entertainment is not determined

by Bhagawan or anything external. Triangular format to binary format shift of
world view has to take place due to vedantic studies. First it happens ar conscious
level, then it has to shift to sub conscious by nididhyāsanam. All our emotional
responses to prārabdha based situations come from vāsana based responses
therefore the inner shift through vasanakshaya has to happen. Only then my
responses will change. If this shift does not happen, I’m just like others who do
not attend classes. Aṣṭāvakra is speaking about this format changes, these verses
make sense only from binary format change. ो येना व ेपो the people in
triangular format are samsaris, talking about distraction of the mind. They talk of
meditation ātmā dhyānam to fix their mind on one thing. That is meaningless as
mind can never be away from ātmā as it is all over. Focussing on one thing is not
required. Whoever experiences mental distraction, only that person requires mental
distraction. This is based on Patanjali’s definition of yoga. Let those yogic people
do meditation to focus on one thing. For a vedantic student, ātmā is always there,
there is no need for this. Mind is never distracted. In drukdrushya viveka, we saw
open eyed samadhi and closed eye samadhi. When a jñāni looks out anything in
the creation, is nāmarūpa. Isness is brahman, jñāni mind is never away from
brahman. He experiences brahman everywhere. Paarkum idangalelam neekka mara.
Undisplaceable existence is experienced everywhere. Brahman is outside as well as
inside. नरोधं कु ते सौ उदार ु न व ः he cannot be distracted from sat cit,

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therefore सा ाभावा रो त क because he does not have the goal of concentration,
what sadhana he can do? This is valid for binary format.

धीरो लोक वपय ो वत मानोऽ प लोकव ।

न समा धं न व ेपं न लोपं प त ॥ १८-१८॥
धीरो लोक वपय ो change of format happens at conscious level through śravanam
and mananam, at subconscious through nididhyāsanam life-long.. Jñāni looks
externally looks the same. The wise man is diagonally opposite to the ordinary
people in the world. In triangular format, jiva is persecuted by prārabhdha. He
looks upon himself as jivanmukta. वतमानोऽ प लोकव even though in the external
world, he lives like other people.न समा धं न व ेपं न लोपं प त he does not
have any mental disturbances, he does not have to go in search of peace, he does
not see the necessity of samadhi adhyāsa. He does not see himself being affected
by any event.
Remaining in binary format during last moments is the best one can achieve.
भावाभाव वह नो य ृ ो नव सनो बु धः ।
नैव क ृ तं तेन लोक ा वकु वता ॥ १८ -१९॥
All human relations are caused by presence or absence of things. Either actual or
imaginary disappearance. Only relative world has pairs of opposites. In triangular
format all the time I’m worried about who goes first and who goes next. Ātmā
ever is, anātmānever is.
नासतो व ते भावः, नाभावो व ते सतः ।
उभयोर प ोऽ ः, नयो द श भः ॥ गी 2-16॥
भावाभाव वह नो this jñāni is free from existence and non-existence, this is in the
subconscious. य ृ ो नव सनो बुधः he has removed jiva vāsana, he has only aham
brahma vāsana in subconscious. He accomplished through nididhyāsanam. During
problems, nididhyāsanam has to be practised more. नैव क ृ तं तेन he is free
from the burden of activities. लोक ा वकुवता (present participle 3rd case..) even
though from worldly angle he is involved in several activities. Involved in
lokasangraha karmani.

नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥गी 5- 8॥
लप सृज ृ , उ ष मष प ।

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 इ याणी याथषु, वत इ त धारय ॥ गी 5-9॥
…
A jñāni thinks/acts this way. Material body is interacting with material world, I’m
not affected.

वृ ौ वा नवृ ौ वा नैव धीर हः ।

यदा य तु माया त त ृ ा त तः सु ख ॥ १८-२०॥
What will govern a jñāni’s lifestyle?
स शं चे ते ाः, कृते नवान प ।
कृ तं या भूता न, न हः कं किर त ॥ गी 3-33॥
Prarabhdha determines type of personality. The lifestyle will be only for
lokasangraha. Different types of lifestyles will be there for different jñānis. A jñāni
is not addicted to activity. If one is addicted to the activity, old age is a problem.
A jñāni will go along with the situation. धीर नैव हः there is no obstinacy in
activity or withdrawal. He may have preference based on his svabhava. (addiction
to the coffee is the issue) वृ ौ वा नवृ ौ वा no slavery with respect to likes and
dislikes यदा य तुमाया त त ृ ा त तः सुख whatever is warranted by society, like
building temples, or propagating spiritual teachings, or in poverty he may promote
social service. Whenever whatever has to be done, that he will do, and having done
that he remains comfortable. ( त तः adjective to धीर )
Class 51 on 25th December 2020

Verse 20 contd…
5 capsules of vedānta..
As long as I look upon myself as jiva, prārabdha will keep impacting me. Only
when my world view changes and look upon myself as ātmā, then I won’t have to
run to Iśvara for everything. As a nitya mukta ātmā, I put up a costume and move
on. This change in world view must take place in sub-conscious mind.

नव सनो नराल ः ो मु ब नः ।
ः सं ारवातेन चे ते पणव ॥ १८-२१॥
नव सनो one who has got out of jiva vāsana, triangular format, this jñāni has
uprooted that jiva self. Jiva asana rahitaha, ātmā vāsana yuktaha, brahma vāsana
yuktaha. I should deliberately shift … vāsana is habitual thinking pattern.. नराल ः

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therefore, one who does not require any emotional/moral support from outside.
Ahankara is in the boxing round boxing with an invisible boxer who can see me.
Approval/validation seeking etc is inevitable for ahankara. Jñāni is independent.
ो jñāni is self-guided, he needed dharma sastra to follow before jñānaṃ.
External authority is required to control immature folks. Punishment is required
for immature people. Jñānis I is universal and values are ingrained in him. He
naturally follows.
व ाण वनयो ेष शमः ाकृत उ ते ।
दमः कृ तदा ादेवं व ा मं जे ॥ Alat.pra. Mand.Ka ८६ ॥
Gaudapada says he is spontaneous, freedom comes to a jñāni who is self-regulated.
nistraigunya pati vicarataam ko vidhihi ko nishedhaha. मु ब नः free from nidhis
and nishedhas. At the time of taking sanyāsa, jñāni removes sacred thread. Whoever
takes upanayanam, needs to follow the shastric injunctions. ः सं ारवातेन he
has got his own prarabdha samsakara, a personality which is already refined. He
just decides what lokasangraha he needs to do. By sadhanams he has removed bad
samskaras. His life is determined by the will of God. Society may honour or
criticise. चे ते पणव like a dry leaf that’s fallen from the tree. Jñāni does not
have any personal agenda..they say be a flute of Lord Krishna. Flute also has
navadvara. Jiva also has navadvara. Jñāni is like a flute who has surrendered to the
feet of the Lord.

असंसार तु ा प न हष न वषादता ।
स शीतलमना न ं वदे ह इव राजये ॥ १८ -२२॥
Jñāni will go through suffering at times, but he does not look upon them as his
sufferings. Therefore, he maintains equanimity. असंसार navidhyate samsara
yasya (bahuvreehi) a jñāni तु ा प न हष न वषादता will not allow excitement to
become attachment, he knows it is constant flow, similarly with sorrow. A
balanced enjoyment he has. When the situations are unfavourable, he is not
carried away by that also. Darkest night is followed by dawn. स शीतलमना he is
cool minded,
सम ःखसुखः ः, समलो ा का नः ।
तु या यो धीरः, तु न ा सं ु तः ॥गी 14-24॥
मानापमानयो ु ः, तु ो म ािरप योः ।
सव र पिर ागी, गुणातीतः स उ ते ॥गी 14-25॥

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chapter 14, 12 etc न ं वदेह इव राजये he is as if disembodied, jñāni is not
overwhelmed by anything.

कु ा प न जहासा नाशो वा प न कु च ।
आ ाराम धीर शीतला तरा नः ॥ १८ -२३॥
कु ा प न जहासा a jñāni does not want to renounce anything. We wonder.
(न कमणा न जया धनेन, ागेनैके अमृत मान :।
परे ण नाकं न हतं गुहाय , व ाजते य तयो वश ॥।३॥
It is through renunciation that a few seekers have attained immortality - not
through ritual, not through progeny, (not) through wealth. Sannyasis attain (the
immortal self) which shines beyond the heaven (and) which resides in the heart.
वेदा व ानसु न ताथ ः, सं ासयोगा तयः स ाः।
ते लोकेषु परा काले , परामृताः पिरमु सव॥४॥
Through renunciation, the pure-minded sannyāsīs have clearly ascertained
Brahman which is the object of Vedantic knowledge. Having become one with the
infinite Brahman (while living), they all resolve completely into Brahman at the
time of death. )
He says you can renounce only what you own. By discovering I’m the ātmā… I
have discovered that even body belongs to Bhagawan, he can claim at anytime.
Jñāni does not have any ownership in the first place. Jihasa..sannanta of hatum
iccaa only ajñāni renounces things, Aṣṭāvakra says. नाशो वा प न कु च A jñāni
does not lose anything since he does not possess anything. That’s why he feels
secure all the time. आ ाराम from where will he get his peace security and
happiness. 2nd capsule of vedānta, I’m the only source of permanent peace security
and happiness. One who revels in his true nature, धीर शीतला तरा नः he has
a cool and calm mind.
Class 52 on 26th December 2020

Verse 23 contd
By long practice, it should become effortlessly possible to regroup everything into
anātmā and I the sakṣi in nididhyāsanam. Having regrouped I should be able to
discern that anātmā is mysterious, incomprehensible, unpredictable, uncontrollable.
Free will is only one of the contributory factors. Events will bring surprise. Every
moment…our problem is we look at the surprise as unwanted because it creates

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anxiety. Anxiety is because I’m unable to accept surprise element in anātmā. In
nididhyāsanam, I should learn to welcome it… physical health, moods everything
is unpredictable. As long as we do not accept this, anxiety tension will be there.
A jñāni is one who accepts unpredictability, uncontrollability in life..

कृ ा च कु वतोऽ य या ।
ाकृ त ेव धीर न मानो नावमानता ॥ १८ -२४॥
Once I have become comfortable with surprise element, the advantage is
preoccupation of the mind comes down. I want to predict the future of my children
and worry about them occupies my mind. Jñāni has renounced such worries,
including his body’s future help, his finances children etc. कृ ा च
therefore mind is free from pre-occupation. A preoccupied mind is not available
for anything constructive. Generally by nature, jñāni is free from fear, worry,
preoccupation. He just keeps doing whatever needs to be done. He does not react
but acts according to the required situation. Actions are dependent on the role he
plays. As ātmā no designation. According to prārabdha karma, body has its own
contributions to do. कुवतोऽ य या he keeps on doing ाकृत ेव like any other
person in the world. धीर न मानो नावमानता duty is not a burden for a jñāni. He
just takes it as an entertainment. With regard to performance he is like an ajñāni,
but with no anxiety about results. Maana apamaana..

कृ तं देहेन कम दं न मया पणा ।

इत च ानु रोधी यः कु व प करो त न ॥ १८ -२५॥
3rd capsule of vedānta. In my mere presence the body mind complex has become
a karta bhokta ahankara कृतं देहन
े कमदं this body mind complex does all the
activities न मया पणा (in the regrouped vision of I ātmā and anātmā) I do
not perform any action. इ त च ानुरोधी this thought is constantly there just as
musician remembers shruti at all times, similarly jñāni remembers the shruti. यः
कुव प करो त न outwardly he is involved in the activities, from his own standpoint
he does not do anything.

नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गी 5-8॥

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 लप सृज ृ , उ ष मष प ।
इ याणी याथषु, वत इ त धारय ॥ गी 5- 9॥

अत ादीव कु ते न भवेद प बा लशः ।

जीव ु ः सु खी ीमा संसर प शोभते ॥ १८ -२६॥
Jñānis course of life is changing according to the requirement of the situation.
Ajñāni has his set goals, driven by strong desire that without that my life is
incomplete. A jñāni, He is not attached to any kind of activity. अत ादीव कु ते न
a person who does not have a set philosophy of life. As though he lives (other
people’s philosophy is based on ignorance) . he appears whimsical.. भवेद प बा लशः
a jñāni acts like a child, they change as required. He does not seem to have set
goal. He is child like. A jñāni does not have desires since he is fulfilled. An
ignorant person can never assess the mind of a jñāni. जीव ु ः this person is free
from even the worry about the judgement from society. सुखी he is comfortable
with himself ीमा he has the greatest wealth of knowledge. संसर प moving from
place to place.. he is brigh in spite of prārabdha taking the body from one place
to another. शोभते

नाना वचारसु ा ो धीरो व ा मागतः ।

न क ते न जा त न शृ णो त न प त ॥ १८ -२७॥
Not only his physical journey has ended, his intellectual journey has also ended.

Class 53 on 27th December 2020

Vicara means reasoning. Vedānta has given a unique role to reasoning. First
reasoning is used to discern the limitations of reasoning. Kata. Upa “naisha
tarkena matirapanena” reasoning cannot be efficacious for understanding vedānta.
All reasonings are done through collection of data from experimentation. All these
are limited by sense organs.. like amount of water you collect depends on the
capacity of vessel. Similarly data can be collected only through sense organs.
Therefore they will be invariably imperfect. We will never know the totality of the
universe, then how can we understand the truth behind it. The observer conscious
principle can never be observed, we can never collect all the data therefore. An
observer is unobservable therefore data about observer cannot be collected through

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observation. Therefore however much observations I do, I cannot understand the
truth/finality. In brahmasutra various systems of philosophy are used to prove logic
cannot help. Buddhism, nyaya, vaishesika. We see how they have understood the
truth behind the universe and loopholes are shown. In brahmasutra 2nd chapter
this is done. Even the best conclusion arrived at by the best intellects will be
subsequently questioned by other scientists.
Reasoning is limited. Vedānta works in a different plane. So don’t use reasoning
to prove or disprove vedānta. After understanding these three statements, use
reasoning for mananam for extracting the proper meaning of vedānta .
नाना वचारसु ा ो initially a person is tired of reasoning, then he regroups the
subject and object. Body and mind are also part of observed world, I the pure
consciousness alone am subject. Through vedānta I arrive at the five features.
Remember the 5 capsules especially the 5th capsule. I’m ātmā all others come
under pañca anātmā. This seeker ultimately arrives at the proper teachings of
vedānta. Once it is regrouped, धीरो व ा मागतः there are no more struggles, the
events are series of episodes. I the witness will continue behind all the bodies
arriving and debating. I have no raga or dveṣa. No craving for Videha mukti also.
न क ते न जा त न शृणो त न प त all these are functions are roles of jiva. I’m the
apramata ātmā who does not do any of these activities.

असमाधेर व ेपा न मु मु ु न चेतरः ।

न क तं प ैवा े महाशयः ॥ १८ -२८॥
Aṣṭāvakra says, that this jñāni is no more a seeker or sādhaka of mokṣā. Even
nididhyāsanam he does not practise, as even this is only for vasanakshayaha. It is
like saying this rope snake I know but I’m doing meditation to remove the poison
of the snake. A jñāni has detached from mind also. असमाधेर व ेपा two types of
nididhyāsanam, samadhi abhyasa roopa and brahmabhyasa… jñāni does no practise
samadhiabhyasa rūpa nididhyāsanam… does it mean he is a samsari? न मुमु ुन
चेतरः he is not a mumukshu , he is not a samsari also, he is a mukta purusha
who does not see the relevance of any sadhana. Sadhana is only for improving
the anātma. न क तं he sees all of them as anātmā, mithya anātmā, drama
will be on at anātmālevel. He is aware that none of these will affect him, the

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ātmā. To understand that mind is mithya, he needs to use it. प ैवा े महाशयः
he remembers this fact during crisis too.

य ा ः ादह ारो न करो त करो त सः ।

नरह ारधीरे ण न क दकृ तं कृ त ॥ १८-२९॥
After gaining this knowledge that I’m ever free and sadhanas are not relevant for
me, even after the understanding a jñāni can be active through body mind complex.
This (activity) is determined by prārabdha vāsana at anātmālevel. All karmas that
jñāni does are for lokasangraha. नरह ारधीरे ण a jñāni who is free from ahankara
कृत api , even when he does karma न क दकृतं they are not sadhanas
performed, they don’t look upon themselves as karta.. य ा ः ादह ारो in the
case of ajñāni looks upon himself as jiva, ahankara has come, prārabhdha and
prārabhdha caused problems have come, even though he is not active externally,
he is having potential action in him. न करो त करो त सः
Gita Chapter 4
कम कम यः प े , अकम ण च कम यः ।
स बु मा नु ेष,ु स यु ः कृ कमकृ ॥ 18॥

Class 54 on 28th December 2020

Verse 29 contd
Mokṣāis defined as śānti in upaniṣad, in gita. Several places, this is the definition.
This is very appealing to everybody as everybody wants peace of mind. Vedānta
gives mokṣāwhich gives śānti therefore one studies vedānta. This is true even for
sadhana chatushtaya sampati and sravana manana nididhyāsanam. Result is FIR
reduction, an expression of manasśānti, CCC increase also. These are all different
ways of expressing manasśānti. Every student has to practise vedānta.

After studying vedānta for some time, every body needs to relook at definition of
mokṣā. Manasśānti is manasaha śānti. Manaha is anātmā, influenced by various
factors all the time. I as an individual cannot have control over anātmā, I can
only contribute, I cannot have total control. Therefore every senior vedantic

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student needs to understand of manasśānti is mokṣāthen mokṣāwill also
fluctuate. Gita
काशं च वृ ं च, मोहमेव च पा व ।
न े स वृ ा न, न नवृ ा न का त ॥गी 14.22॥
mind is also made of three gunas. Even greatest jñāni cannot enjoy sattvic mind
all the time. Mokṣā will be varying…. Therefore every vedantic student has to
change the definition and delink manasśānti from mokṣāand claiming the śānti of
ātmā which is unaffected by prārabdha, health conditions, external factors.
भगुणमयैभ वैः, ए भः सव मदं जग ।
मो हतं ना भजाना त, मामे ः परम य ॥ गी 7.13॥

Therefore Aṣṭāvakra said य ा ः ादह ारो न करो त करो त सः ।

नरह ारधीरे ण न क दकृतं कृत ॥ १८-२९॥
Pursuit of manasśānti is not a goal for jñāni, claiming ātmā shanti is sadhana.

नो ं न च स ु मकतृ व जत ।
नराशं गतस ेहं च ं मु राजते ॥ १८ -३०॥
नो ं he does not react to the conditions of his own mind.
न े स वृ ा न, न नवृ ा न का त ॥गी 14.22॥
be objective with regard to your own mind, be compassionate with your mind.
Sometimes we feel we are an embodiment of peace, even that he is not elated.
न च स ु मकतृ jñāni is one who is free from doership, he is actionless.
नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गी.5.8॥
त व ु महाबाहो, गुणकम वभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वत ,े इ त म ा न स ते ॥ गी 3.28॥
व जत free from al motions. नराशं he is free from all aashaa. He knows
manaha cannot be kept in the same state so improving my mind is also an
entertainment not connected with mokṣā which is my nature. गतस ेहं free from
all doubts that I’m different from the mind.. च ं मु राजते Mind of a jñāni
ever shines with these virtues

न तुं चे तुं वा प य ं न वतते ।

ननम मदं क ु न ये त वचे ते ॥ १८ -३१॥

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Mind can never reach perfection. I can therefore never claim I’m muktaha.
च लं ह मनः कृ , मा थ बलव ढ ।
त ाहं न हं म े, वायोिरव सु र ॥ गी 6.34॥
.. gita Arjuna said. In Mandukya upaniṣad kaarika, Acharya said keeping mind in
restrained, is like emptying the ocean with darbha grass… removing all thoughts
and vāsana accumulated over several jenmas. न तुं चे तुं वा प य ं न वतते
practice of meditation or engaging mind in any other action, both this jñāni is
not interested in (obsessed), whatever be the condition of the mind, I’m free is
his mental state. न न म मदं without anxiety it is either engaged in dhyānam or
activity
नैव त कृतेनाथः, नाकृतेनेह क न ।
न चा सवभूतेष,ु क दथ पा यः ॥ गी 3.18॥
क ु न ये त वचे ते

त ं यथाथ माक म ः ा ो त मू ढता ।

अथवा या त स ोचममू ढः कोऽ प मू ढव ॥ १८-३२॥
When a person exposes to the vedantic teachings, the res[ponse depends on
adhikaritvam. Two types of responses are possible. त ं यथाथमाक म ः ा ोत
मूढता one who is mandaha after listening to the message of vedānta, his mind is
overwhelmed, and withdraws from all the sadhanas. In the case of extremely
qualified person, he knows he is ever free, he also withdraws from all sadhanas
out of wisdom. Otherwise, a qualified person, tatvam yathartham aakarnya, after
listening, he also withdraws अथवा या त स ोचममूढः कोऽ प मूढव exactly like
moodaha.

एका ता नरोधो वा मू ढैर ते भृ श ।

धीराः कृ ं न प सु व पदे ताः ॥ १८ -३३॥
For ashtanga yoga abhyaasaha, systematic practice of the 8 steps of sadhana, yama
niyama etc. they talk about the transformation from one level to other. Kshptam
vikshiptam, ..ekagram, niruktam in yoga, trying to come to one thought and then
cessation of all the thoughts in nirudham. Patanjali looks at stopping the mind
and lengthrning the duration in which it is stopped. Aṣṭāvakra says this is ll
practised by mooda. Vedānta says you need limited control of mind. Chitta vṛutti

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ekagrata and niruddha cannot be the goal of life. You can try to improve the
quality of mind. 4th Bhoomika ekagrata and 5th Bhoomika niruddhaha are practised
by moodaaha…

Class 55 on 29th December 2020

Verse 33 contd
In the triangular format, I am helpless hapless creature. This feeling of helplessness
is samsara. Nididhyāsanam is not to improve jiva, not to control jiva, but getting
out of this format and learning to look upon ātmā as myself. Until this shift
happens, any amount of vedantic studies will not help. Main benefit of changing
format is I no more judge myself based on fluctuations in the anātmā. I never say
I’m helpless. Change of mindset is alone the saving grace, sooner we get ino this,
the better it is for us. Otherwise we will keep running to īśvara, no liberation of
jiva, ātmā is only ever liberated. Many people want to control the mind. Max they
can succeed in nirvikalpaka samadhi silently for few seconds. एका ता नरोधो वा
मूढैर ते भृश it is the moodas who are practising ashtanga yoga with the hope
of getting total control of the mind, ekagrata is referring to 4th level of yogabhyasa.
धीराः कृ ंनप सु व पदे ताः an intelligent person does not want to totally
control the anātmā, they know its like straightening the dog’s tail. The jñāni knows
mind is subject to variations due to the three gunas. Only sadhana is claiming I’m
free. They every remain in their own nature like a sleeping person (binary format).
He ever remains in advaitam.

अ य ा य ा वा मू ढो ना ो त नवृ त ।
त न यमा ेण ा ो भव त नवृ तः ॥ १८ -३४॥
अ य ा य ा वा मूढो ना ो त नवृ त A deluded person can never get freedom or
liberation. He is striving for perfect body, mind, family etc. Aṣṭāvakra says in
triangular format do you are damned, you don’t, you are damned. Whether he
puts forth effort or not, problem will never go away. Instead of improving the
dream, you wake up. By clearly knowing the tatvam that body and mind are not
included in Me. त न यमा ेण ा ो भव त नवृतः

ं बु ं यं पू ण न प ं नरामय ।

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आ ानं तं न जान त ा ासपरा जनाः ॥ १८ -३५॥
त ा ासपरा जनाः Paraaha janaaha, ignorant people have not understood the
difference in formats. Liberated jiva is an oxymoron, it’s like comfortable slave.
The ignorant people who want to maintain their individuality. Keep knocking
different doors. आ ानं तं न जान they don’t know the real I, Ātmā is ं clean
बु ं chaitanya swaroopam यं dear and peaceful, ātmā is पूण full and complete,
as a jiva I can never be complete. न प ं free from the influence of the world,
world being mithya and ātmā being satyam. नरामय I’m free from all problems.
Sorrow or emotion. This ātmā the other people do not know.

ना ो त कमणा मो ं वमू ढोऽ ास पणा ।

ध ो व ानमा ेण मु व यः ॥ १८ -३६॥
Previously he said moodaha now he uses vimoodaha. ना ो त कमणा मो ं वमूढ: these
people continue with struggle. Increase the meditation time etc. this deluded fool
does not and will not get mokṣā by any amount of sadhanas. अ ास पणा our
mindset we refuse to drop. Shastra talks of lokas. Dhaturlokashasito vaa tata kim
shambhorloko… ..tatah kim… you go anywhere, as long as you are in triangular
format you will find somebody better off than you. Some comparison or other will
be there. Any amount of newer and newer practices you do mokṣā is not possible.
Dhanyaha blessed are those students who has received the message of vedānta.
ध ो व ानमा ेण मु व यः he claims nitya mukti and is free from all
sadhanas for liberation. Binary format, he abides in. even if he does karma they
are not done as sadhana for liberation. Naiva kinchit.. pashyan indriyani
indriyartheshu, gunaha indriya…
नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गी.5.8॥
लप सृज ृ , उ ष मष प ।
इ याणी याथषु, वत इ त धारय ॥ गी.5.9॥
त व ु महाबाहो, गुणकम वभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वत ,े इ त म ा न स ते ॥ गी 3.28॥
He is naishkarmyaha…
अस बु ः सव , जता ा वगत ृहः ।
नै स ं परम , सं ासेना धग त ॥49॥
Sureshvaracharya borrows the tiltle Naishkarma siddhi from here.

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मू ढो ना ो त त यतो भ वतु म त ।
अन प धीरो ह पर पभा ॥ १८-३७॥
Aṣṭāvakra is reemphasisng.. मूढो ना ो त त यतो भ वतु म त ।
अन प धीरो ह पर पभा

Verse 37
Sage Aṣṭāvakra is helping us with nididhyāsanam. Actions become hobby,
experiences become entertainment. Nididhyasanam should cause internalisation.
Some students face a serious obstacle during nididhyāsanam. They have to claim
nitya muktatvam. Am I fit enough I’m nitya mukta svarūpaha. Do I have sufficient
qualifications to claim that? We will not disappoint Swamiji. I would like to be in
triangular format, let Swamiji be in binary format. We never think we need
qualifications for triangular format. We never question this. We should remember
that binary format has been given by jñāna kanda and several qualifications are
prescribed. Remember that karma kanda also specifies acāra and anuṣṭāna for
triangular format as well. If we know these qualifications then we should be honest
to renounce triangular format. With what confidence we are doing prayaschitta
karma and other pujas. Prime motivating factor is not acāra or anuṣṭāna by faith
or shraddha. Primary factor is shraddha in Bhagawan or puja and prayers. Our
intense shraddha has compensated for all other deficiencies in other qualifications.
Triangular format benefits us in spite of deficiencies in qualifications.

Similarly to enter binary format is also only shraddha. Bhagawan has given us the
veda and is therefore valid. Both karma kanda and jñāna kanda are both valid.
Both formats are equally valid. Triangular format blesses me, inspite of not having
qualifications. Similarly shraddha and following binary format will bless me in spite
of the deficiency in qualifications. Lack of shraddha is lack of confidence. This
diffidence expresses as excuses. We never give excuses when we do rituals without
qualifications although veda threatens that if you don’t have achara it could be
counter-productive. I can very boldly claim aham brahmasmi. Aṣṭāvakra is referring
to these people as vimūḍāha. मूढो ना ो त त such mūḍāhs never reach brahman
यतो भ वतु म त as he wants to eternally remain in karma kanda. He does not
internalise the teaching and is struggling to become brahman. अ न प धीरो ह

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पर पभा a wise person looks upon the teacging as valid. Like he accepts
the existence of Iśvara he does not look for any other validation, he has comfortably
come to binary format. Binary format is itself mokṣa. Therefore Aṣṭāvakra says
mokṣa is yours even without wanting, I’m the nature of param brahma.

नराधारा ह ा मू ढाः संसारपोषकाः ।

एत ानथमू ल मू ल े दः कृ तो बु धैः ॥ १८ -३८॥
These people who are eternally in triangular format do not take the support of
jñāna kanda, although they study, like buying chappal and keeping it locked.
नराधारा ह ा मूढाः therefore they are interested in acquiring something or the
other. संसारपोषकाः while there is Iswara, as a jiva you always have samsara.

उदरम रं कु ते । अथ त भयं भव त । (तै. उप. ा.7-1)

as long as you are in triangular format you have to maintain the bheda, as long
as you maintain this there will be fear, sooner or later you have to come out.
Bri.upa uses still stronger words.
योऽ देवतामुपा ऽ
े ोऽसाव ोऽहम ी त न स वेद यथा प रे वं स देवाना । (बृ.उप.
1.4.10)
He is an animal carrying oblations to one devata or other. You love iśvara but
remember other side you have samsara jiva. Its like having hospital and
permanently sick. Binary format is aham svasthaha always. Perpetuating triangular
format they are mūḍāh. एत ानथमूल मूल े दः कृतो बुधैः the wise ones have
removed the ignorance which ajñānaṃ is the cause of all samsara..

न शा ं लभते मू ढो यतः श मतु म त ।

धीर ं वन सवदा शा मानसः ॥ १८ -३९॥
न शा ं लभते मूढो remaining in triangular format, identifying with the mind, fight
will continue eternally, no manasśānti. Eternally grappling with mind looking for
total control on the anātmā. यतः श मतु म त what he has to do is contribute as
a hobby accept as entertainment. Don’t hope to control the mind. Always do your
best to keep body and mind healthy, objectively look at them. Be kind to your
own mind. धीर ं वन a wise person has understood this fact. सवदा

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शा मानसः the mind by itself heals, the jñāni leaves the body mind a it is. Even
if fluctuations are there he knows

काशं च वृ ं च, मोहमेव च पा व ।
न े स वृ ा न, न नवृ ा न का त ॥गी 14.22॥
….

ा नो दश नं त य मवल ते ।
धीरा ं तं न प प ा ानम य ॥ १८-४०॥
This jiva who is eternally in karma kanda has concluded he is in samsara and is
looking for external support. Jiva etrovert is immersed either in jagat or iśvara
even death is not a solution. Only remedy is for jñāna kanda becoming operational.
Change in format in nididhyāsanam is only solution. A karma yogi in crisis does
prayers, a jñāna yogi does nididhyāsanam. Aṣṭāvakra says choice is yours. ा नो
दशनं त where is the question of binary format for this mūḍāh? य मवल ते
because he is always externally focussed world bothers Bhagawan has to support
(bhaja govindam)

क ं कोऽहं कुत आयातः

का मे जननी को मे तातः ।
इ त पिरभावय सवमसार
व ं ा वचार ॥ २३॥

Who are you ? Who am I ? From where do I come ? Who is my mother,

who is my father ? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence-less
and give up the world as an idle dream

… धीरा ं तं न प a wise man is not an extrovert, does not look at external

world as a means of problem or look at Iswara to solve the problems.
प ा ानम य he sees himself as unaffected. Therefore jump into binary
format, Aṣṭāvakra is prodding us…

Class 57 on 31st December 2020

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 ा नो दश नं त य मवल ते ।
धीरा ं तं न प प ा ानम य ॥ १८-४०॥
A religious way of life will not automatically convert a person to jñāna kanda
focus. We have to deliberately transfer the format. We keep on doing puja, going
for pilgrimages etc. this conversion will not suddenly happen as a result of mystic
experiences. Conversion of mindset is due to our deliberate effort in shifting the
shraddha. First stage is making this decision. Changing aśrama from
gruhasthaśrama to sanyāsa aśrama symbolically represents this. Conversion from
yoga buddhi to sānkhya buddhi. Consistent abhyasa must follow. Beginning and
ending the day with this mindset. Instead of changing mindset, doing something
else is not going to help. The moodaha are trying to perfect the anātmā, yoga
meditation etc. Aṣṭāvakra is insisting on this.

नरोधो वमू ढ यो नब ं करो त वै ।

ाराम ैव धीर सवदासावकृ मः ॥ १८ -४१॥
Aṣṭāvakra is criticising a yogi who is practising nirvikalpaka samadhi trying to stop
his thoughts. He is trying to make the anātmāquiet. Even if he is able to stop the
mind, through pancha bhoomis of the mind, kshipta to nirodha samadhi. Aṣṭāvakra
saus how long can you stay there like keeping the wooden plank inside water.
Door bell will ring, phone will ring. कृ मः means it is unnatural. यो नब ं करो त
वै by intense pranayama mind can be made thoughtless, a person practising this
nirbandha will he get quietude, no नरोधो वमूढ 4th capsule: I the ātmā am
not affected by anything that happens in material body or mind. I the ātmā am
eternally quiet. ाराम ैव धीर the one who follows the Asamsari mindset,
svaaraamaha, one who uses the word I to indicate ātmā, for such a person सवदासौ
is free always irrespective of any state of the mind. For ātmā, quietude is intrinsic
in nature.

भाव भावकः क न क भावकोपरः ।

उभयाभावकः क एवमेव नराकु लः ॥ १८ -४२॥
भाव भावकः one who meditates on some positive entity like a deity, क न
क भावकोपरः some want to remove all thoughts and look for silence abhaavasya

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bhaavakaha. न क भावकः thoughtless state. उभयाभावकः a vedantin does not
look for any special experience, he focusses on himself the sākṣi of both the
thoughts as well as thoughtlessness. Meditate on the meditator. Who is witness
to presence and absence of thoughts. I’m ever-free. Abhaavakaha kaschid ubhayah,
. एवमेव नराकुलः remembering 4th capsule, I’m shaantaha..

म यमा ानं भावय कु बु यः ।

न तु जान संमोहा ाव ीवम नवृ ताः ॥ १८ -४३॥
A vedantic meditator always turns his attention to saakshi which is म यमा ानं
ever free, 1st capsule, I’m of the nature of eternal all-pervading consciousness.. 5th
by forgetting my real nature… improvement of mind I don’t connect to my
liberation. How can I then experience this sākṣi, a student may ask. Focussing on
sākṣi means entertaining the thought that I’m the sākṣi of presence and absence
of thoughts. I can never experience the sākṣi. sākṣi is never an object of experience.
Proof is I’m that sākṣi. भावय कुबु यः unintelligent people meditate upon the
sākṣi as an object of experience. न तु जान , they don’t understand that sākṣi is
not a meditated object but meditated subject. संमोहा ाव ीवम नवृताः whatever comes
and gives darsanam is vyavahaarika satyam. याव जीव अ नवृता life-long , until
death, they continue. Even Bhagawan cannot stop my rebirth.

मुमु ोबु राल म रे ण न व ते ।

नराल ैव न ामा बु मु सवदा ॥ १८-४४॥
मुमु ोबु : one who is remaining in triangular format looks for support from
outside. आल म रे ण न व ते I look for support from relationships, then look for
support from iśvara. Only shift in object of dependence has happened. नराल ैव
न ामा बु मु सवदा a nididhyasaka is one who wants to shift the I towards
the first capsule, I am of the nature of eternal and ….
Mayyeva sakalam jaatam ..(kai.upa) the mindset of a muktaha is not a nastika but
is independent of Iswara while being ever grateful to him. Jñāni bhakti is nishkaama
bhakta. You’ve made me poornaha ever.

Class 58 on 1st January 2021

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मुमु ोबु राल म रे ण न व ते ।
नराल ैव न ामा बु मु सवदा ॥ १८-४४॥
All of us have been introduced to iśvara bhakti in early childhood, sakama bhakti
for passing exams getting jobs etc. You’ve made me poornaha ever. We are unaware
of niṣkāma bhakti. Most people think sakama bhakti is also a duty. It is
misunderstood as compulsory duty to be followed. This is ok as long as we don’t
come to vedānta. In chapter 2 of Gita,

या मम पु त वाचं, वद वप तः ।
वेदवादरताः पाथ, ना द ी त वा दनः ॥ 2.42॥

कामा ानः गपराः, ज कमफल दा ।

या वशेषब ल , भोगै यग तं त ॥ 2.43॥

भोगै य स ान , तयाप तचेतसा ।

वसाया का बु ः, समाधौ न वधीयते ॥ 2.44॥

Sakama bhaktas can never progress in life. They don’t have courage to drop sakama
bhakti.
A few spiritual seekers, when they try to drop, they find they have nothing to
pray. Vedānta removes prayers bhakti bhagawan etc they misunderstand. All these
problems will be solved if we see Gita properly. 7th chapter to 11th chapter of Gita,
it says sakama bhakti is replaced by superior niṣkāma bhakti. This jñāni vedantin
who is in binary format is the greatest bhakta. Krishna says entire anātmāprapañca
is the apara prakṛti of Iśvara. Culmination of the teaching is viśvarūpa iśvara.
Whatever I experience is viśvarūpa iśvara. If I have something to pray it is
lokakshemaa or viswashanti… sarve bhavantu sukhinaha. Bhagawan continues in
the form of viśvam. Īṣṭa devata is viśvarūpa iśvara. Aṣṭāvakra gita is complimentary
to Gita. (through binary format, it complements).

वषय ी पनो वी च कताः शरणा थनः ।

वश झटत ोडं नरोधैका स ये ॥ १८-४५॥
Several things in common between yoga and vedānta shastra. Śankaracārya says
we are not against any of these, but there are contradictory portions which we

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avoid. Here differences are highlighted. yogic people are concerned about fear of
bondage and try to withdraw from the world. They want to sit in samadhi.
राग ेष वयु ै ु, वषया न यै र ।
आ व ै वधेया ा, सादम धग त ॥ 2-64॥
Jñāni is one who has discovered pūrṇatvam and discovered world is not a cause
for problem. But it is raga dveṣa or attachment is the issue. वषय ी पनो वी
dveepe means tiger, those which are present in islands, yogic people are all the
time afraid.
यदा संहरते चायं, कूम ऽ ानीव सवशः ।
इ याणी याथ ः, त ा त ता ॥ 2.58॥
sense objects are looked upon as tigers due to my raga dveṣa, these ignorant
prople are scared च कताः शरणा थनः and want to run away from the world to the
cave. Yogis can never get out of fear, even if you close sense organs, mind is
discerning. Cave of shelter instantaneously, nirodha ekagragachittaye. वश झटत
ोडं नरोधैका स ये ॥ we need yoga until we grow spiritually. For jñānis samadhi
is irrelevant.

नव सनं हिरं ा तू वषयद नः ।

पलाय े न श ा े सेव े कृतचाटवः ॥ १८-४६॥
A jñāni is not scared of world or sense object. वषयद नः like elephants. Jñāni
is like lion. Sense objects cannot stand in front of jñāni. नव सनं हिरं one who
has neutralised all raga dvesga vasanas. He is nirvasana. Yadrucchaa.. ा तू
they पलाय े न run away quietly, they don’t occupy the mind. श ा े they don’t
have the power to do it. आ ा स तद े सव म े त – त बोध …सेव े
कृतचाटवः A jñāni has power to raise his level. World has no power to attack
him. In fact, bully the weak and parley with the strong…
वना न दहतो व ेः सखा भव त मा तः
स एव दीप नाशाय कृशे त ा सौ द
when fire is in the form of small flame it is weak.. when it is in the form
of flame, wind attacks the flame and puts off as an enemy. If it is in the
form of forest fire, the wind knows it cant do anything. It becomes a friend
and assists the forest fire.

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सेव े कृतचाटवः World becomes a friend and starts doing stotram of Me and starts
doing seva कृताः चाटु ः येन सः – कृतचाटु ः (ब )

न मु कािरक ध े नःश ो यु मानसः ।

प शृ ृश ज ा े यथासु ख ॥ १८-४७॥
This jñāni is in binary format, he does not even ask for mokṣā. Superior niṣkāma
bhakti as compared to a karma yogi. He was a jignyāsu bhakta. I’m nitya mukta
enjoying viśvarūpa iśvara.

Class 59 on 2nd January 2021

verse 47 contd
These shlokas could disturb the mind. Initially we look at ourselves as karta,
bhokta, pramāta. Dharma shastra cannot restrain a jñāni as a karta or bhokta.
Even disciplines prescribed by jñāna kanda are also removed. So a possible
question may arise, wont this kind of promote यथे ाचारं a licentious lifestyle?
आ ढ प तत falling from a height. We say know shastra takes care of these. 1st
reason: In the case of jñāni, external regulations can be knocked off since he is
internally regulated by jñānam, what the sacred thread or danda performed? 2nd
reason, before coming to jñāna kanda a person has gone through a long practise
of daivi sampat, upasana etc. so dharma vasanas are there in the sub conscious
mind of the jñāni. Vasanas will restrain him. बा धत अनुवृ like habits formed..
3rd reason is every jñāni is intensely grateful to śāstram even though he has got
nothing to gain from śāstram, therefore he will never do anything to cause a blot
to śāstram. In fact he follows more dharma. Even though jñāni need not follow
any one of them, he follows. Śāstram wants to take extra care,
य दाचर त े ः, त देवेतरो जनः ।
स य माणं कु ते, लोक दनुवतते ॥ 3-21॥
4th reason: śāstram says oh Jñāni! You are a role model in society. Follow dharma
for the sake of society. Suppose you are an ajñāni and use vedānta to lead a
licentious life, you will be born as a worm and wallow in filth for several jenmas.
This is 5th one. नःश : mind is without any doubt, such a jñāni यु मानसः in binary
format always, मु कािरक ध े he does not follow any sadhana for his liberation,

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he may continue tis after his liberation. (Sadhana is relevant when mokṣā is his
goal) प शृ ृश ज ा े यथासुख whatever be the experiences he goes
through them, whatever be for lokasangraha, comfortably he remains.
व ु वणमा ेण बु नराकु लः ।
नैवाचारमनाचारमौदा ं वा प त ॥ १८ -४८॥
बु नराकुलः । a person who has a pure and calm mind due to following
karma yoga and upāsana yoga, undisturbed mind. व ु वणमा ेण through śravanam
of vedānta itself, due to pre and undisturbed mind, he becomes nitya mukta ātmā.
(duration will be longer if a person goes to jñāna yoga directly)
नैवाचारमनाचारमौदा ं this nitya mukta jñāni is not bothered about acharam or
anacharam. We should interpret that he does not require them for his liberation,
he will follow them for lokasangraha. He will not bring down the value of
scriptures. He does not observe rules as his sadhana, not mukti sadhana but
lokakṣema sadhanani. वा प त no anxiety… does not observe. Audasyam…nor is
he indifferent. He observes everything for lokakṣema sadhana.

यदा य तुमाया त तदा त ु ते ऋजुः ।

भं वा भं वा प त चे ा ह बालव ॥ १८-४९॥
This straightforward person, dharmic jñāni, takes to various activities, not
depending on his own needs, even for family he does things. Mind is asaktaha.
यदा य तुमाया त तदा त ु ते ऋजुः He does not look at these as his sadhana for
liberation. Whichever actions come to him as a requirement for others.
Lokasangraha depends on the need of the society. He does that, he does not have
any needs for himself. His actions are upright, a self-regulated individual. भं
वा भं A right action or wrong action. In some cases himsa is allowed as an
exception, like a war in Mahabharata. वा प त चे ा ह बालव his lifestyle is
exactly like a baby not restrained by any law.

Class 60 on 3rd January 2021

A jñāni knows he has no control over the world, body mind complex and therefore
ahankara. He remembers this all the time. He never complains about this fact. A

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jñāni is comfortable with non-free ahankara. Jñāni iis aware of an important fact,
real I is ātmā, cit which happens to be ever free. Irrespective of the conditions of
the pañca anātmā inclusive of cidabhasa. I’m aware of the never-free ahamkara
and ever-free ātmā . I cannot avoid father centred mother centred thoughts, but
moment these thoughts come, I’m not free thought will also come with ahankara
thoughts. All transactions are ahankara based. Ahankara vṛutti cannot be erased
from the mind. Only way of weakening the I’m not free thought is only by drawing
another big line (like short line in Akbar story) that is the nididhyāsanam. Like
using getti melam during the mangalya dharanam. We don’t want amangala sound
at that time. The bigger sound drowns all other sound. Nididhyāsanam is the
bigger sound. May you insert ātmā centric thoughts. Whenever ahankara is
complaining drown with ātmā centric thought until the sub conscious mind takes
over. Ahankara will always have issues… svatantriya vṛutti must drown paratantatra
vṛutti. Jñāni has managed to sarturate his mind with ātmā vṛutti.

ात ा ु खमा ो त ात ा भते पर ।
ात ा वृ तं ग े ात ा परमं पद ॥ १८-५०॥
Who is jñāna nishṭā? Who has made im free thought qualitatively and quantitatively
dominant, even when there are issues at financial level, emotional and physical
level. ात ा ुखमा ो त he is peaceful. Anxiety to solve the problem becomes one
of the obstacles in solving the problem. Therefore, an important psychological
point is freedom from anxiety to solve a problem is a pre-condition to solve
psychological problems. This freedom from anxiety is achieved through
nididhyāsanam. ात ा भते पर because of this mindset, binary format, he claims
the mokṣā which is his svabhavam, in spite of issues at ahankara level. Svatantyat
nirvruti… ात ा वृ तं ग े ात ा परमं पद there is a distance between the
problem and me, neighbourisation of the problem. Intellect functions, resources
are fully available without anxiety. He is able to approach his problems this way.

अकतृ मभो ृ ं ा नो म ते यदा ।

तदा ीणा भव ेव सम ा वृ यः ॥ १८ -५१॥
अकतृ मभो ृ ं as long as I’m karta and bhokta I will have anxiety regarding the
prārabdha. Unfortunately the karma phalam is Adṛṣṭam. Anxiety regarding future

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can never be avoided by ahankara which is karta bhokta. In the light of
pāramārthika satyam, the other thought has to be weakened. ा नो म ते यदा
when a person invokes this thought through nididhyāsanam, the other thoughts
become unheard. तदा ीणा भव ेव सम ा वृ यः when ātmā vṛutti dominates
all other fear and worry vruttis get weakened. They become feeble that their impact
is weak. Definitely.

उ ृ ला कृ तका तध र राजते ।
न तु स ृह च शा मू ढ कृ मा ॥ १८ -५२॥
उ ृ ला कृ तका त: When jñāni says I’m free, he links to ātmā not ahankara
and therefore that thought will be there all the time. If it is linked to ahankara
is not permanent, will fluctuate. धीर राजते thought of a wise person shines or
prominent all the time. Its unconditional. (I’m free thought). Natural not artificial.
Free from emotional/family/physical conditions. न तु स ृह च शा मूढ कृ मा
im free thought of ajñāni ahankara centric person is connected to moodaha. How
can I expec freedom by linking myself to unpredictable world. Freedom and peace
are only artificial and conditional.

वलस महाभोगै वश गिरग रा ।

नर क ना धीरा अब ा मु बु यः ॥ १८ -५३॥
Therefore only, Jñāni is able to maintain all the time.
उदये स वता र ः र ा मये तथा ।
स ौ च वप ौ च महतामेक पता ॥
Sun (Savitā) is red as he rises and he is red as he sets. Similarly, great minds will
be composed in happiness as well as in sadness.
mahans are those people who have same thought pattern in adversity and
prosperity. उदये स वता र ः.. when Sun is rising it has red colour, during setting
also it is red. Beautiful example. Valmiki describes Rama also this way, he heard
news of Pattabhisekam and vanavasa in few days, his mind was the same. His
though patterns are based on something else more stable. वलस महाभोगै वश
गिरग रा some jñānis are taken care of very well in opulence or they might move
around in mountain caves, no luxury or comfort. Thought pattern which is a
dominant is freedom. नर क ना धीरा अब ा मु बु यः they are free from I am

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samsārī thought, not bound, on the other hand, they are mukta buddhi. Mind
becomes pessimistic when even if a small problem hits. Tendency of the mind is
this. Wise person is the same in all circumstances. He is free from future
projections.
पिर म स कं मुधा चन च व ा त
यं भव त य था भव त त था ना था ।
अतीतमननु र प च भा संक य
नत कतसमागमाननुभवा म भोगानह ॥ ६२ वैरा शतक …भतृहर ॥
Oh Mind! Why do you wander about in vain? Rest somewhere. Whatever
happens is bound to happen, of itself, not otherwise. Thus not recalling the
past, nor
planning for the future, I experience the joys that come, without question.
Bhatruhari says oh Mind why are you constantly worrying? What is gong to happen.
अतीतमननु र प च भा संक य .. live in the present… jñānis are free from
worries and imagination.
Class 61 on 4th January 2021

Verse 53 contd
वलस महाभोगै वश गिरग रा ।
नर क ना धीरा अब ा मु बु यः

“स ास स हता ानादेव मु ः” Śankaracārya always adds. A knowledge that goes

along with renunciation.

न कमणा न जया धनेन, ागेनैके अमृत मान :।

परे ण नाकं न हतं गुहाय , व ाजते य तयो वश ॥। kai.upa ३॥
na karmaṇāna prajayādhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānaśuḥ ।
pareṇa nākaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ vibhrājate yadyatayo viśanti ॥ 3 ॥
It is through renunciation that a few seekers have attained immortality - not
through ritual, not through progeny, (not) through wealth. Sannyasis attain (the
immortal self) which shines beyond the heaven (and) which resides in the heart.

वेदा व ानसु न ताथ ः, सं ासयोगा तयः स ाः।

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 ते लोकेषु परा काले , परामृताः पिरमु सव॥ kai. Upa ४॥
vedāntavijñānasuniścitārthāḥ saṃnyāsayogād yatayaḥ śuddhasattvāḥ ।
te brahmalokeṣu parāntakāle parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve ॥4॥
Through renunciation, the pure-minded sannyāsīs have clearly ascertained Brahman
which is the object of Vedantic knowledge. Having become one with the infinite
Brahman (while living), they all resolve completely into Brahman at the time of death.

scriptures insist upon renunciation to complement the knowledge. There is a

second type of sanyāsa antara sanyāsa. External sanyāsa may havecertain avantages,
bu it is not compulsory. Antara sanyāsa is compulsory. It consists of renouncing
3 things. अ भमान पिर गः च ा पिर ागः वशेष पूजा ागः, these three have to be
renounced, अ भमान पिर गः I and my notion (in the family) (ClASp rejection),
nirmama nirahankara, everything belongs to viswarūpa iswara, I have no
controllership, I can only contribute.

कम ेवा धकार े, मा फले षु कदाचन ।

मा कमफलहेतुभः,
ू मा ते स ोऽ कम ण ॥ गी 2.47॥
karmaṇyevādhikāraste, māphaleṣu kadācana
mākarmaphalaheturbhūḥ, māte saṅgo'stvakarmaṇi 2.47
You have a choice over action alone; never over results. May you not be motivated
by the results of actions. May you not have an inclination towards inaction
Law of karma will decide on type of body 5 year later and whether it will be there.
Idea of controllership is to be renounced.aham mama parityagahga

This expresses in the form of worry. So च ा पिर ागः therefore, scriptures say
renounciation means not encouraging anxiety.

वशेष पूजा ागः giving up special prayers connected to aham mama. Sakama
bhakti.. abimaana and cintaa will nourish sakama bhakti. Therefore one has to
renounce all the three. Only maturity and wisdom, micro anātmābelongs to
viswarūpa iśvara. Renounciation should always go with I’m the Ātmā. Otherwise
binary format will be only academic, 5 capsules will be lipservice.

When we say give up sakama bhakti, we don’t say give up puja, we say replace
with nishkaama bhakti. There is no aham mama centric prarthana.

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 सव भव ु सु खनः ….

Nishkma bhakti is not an obstacle to bhakti. Every vedantic student should

regularly verify the antara sanyāsa status. We should remember when we study
these verses. That’s why Aṣṭāvakra is not insisting on bahya santasa.

ो यं देवत तीथ म न भू प तं य ।
ा स ू धीर न का प द वासना ॥ १८ -५४॥
When the jñāni is in the world, he tries not to develop raga dveṣa. Everything
belongs to viśvarūpa. ो यं ा a jñāni looks at a vedic scholar and देवत he
looks at various deities same way (all religions, all forms of worship) तीथम न
rivers, holy places, other human beings, भूप तं a an in position य any dear one
within ones own family. ा स ू धीर when he experiences all of them न
का प द वासना he does not allow ahankara and mamakāra vāsana to raise even a
wee bit. He looks at everybody equally and as it is.

व ा वनयस े, ा णे ग व ह न ।
न चैव पाके च, प ताः समद शनः ॥ 5.18॥
vidyāvinayasampanne, brāhmaṇe gavi hastini ।
śuni caiva śvapāke ca, paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ ॥5.18॥
The wise (people) see the same (brahman) in a brahmin who has knowledge and
humility, in a cow, in an elephant, in a dog, and in a dog-eater.

They are all viśvarūpa iśvara

सु ायुदासीन-म े ब ुषु ।
साधु प च पापेष,ु समबु व श ते ॥ 6.9॥
suhṛnmitrāryudāsīna-madhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu ।
sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu, samabuddhirviśiṣyate ॥6.9॥
He whose mind is the same with regard to well-wishers, friends, enemies,
neutrals, mediators, hateful ones, relations, the righteous, and even the
unrighteous excels.

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भृ ैः पु ैः कल ै दौ ह ै ा प गो जैः ।
वह ध ृ तो योगी न या त वकृ तं मना ॥ १८-५५॥
Some of the inevitable experiences one goes through, world being utilitarian, as
long as I contribute, their treatment will be different. As long as you are financially
productive. When I stop contribution, the discussion will change. Type of treatment
will differ. I love things and people as long as they are favourable to me. We need
emotional insurance called jñānaṃ. Only insurance is binary format with antara
sanyāsa. Aṣṭāvakra says. ।
वह ध ृ तो sometimes he is teased, scoffed, obedient children can become
disobedient. By भृ ैः servants पु ैः children कल ै wives दौ ह ै ा प grandchildren
गो जैः relatives योगी न या त वकृ तं मना the jñāni knows these are uncontrollable.
He does not say I’m insulted. He knows capsule 1, I’m of the nature of eternal
and all pervading consciousness. He knws the children are immature. In vedic
culture, age needs to be respect, wisdom wise, character wise, age-wise respect
must be given. In this materialistic culture, we have to be prepared to face
disrespect at old age… even a little bit of disturbance he does not have.

स ु ोऽ प न स ु ः ख ोऽ प न च ख ते ।
त ा यदश त त ता शा एव जानते ॥ १८ -५६॥
A wise person has improved the condition of his mind, pañcakosa during karma
yoga upasana yoga and mind has become predominantly satvik. Rajo guna and
tamo guna are not zero, therefore jñānis mind also goes through different
condition, disturbances are reduced but will be thee. FIR reduction will be there
not zero. Jñānis attitude towards the mind is, this also belongs to viśvarūpa iśvara,
he uses mind for transaction but does not identify.

देहा ा मे ज जराका लयादयः ।

श ा द वषयैः स ो निर यतया न च ॥ आ बोध ३२॥

I don’t have emotional disturbances, as I am not the mind

नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गी 5-8॥

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स ु ोऽ प न स ु ः when mind has got santosha thought, he is not happy
योगयु ो व ा ा, व जता ा जते यः ।
सवभूता भूता ा, कुव प न ल ते ॥ गी. 5-7॥

ख ोऽ प न च ख ते when there are concerns even when it is for fall of dharma,

he never claims I have a concern. This the world cannot understand. Normal
people do not understand. When Krishna says I’m nitya brahmachari its from ātmā
dṛuṣṭi. त ा यदश this peculiar state of a jñāni in which he keeps acting and
claiming akarta status त त in all actions, he disclaims ता शा एव जानते only other
jñānis will understand.

कत तैव संसारो न त प सू रयः ।

ाकारा नराकारा न वकारा नरामयाः ॥ १८ -५७॥

Here ashtavakra says from standpoint of ahankara duties are inevitable, body mind
complex with cidabhasa is ahankara. कत तैव responsibilities or duties associated
with roles. (rights were not talked about) everyone is duty conscious. Because I
consider discharging my duties as important, the duties become a bhaaram. First
children, then grandchildren. Kartavyataa canm become a bhaaraha. That becomes
a samsara. One should learn how to discharge duties without making them a
bharam. I can do but not worry.

Class 62 on 5th January 2021

कत तैव संसारो न त प सू रयः ।

ाकारा नराकारा न वकारा नरामयाः ॥ १८ -५७॥
Verse 57 contd
Since ahankara cannot know the future, it imagines possibilities and worries by
seeing others. As ahankara grows old, negative news is more and more. The future
appears bleak only. This is the type of I everybody possesses. Even a jñāni … if
he wants to enjoy life, it has to be due to something different. Jñāni cannot
abolish the ahankara…it only means jñāni has introduced a sākṣi I in addition to

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the vyāvahārika ahankara I. this sākṣi I is higher I which is maintained through
nididhyāsanam. The empirical I, even the jñāni cannot escape. He invokes the
higher I.
As a ahankara I have a lot of duties. Worry about duties is the greatest samsara.
Many people think worrying indicates responsible person. We can do our duty,
whether others will be satisfied or not is not my duty. Even after doing everything,
they might not be satisfied (even to parents). If satisfaction of others is the
condition for my satisfaction, whatever I do some people will be dissatisfied. Giving
happiness to others is not my duty. Happiness is something a person needs to
derive. Giving security is not your duty. You can only provide. Security is an
internal state. Whatever I can afford I can do.. after providing everything I can get
regular complaints. न त प सूरयः wise people do not worry about it. They
remember their higher nature. 19.32 5th capsule of vedānta. ाकारा नराकारा
jñānis have discovered higher I, they have removed roles of mother father etc. they
have learnt to “unrole” themselves. They don’t have any individuality. न वकारा
नरामयाः they do not have future anxiety thoughts. Future projections and worries.
nididhyāsanam we should do when we are going through good prārabhdha.
nididhyāsanam is best insurance against emotional problems in old age.

अकु व प स ोभा ः सव मू ढधीः ।

कु व प तु कृ ा न कु शलो ह नराकु लः ॥ १८ -५८॥
Remembering higher I alone will help. No aśrama will help. For those in pravrutti
nivrutti appears better and vice versa. Sense of insecurity is bad. Imagining
problems when alone. a jñāni does not have anxiety with respect to duties in
gruhastaśram or being alone in sanyāsa aśram अकुव प स ोभा ः सव मूढधीः
a person in sanyāsa aśram worries about the future. Caused by loneliness. Nobody
to listen to his story etc. different set of issues.. he is all the time restless. Problem
is in the mind whether you are householder or monk. कुव प तु कृ ा न कुशलो ह
नराकुलः a person who has tackled the ahankara, you have to change the mindset.
From sakṣi standpoint, I do not have complaints. They are natural situations. Even
though he is engaged in activities. A jñāni should become a model first to family
then others. Jñāni remains unruffled.

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सु खमा े सु खं शेते सु खमाया त या त च ।
सु खं व सु खं भु े वहारे ऽ प शा धीः ॥ १८ -५९॥
He remembers one important teaching, 2nd capsule, I’m the only source of
permanent peace security and happiness. My own happiness reflecting in the
mind… my own joy manifest or reflected under my own mind’s condition. When
there is physical pain, mind cannot smile. Unhappiness for a vedantin is
unmanifested happiness. Even during unhappy moments of the mind, jñāni
remembers I’m the ātmā. Aham bimbānandāha asmi, cidānandā roopaha sivoham
sivoham. It’s a real knowledge based on valid source of knowledge… सुखमा े
knowledge always has the thought sivānandāroopoham सुखं शेते even while sleeping
सुखमाया त he goes with sukham. या त च comes with sukham सुखं व when he
speaks, Ānandā svaroopaha सुखं भु े he eats is one meaning… (especially for
sanyasi--- bhiksha in any form), we consume experience through all the sense
organs (Krishna, Rama experienced so many insults). All prarabhdha phalam I go
through with this attitude. वहारे ऽ प even when jñāni is involved in transactions
शा धीः he has shanta vṛutti… this thought continues all the time.

Class 63 on 6th January 2021

Verse 59 contd

A jñāni does not connect mokṣā with any rules regulations after gaining jñānaṃ.
These conditions are for acquiring jñānaṃ. You cannot say I’m not liberated
because I do not have sadhana chatushtaya sampatti. Regardless I’m muktaha…this
point Aṣṭāvakra is bringing out.. A jñāni may follow several rules and regulations
but its not a condition connected to his liberation. Whatever be the aśrama he is
in regardless of the activities, he claims I’m sukha svarūpaha. Mind reflects Ānandā
sometimes, sometimes it is not able to…

भावा नैवा तल कव वहािरणः ।

महा द इवा ो ो गत े शः सु शोभते ॥ १८ -६०॥
Since he has claimed the svarūpa Ānandā, he is not over attached to experiential
pleasures. भावा नैवा तल कव वहािरणः he knows it is a vyāvahārika vastu,
he has learned to claim svarūpa Ānandā. He is able to objectively see and accept

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experiential pain. आ त means desperation. Ahankara conditions are dependent on
prārabdha. There is no desperate struggle to control the ahankara. He does not
have desperation. Although he is in worldly activities. Therefore, even though he
has preferences, there is no desperate need. Gita

स ाः कम व सः, यथा कुव भारत ।

कुय थास ः, चक षुल कस ह ॥ गी 3-25॥

A jñāni if he is a gruhastha, he wants to get many things done. Like any other
ajñāni, he is involved in actions. महा द इवा ो ो difference is in the response. A
jñāni is unshalen like the huge ocean regardless of whether rivers are joining or
not

आपूयमाणमचल त ं , समु मापः वश य ।

त ामा यं वश सव, स शा मा ो त न कामकामी ॥ गी 2-70॥

अ ो ः – unshaken. गत े शः free from disturbances सुशोभते he shines.

नवृ र प मू ढ वृ पजायते ।
वृ र प धीर नवृ फलभा गनी ॥ १८ -६१॥
A jñānis nature is an internal difference regardless of the aśrama. For the one
who has attachment, for him an aśrama also becomes a gruham causing worry.
One who is free from attachment, that also will become an aśrama. Its not the
name roof vastram or rudraksham that matters, it is whether one has attachment
or not. नवृ र प renunciation मूढ वृ पजायते will become a form of activity
for a moodaha. वृ र प धीर नवृ फलभा गनी for a wise person even though he
is engaged in all kinds of activities, he is free from karma.

कम कम यः प े , अकम ण च कम यः ।
स बु मा नु ेष,ु स यु ः कृ कमकृ ॥ गी 4-18॥

पिर हेषु वैरा ं ायो मू ढ ते ।

देहे वग लताश रागः वरागता ॥ १८ -६२॥

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Same is true with regard to possession and non-possessions. A simple living is
emphasised when I pursue knowledge. People can distract by attachment. These
are only until one gains knowledge, renunciation of possessions and seclusions are
only till gaining knowledge. He has discovered the higher asangha ātmā therefore
no attachment to people around. Needing seclusion is ok until we gain jñānaṃ
and nishṭā. After gaining knowledge, none of these conditions are required.
Possessions or no possessions do not matter. When you can be without object,
you have them . If you do not empower the object and relations to control you,
you can have any amount. Jñāni has disempowered the whole universe. पिर हेषु
वैरा ं necessity of giving up of objects or going away from objects is found only
in ignorant people. That is why jñānis don’t mind coming back to society after
gaining knowledge and claiming mokṣā. ायो मूढ ते
देहे वग लताश for a jñāni who is free from all attachments including his own
physical body, where is the question of attachment? रागः वरागता very
unique points not found elsewhere.

भावनाभावनास ा मू ढ सवदा ।
भा भावनया सा तु ा पणी ॥ १८ -६३॥
While pursuing jñānaṃ, sādhaka followed rules, upasana he focusses on objects,
that’s called bhavana. He was worried about concentration. भावनाभावनास ा he was
obsessed with concentration of the mind. (many people connect this to mokṣā).
After coming to ātmā…he wants to remove all the thoughts

परा खा न तृण य ू ा रा प त ना रा ।
कि च धीरः यगा मानमै दाव ृ च ुरमत
ृ व म छन ् ॥ कठ 2.4.1 ॥
Thus during pursuit of knowledge one is obsessed with single thought based on
an idol or thoughtless state. Shastra says mokṣā does not depend on this. मूढ
सवदा a moodaha was obsessed with either thought convergence or elimination,
that was his goal or purpose. ा पणी one who abides in his svarūpam,
भा भावनया सा तु either presence or absence of thoughts is no more a goal to be
followed. He uses the mind not for the sake of mokṣā but lokasangrahartham out
of compassion.

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सव र े षु न ामो य रे बालव मु नः ।
न ले प यमाणेऽ प कम ण ॥ १८-६४॥
Since he does not have any more goals to accomplish, his life is governed by only
one principle, compassion towards the world. Motivated by the natural compassion,
whatever be the requirement of set up, he is engaged in one activity or other.
सव र ेषु न ामो all the activities are triggered by compassion, no ulterior motives
or passion, य रे बालव मु नः the wise person, is free from desire and moves like
a child with a pure mind. न ले प यमाणेऽ प कम ण for that pure jñāni
even though he is involved in lot of karmas, there is no ahankara based need, he
is not a karta therefore karma does not produce pāpam or puṇyaṃ. Agami puṇyaṃ
or pāpam is lepaha.
Class 64 on 7th January 2021

Verse 64 contd

In these verses Aṣṭāvakra is talking of a jñāna nishṭā… when a jñāni changes the
perspective, he will not see ahankaras problems as his. Ahankara will go through
all kinds of situations. It will be seen as a natural situation an entertainment. 5th
capsule. When I remember my higher nature… without changing situation, by
changing the mindset, the name can be changed too. Climbing Everest versus
adventure sports… not a pain but a sport. It’s a welcome experience, he pays for
it and invites it. Going through the experiences without resistance is liberation.
Nothing is unwelcome in life. This toughness or immunity of the mind born out
of changing self-perspective is liberation . Jñāni also goes through varieties of
experience. Therefore, situations do not change this philosophy.

स एव ध आ ः सव भावेषु यः समः ।
प शृ ृश ज अ षमानसः ॥ १८ -६५॥
Aṣṭāvakra says this is the greatest success one can get. Nothing deserves complaint
to Lord. स एव ध आ ः such an ātmā enjoying a lighter mind, jñāni, no day
appears burdensome to him. He possesses the wealth “nothing is unwelcome in
life”. सवभावेषु यः समः who has got equanimity in all situations.
प seeing anything शृ facing continuous criticisms ृश touching ज
smelling अ षमानसः eating, a jñāni is not attached to any set-up. His mental

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make-up like that. More specifications you have you are increasing more
unwelcoming situations. A perfectionist is not a healthy person. A jñāni is
perfectionist at ātmā level. A samsārī is one who converts all luxuries into
necessities. A jñāni does the reverse. Convert even physical body and youth into
luxury. Mokṣā is everything is luxury.

संसारः चाभासः सा ं च साधन ।

आकाश ेव धीर न वक सवदा ॥ १८ -६६॥
When a person has brought about this attitudinal change he does not see anything
as a problem. संसारः where is the problem? चाभासः where is the world
which is the cause of problem? There are only situations that can never touch me.
सा ं where is there any goal to accomplish? च साधन there are no
sadhanas also.
नैव त कृतेनाथः, नाकृतेनेह क न ।
न चा सवभूतेष,ु क दथ पा यः ॥ गी 3-18॥
Future is non existent as it not yet born, past is non existent as it is already
gone. Only the present is available as a present from the Lord which is existent .
आकाश ेव धीर न वक सवदा for a wise person, who always abides in his
higher nature am divisionless having a free entertainment all the time. Like space
accommodating all events but not affected by anything. Similarly I accommodate
all kinds of experiences unfolded by prarabhdha like akāśa, I’m unshaken as space.

स जय थसं ासी पू ण रस व हः ।
अकृ मोऽनव े समा धय वतते ॥ १८ -६७॥
स जय थसं ासी this person has alone attained success in life. Śankaracārya says
in one of his works. (अना ी वगहण )
धातुल कः सा धतो वा ततः कं
व ोल को वी तो वा ततः क ।
शंभोल कः शा सतो वा ततः कं
येन ा ा नैव सा ा ृ तोऽभू ॥ १६॥

What is the point in going to all these lokas if you are not satisfied with yourself.
Self comfort in the present is most important. Otherwise so what? Gaining aham
poornaha asmi is success. Dependence is empowering the world to trouble you.

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One who has renounced external dependence, CLASp rejection, inner renunciation
is his state of mind. He has understood that world does not possess an iota of
Ānandā. World is serving as a mirror to reflect my Ānandā. पूण रस व हः
रसो वै सः । रसं ेवायं ल ान ी भव त । को व
े ा ा ः ा ा । यदेष आकाश आन ो
न ा । एष ेवान या त । ( .व ल अनु 7)
A jñāni is an embodiment of Poorna ātmānandā infinite indigenous ātmā.
अकृ मोऽनव े

ये ह सं शजा भोगाः, ःखयोनय एव ते ।

आ व ः कौ य
े , न तेषु रमते बुधः ॥ 22॥
He will not depend on sense pleasures. As hey come he enjoys as they go he is
ok. समा धय वतते anvacchinnam..infinite ātmā, he does not forget his higher
nature at any time. Sahaja samadhi… constant awareness of the higher nature.

ब ना कमु े न ातत ो महाशयः ।

भोगमो नराका सदा सव नीरसः ॥ १८-६८॥
ातत ो one who has claimed and therefore महाशयः has a great mind ब ना
कमु े न why speak of big words? Mokṣā is free from disturbing needs/binding
expectation. Its ok to have preferences, vedānta never says no to these.
भोगमो नराका remove all the akaankshaas (binding desires) सदा सव नीरसः

Class 65 on 8th January 2021

Verse 68 contd

Bhagawan in his avatara has to watch the sufferings of the world and its people.
He would also have complaints. But he is aware he is brahman. The ahankara
problem in jivas must be drowned in the form of higher nature, the absolute.
ब ना कमु े न ातत ो महाशयः How much to speak of jñāni? He does not have
any binding desires, he knows jiva as jiva will have problems. At least we cant see
minds, Bhagawan can see internal conditions too. Can God create a better śṛṣṭi
next time? No its not his choice, he has to created based on fructifying karma.
Discover the higher I, which is neither jiva not Bhagawan. Power does not give
you freedom. भोगमो नराका सदा Bhagawan is free from expectations, instead of

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satyam vada, we follow satyam vadha, imagine Bhagawan had expectations that
human beings will follow dharma. Jñāni does not expect dharma artha and kama.
For mokṣā he does not have expectations as he knows it is his nature. सव नीरसः
Therefore at all times he is without attachment. नीरसः -free from emotional
dependence.

महदा द जग ै तं नाममा वजृ त ।

वहाय बोध कं कृ मव श ते ॥ १८ -६९॥
जग ैतं dualistic universe महदा द beginning from mahat tattvam onwards including
my body mind complex नाममा वजृ त are mere names and forms only, there is
no substance called chair, it is wood only. Whole creation is non-substantial
nāmarūpa. 5th capsule: if I remember my real nature, I convert life into an
entertainment.
पर लोका म चता ा ण:, नवदमाया ा कृत: कृतेन।
त ानाथ स गु मेवा भग े , स म ा ण: ो यं न ॥ mun. upa १.२.१२॥
Having examined the worlds which are achieved through karma, a brahmin should
come to dispassion. The unproduced (mokṣha) is not possible through karma.
Therefore, to attain knowledge, he must necessarily approach, with samit in
hand, a teacher who is learned in scriptures and established in Brahman.

वहाय jñāni rejects every single relationship, relationships are used for growing out
of this. Husband wife relationship was expected to be close only in gṛhastha
aśramam. In vanaprastha and sanyāsa aśrama you are expected to grow out of
dependence on this relationship. Even guru shishya relationship. Vedānta says
relation is samsara. Mentally clasp rejection is required. बोध remain as the
pure consciousness कं कृ मव श ते even family you serve, not for ownership but
for service. What is there to be accomplished as a goal?

मभू त मदं सव क ा ी त न यी ।
अल ु रणः ः भावेनैव शा त ॥ १८ -७०॥
मभूत मदं सव this entire anātmāprapañca, all 5, क ा ी त does not have
intrinsic existence of its own. vedānta says when I say I am, and world is, it
appears there are two, but truth is there is only one existence. One is original,

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other is borrowed. A dreamer in dream looks upon the dream world as an external
and independent entity..like running from dream tiger
यः सा ा ु ते बोधसमये ा ानमेवा यं
त ै ीगु मूतये नम इदं ीद णामूतये ॥ १॥
न यी he knows for sure that nothing that I experience enjoys real existence. He
has knowledge of higher self, अल ु रणः अथ आ ानी (अल आ नः ान
य सः – धकर ब ी हः; ल - to perceive, ल - perceptible or objectifiable.
अल unobjectifiable अ मेय - Only ātmā – druk ātmā; ु रण - illumination,
light, therefore jñāni) a jñāni who has understood
म ेव सकलं जातं, म य सव त त ।
म य सव लयं या त, त ा यम ह ॥१९॥
I have created this world for my entertainment. ः such a jñāni is pure भावेनैव
शा त; he naturally abides without any stress. Any pain becomes adventure sport
when I welcome…

ु रण प भावमप तः ।
व धः च वैरा ं ागः शमोऽ प वा ॥ १८ -७१॥
ु रण प jñāni has understood he is pure consciousness. Sphranam is
translated as caitanyam svarūpa jñānaṃ (earlier vṛutti jñānaṃ) भावमप तः he
does not see the world as independently existent. I see the reflection in the mirror,
use it to keep bindi etc but I’m not afraid of the reflection. Remember it is
reflection and that it does not have independent existence. He does not see a real
external world. All vedic injunctions are meant for getting one thing or other.
Ihaloka or paraloka. व धः च वैरा ं ागः शमोऽ प वा no vidhi is
relevant to a jñāni, where is the question of avoidance (shamaha here is
nishedhaha), where is the question of practising detachment when there is no
attachment. Śankaracārya says would you ever say you have developed detachment
towards crow’s dropping? It is natural for a reasonably sane person, similarly for
a wise person entire world is like that. Practising vairagyam appears irrelevant.
Where is the question of renunciation?
Class 66 on 9th January 2021

Verse 71 contd

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Scriptures use a particular method. They negate all forms of sadhanas… because
sadhanas are relevant until you reach the goal or sadhyam. Like eating is relevant
only until hunger is satisfied. A question may come to the mind, will a jivan
mukta drop all disciplines? Should he? Can he? Many people may love to become
jivan mukta not for jivan mukti but to drop all the demanding disciplines. Any
discipline that scriptures prescribe are multi-purpose discipline. It will benefit the
world besides the individual and family. Whenever the scriptures negate the
sadhanas it only means it is not relevant to the jivanmukta but it is still important
from the standpoint of family and world. So jivan mukta will continue for the sake
of lokasangraha

Kale varshathu parjanya, Prithivi sasya shalini,

Deso yam kshobha rahitha, SAjjana santhu nirbhaya.
Let the monsoon be timely and plentiful,
Let earth be covered with vegetation,
Let the country live without problems,
And let good people never have fear.

Many of the pujas we do help the world at large. Our lives also impact the next
generation. Every adult is inspiring the next generation. A jivan mukta is also a
model to sociey

य दाचर त े ः, त देवेतरो जनः ।

स य माणं कु ते, लोक दनुवतते ॥ गी 3-21॥

Krishna says. When sadhanas are negated it never means jivan mukta will drop
them or should drop them. Puja is done sincerely with prayer.

ॐ सव भव ु सु खनः, सव स ु नरामयाः ।
सव भ ा ण प ु, मा क ःु खभा वे ।
ॐ शा ः शा ः शा ः ॥
Om, May All become Happy, May All be Free from Illness.
May All See what is Auspicious, May no one Suffer.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

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These will bless the world more than any individuals prayers. Therefore all
disciplines are important for lokasangraha they no more serve an individual
purpose. Rest of chapter focusses on negation of all the sadhanas. Only my bhavana
changes, Im not doing anything for my liberation but lokasangraha.

Same reason for shraddha… they are not benefit for one alone but the world also.
Shastra says it will go to all those pitrus who childten do not do or they don’t
have children. We must remember this when Aṣṭāvakra negates the sadhanas.

Second thing we will see dvaita niṣedha. God shastra world etc. dvaita niṣedha is
only dvaita satyatva niṣedha from standpoint of brahman. It is not negating dvaita
anubhavam from standpoint of body. From stand point of brahman they are all
mithya nama rūpa.
In verse 71, we saw where are rules and regulations for a jñāni? They continue to
be relevant for harmony of the world. Similarly vairagyam, shamaha etc.

ु रतोऽन पेण कृ तं च न प तः ।
ब ः च वा मो ः हषः वषा दता ॥ १८ -७२॥
ु रतोऽन पेण jivan mukta is one who always shines in the form of infinite
brahman, he alone is in the form of infinite existence, consciousness in all beings.
सवभूत तं यो म , भज ेक मा तः ।
सवथा वतमानोऽ प, स योगी म य वतते ॥ गी 6-31॥

Because jñāni recognises everything as brahman कृ तं च न प तः he does not

“see” the material universe. Body mind world etc. he has the perception but does
not see it as substantial entity having existence of its own. Since there is no
second thing other than brahman,

ैवेदममृतं पुर ा , प ा द णत ो रे ण।
अध ो च सृत,ं ैवेदं व मदं विर ॥ मु .उप. २.२.१२ ॥
brahmaivedam amṛtaṃ purastād brahma paścād brahma dakṣiṇataścottareṇa ।
adhaścordhvaṃ ca prasṛtaṃ brahmaivedaṃ viśvam idaṃ variṣṭham ॥2.2.12॥

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 (All) this in front is the immortal Brahman alone. Brahman alone is behind.
Brahman alone is on the right as well as on the left. (Brahman) pervades below
and above also. This universe is this supreme Brahman alone.
ापणं ह वः, ा ौ णा त ।
ैव तेन ग ं, कमसमा धना ॥ गी 4-24॥

ब ः in his perception where is bondage च वा मो ः mokṣā हषः happiness

वषा दता sorrow. Here ashtavakra is doing dvaita niṣedha.

न धम न चाथ न कामो न मो दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ न .ष. ३॥

When a person gets up from dream, dream problem goes away, dream problem is
also non existent, solution is also non existent when dreamer wakes up to this
higher nature.

बु पय संसारे मायामा ं ववतते ।

नममो नरह ारो न ामः शोभते बु धः ॥ १ ८-७३॥
World has two aspects, it is experienceable and before I study vedānta, it has
reality perceptibility, satyatvam and drushyatvam. After studying vedānta, its like
assuming Sun rise is real, earth is in centre and Sun is going around. Sunrise
reality and experience was there. When somebody said it is heliocentric, there was
no sun rise in reality. Initially the scientist was persecuted. After I get wisdom,
experience of sunrise continues, it is no more seen as reality, its an optical illusion.
After vedānta, universe is mayic illusion, a jñāni continues to experience. We still
use the language of sunrise. The world of duality continues to be real, human
struggle is until knowledge comes after knowledge for a jivan mukta, only
experience will continue not the struggle. बु पय संसारे मायामा ं ववतते । after
knowledge नममो नरह ारो न ामः शोभते बुधः since there is no duality, there is no
possessor possessed relationship, there is no claim of ownership with regard to
even body ind complex, clasp rejection, no kama for possessing something new,
no second thing to be acquired. Wise person outshines everybody.

अ यं गतस ापमा ानं प तो मु नेः ।

व ा च वा व ं देहोऽहं ममे त वा ॥ १८ -७४॥

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All these verses must be understood in the same manner. आ ानं प तो मुनःे for
a long time he has practiced this and it is in the subconscious, he knows body is
nama rūpa (5th capsule. life is an entertainment…) he is ātmā अ यं which does
not have jenma mrtyu jara vyādhi. No raga dveṣa towards life or death .. he dwells
on the changeless ātmā. गतस ाप he does not have anything to complain. For
such a jivan mukta व ा where is knowledge? च वा व ं where is the world?
देहोऽहं where is the body? ममे त वा where is the question of I?
In saddarśanam, we saw
त ु दोर द सं त ा त वन े ऽ द मूलबोधा ।

त ु द त व जतैका त ल सहजा न: ा । ॥ १४ ॥ +२ ॥

As ahankara I wakes up, both you and third person wake up. In suṣupti when I
resolve, relationships and you go away.

नरोधादी न कम ण जहा त जडधीय द ।

मनोरथा लाप कतु मा ो त णा ॥ १८-७५॥
A person should follow all disciplines until jivanmukti, after that he does not have
any disciplines to be followed. Naturally we will ask can he drop all of them?
shastra says jivan mukta is one who will follow everything without scriptural
injunctions. Everybody therefore requires discipline, either on his own governed by
internal wisdom or external compulsion. जडधीय द jadadhee is half baked jñāni- if
he drops all the discipline because he thinks he is jivan mukta, aṣṭāvakra says
नरोधादी न कम ण जहा त if he drops everything

योगरतो वा भोगरतो वा, स रतो वा स वह नः ।

य ण रमते च ं, न त न त न ेव ॥ १९॥
One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or
detachment. But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman
enjoys bliss, no one else

Saying I can be anyway, मनोरथा लाप कतुमा ो त णा he will be taking to

all kinds of improper activities I in the name of jivanmukti whatever his mind

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fancies, instantaneously he will take to those activities. Therefore, don’t
misinterpret these verses and drop the disciplines.

Class 67 on 10th January 2021

जडधीय द नरोधादी न कम ण जहा त three main disciplines of nididhyāsanam and

others (śravanam, mananam) this is a warning to vedantic student on continuing.
Jñānam mut be converted to jñāna nishṭā. जडधीय द suppose a modhaha gives up
these disciplines too early, there is a risk of falling back. नरोधादी न some people
blindly follow this yogic samadhi, suppression of thoughts/emptying of thoughts is
done. A blind unintelligent mechanical yogi will have quietude only when he
practices samadhi. Once he comes to normalcy the disturbances come back. In fact
he becomes more irritated. मनोरथा लाप कतुमा ो त णा
Aṣṭāvakra’s advice is stopping thoughts is not solution educating/enlightening mind
is solution.
म ः ु ाप त ु न जहा त वमू ढता ।
न वक ो ब हय ाद वषयलालसः ॥ १८ -७६॥
न वक ो ब हय ाद वषयलालसः by practice of ashtanga yoga a yogi may eliminate
thoughts come to a state of nirvikalpaka samadhi and state of divisionless due to
thought elimination. Dvaitam resolves, artificial advaitam is created. This will give
some joy but it is temporary joy like in sleep. This yogi who is in artificial advaitam
is only externally in advaitam. His desire for sense objects, they are all not gone
away. Yoga is like mental anaesthesia. Yoga can be used (yama., niyama etc) for
integrating the personality. Use yoga for preparing the mind. Second line is advice
to misguided yogi practising samadhi.
म ः ु ाप त ु न जहा त वमूढता this is addressed to another misguided person.
Paramātmāknowledge must displace jivātmā notion. Instead he retains I’m the
jivātmā in his heart, upon this I’m Paramātmā is placed. This has to replace the
I’m the jivātmā individuality. A manda student, although he studies more, he does
not replace the I’m ahankara thought. Aham brahmasmi has to displace aham
jivaha. A mandaha retains both.

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 ाना ग लतकम यो लोक ा प कमकृ ।
ना ो वसरं क ु व ु मेव न क न ॥ १८ -७७॥
A person who uses the teaching well, revamps the mindset, in the way I look at
myself, my activities and how I look at mokṣā. I don’t look upon myself as
mumukshu bu nitya muktaha. At body mind level I don’t look at activities as my
sadhana, im nitya muktaha, all karmas are for lokakshemaartham. A total change
in mindset is done. Externally karmas continue not for fufillment but with
fulfilment. ाना ग लतकम by the power of knowledge, यो लोक ा प कमकृ from
the standpoint of the world, jñāni is active, world looks upon jñāni as body mind
complex, in his vision BMS is part of anātmā. He knows karmas should be
continued at that level by from ātmā standpoint I’m free. 3rd capsule, by my mere
presence I give life to the body and that live body performs all the activities.
ना ो वसरं क ु व ु मेव न क न Jñāni the ātmā has no scope to do any action. It
can’t even say anything व ु मेव न क न accept karma and karmaphalam at anātmā
level, akṛttatvam at ātmā level.

तमः काशो वा हानं च न क न ।

न वकार धीर नरात सवदा ॥ १८-७८॥
This understanding must have become so strong, that problems at anātmā level
are understood that they will be there. They cannot be avoided. Vedānta is not
aiming at avoiding them but subduing them at a different level. Like of joy of
climbing Everest must be so good that pains in climbing Everest become
insignificant. तमः काशो वा हानं च न क न in the light of highest truth
all duality becomes insignificant. न वकार धीर a wise person who looks at
everything from the standpoint of higher ātmā नरात सवदा free from all sorrows
all the time. This world is too insignificant to lose sleep over it.

धैय ववे क ं नरात ता प वा ।

अ नव भाव नः भाव यो गनः ॥ १८-७९॥
Pāramārthika dṛuṣṭi is highlighted here as in Maṇḍukyakārika, ajaati vada..
न नरोधो न चो :,न ब ो न च साधक: I
न मुमु ुन वै मु :, इ ेषा परमाथता IIवै.३२॥
na nirodho na cotpattiḥ, na baddho na ca sādhakaḥ I

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 There is no dissolution, no creation, none who is bound, none who strives (for
liberation), none who seeks liberation, and none who is liberated- this is the
absolute truth.
there is no question of removing duality as there is no duality in all 3 states. No
creation. Nobody is a samsari, there is no sādhaka, no mumukṣu, I’m also not
muktaha… world is just some disturbances in mithya nama rūpa. 5th capsule of
vedānta. By forgetting my real nature life is struggle

न शा ा न शा ं न श ो न श ा
न च ं न चाहं न चायं प ः ।
पावबोधो वक ास ह ुः
तदेकोऽव श ः शवः केवलोऽह ॥ dasashloki ७॥
There is no ruler nor rule, no pupil nor training.
There is no YOU nor I. This universe is not. For the realistion
of the true nature of the Self does not tolerate any distincion.
That One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone, am I
धैय where is the question of knowledge? ववे क ं where is the question
of vivekee? नरात ता प वा where is the question of freedom from worry?
अ नव भाव brahman whose nature is indescribable where language fails
नः भाव यो गनः free from all attributes.. for such a jñāni who claims I’m Rahman
all these things become too small to worry about..
Class 68 on 11th January 2021

धैय ववे क ं नरात ता प वा ।

अ नव भाव नः भाव यो गनः ॥ १८ -७९॥
A karma yogi maintains triangular format all the time. Somehow to join Iswara
and escape from returning to the world. He works for this mokṣā. Vedānta first
says that this mokṣā is really secondary mokṣā, you need to work for the real
mokṣā. Real mokṣā is changing format to binary format and giving up the old
conventional mindset. What is the change I should bring about? Revision of the
vision is required. Instead of maintaining idea that I’m tormented jiva, this idea
has to be changed. To I’m the ātmā which can never be affected or tormented by
the world. Escaping from rebirth body etc must be given up. New mindset I should

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practie through sravana manana nididhyāsanam. Training myself for this mindset,
I need not escape I cannot escape. Similarly view of Jagat as tormentor needs to
be dropped. This is a misconception. World is viśvarūpa īśvara. One vision is world
is anātmāviśvarūpa Iśvara which can never be a tormentor. One side I say
bhoo padau..
Iswara is world.
Or entire anātmā is mithya nama rūpa which can never affect ātmā highe order
of reality,
व ं दपण माननगर तु ं नजा गतं
प ा न मायया ब हिरवो त
ू ं यथा न या ।
यः सा ा ु ते बोधसमये ा ानमेवा यं
त ै ीगु मूतये नम इदं ीद णामूतये ॥ १॥
The universe is the reflection of a mirror . The Truth is the
supreme Brahman, the one without a second . The mind, senses and
intellect are all able to only discern the reflection of the
Ātmān . The identity of the brahman and the Ātmān is apparent
after self-illumination. I offer my profound salutations to
the auspicious Guru, who is an embodiment of DakShinamurti,
and whose grace is responsible for the illumination

A screen can never be affected by the movie.

See yourself as ever free ātmā and look at world as viśvarūpa iśvara or mitya
anātmā. Here Aṣṭāvakra is looking at world as mitya. It can be presented in 2
ways, unreally existent or really non-existent. So he asks, where is this world? He
understands it is mithya. Remembering this fact is mokṣā. Binary format, the other
mokṣā will come as a by product. Kva repeats in all these verses…where is. Your
own body mind complex is also included here… where is the mind, where is
ignorance, where is knowledge? Knowledge also is a thought arising in anātmā.
धैय where is courage? ववे क ं discrimination? नरात ता प वा freedom
from anxiety? All these are not there. अ नव भाव नः भाव यो गनः only
the yogi who claims I’m the ātmā, who is indescribable and who is free from
attributes.

न ग नैव नरको जीव ु न चैव ह ।

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ब ना कमु े न योग ा न क न ॥ १८ -८०॥
All these verses must be understood in this light only. न ग नैव नरको no heaven
or hell. जीव ु न चैव ह nothing called jivanmukti as it is from the standpoint
of jiva. ब ना कमु े न what is the use of negating each and everything. From jñāna
dṛuṣṭi, there is nothing. योग ा न क न when we talk to a lay person we will
say he is a jñāni, this is videha mukti etc. but for us in binary format we will not
use this language.
ैवेदममृतं पुर ा , प ा द णत ो रे ण।
अध ो च सृत,ं ैवेदं व मदं विर ॥ मु .उप. २.२.१२ ॥
brahmaivedam amṛtaṃ purastād brahma paścād brahma dakṣiṇataścottareṇa ।
adhaścordhvaṃ ca prasṛtaṃ brahmaivedaṃ viśvam idaṃ variṣṭham ॥2.2.12॥
(All) this in front is the immortal Brahman alone. Brahman alone is behind. Brahman alone
is on the right as well as on the left. (Brahman) pervades below and above also. This universe
is this supreme Brahman alone
नैव ाथयते लाभं नालाभेनानु शोच त ।
धीर शीतलं च ममृ तेनैव पू िरत ॥ १८-८१॥
Because of this vision, this jñāni does not seek any labham from the world. Because
1) world is mithya, 2) as ātmā I don’t require anything to improve my status.
Ātmā is unimprovable. I no more care about improving my life. नैव ाथयते लाभं
नालाभेनानुशोच त he is not disturbed by lack of proactive care from the world. धीर
शीतलं च ममृतेनैव पूिरत he is cool as cucumber. Bye prodiuct of knowledge that
I’m not the mind. It is as though filled with amrutam.

न शा ं ौत न ामो न मप न त ।
सम ःखसु ख ृ ः क कृ ं न प त ॥ १८-८२॥
This wise person understand world will be different, their behaviour will be
different. They are all trying to escape from different problems. न शा ं ौत
न ामो न मप न त jñāni does not complain. If a person has temporary peace,
he is not enamoured by that, he does not have attachment to that person. If a
person struggles, he is neither upset nor does he hate that person. When I
experience a few terrible people, I feel world is terrible. Jñāni does not change his
philosophy. Drop all judgements of the world and judgement based philosophy.
Without any subjective assessment. सम ःखसुख ृ ः he is equanimous (reduced FIR,

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increased CCC) क कृ ं न प त he does not find anything for them to
improve the status. No binding goals.

धीरो न े संसारमा ानं न द त ।

हष मष व नमु ो न मृ तो न च जीव त ॥ १८ -८३॥
He is not over obsessed with what will happen to sūkṣma śarīram. धीरो न े
संसारमा ानं this wise person is not worried about sūkṣma śarīram travelling from
one body to another. (he knows Videha mukti is bound to happen). For him in
binary format, his is not relevant. Ātmāanam न द त he does not desire to see
ātmā. He knows he is ātmā. It is not a seen or seeable object, I’m that ātmā.
हष मष व नमु ो he is free from all emotions. He claims I’m ātmā where there are
no emotions. न मृतो न च जीव त no life or death as these belong to anātmā.. ātmā
is neither śarīram or prana.
Class 69 on 12th January 2021

In the highest level of vedantic teaching, acharyas consistently negate the anātmā.
It can confuse many. They are negating the absolute reality of the world.
(mithyatam). This is to help develop a healthy attitude towards the world. World
does continue as an object of service even after jñānaṃ. Seeing it as mithya does
not stop me from doing what needs to be done. The world is not an object of
raga dveṣa (all pañca anātmā includes family too). I empower the world to develop
samsara through raga dveṣa. aṣṭāvakra emphasises this in the following verses.

नः ेहः पु दारादौ न ामो वषयेषु च ।

न ः शर रे ऽ प नराशः शोभते बु धः ॥ १८ -८४॥
Appears to be cruel. Very significant verse. Snehaha means attachment. Towards
spouse and children. By repeated practice of binary format, I should see the family
as par of viśvarūpa īśvara. He can add or take away members at any time. Their
future is not under control. Retaining ownership and controllership is snehaha
(sticky substance.) नः ेहः पु दारादौ only solution to samsara is freedom from
ownership controllership towards putra putree, wife or spouse, grandchildren etc.
people will be afraid of this statement. Aṣṭāvakra says get out of this attachment.
Aham mama abhimāna and the resulting anxiety or cintaa. All special prayers,

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vows etc sakama bhakti.. all three go together… sanyāsa is not ochre robe, mentally
renouncing everything… न ामो वषयेषु च some people do not have attachment
towards family but towards possessions, house jewellery etc, positions too. We
have to renounce them. न ः शर रे ऽ प with regard to our own body and
controllership, worry about the body , fear of bodily suffering. We don’t see this
possibility when we are young. As we cross 50 and hear about diseases then they
become very real. Worry about body with worry of diseases. Universal phenomena.
Vedānta asks do you want to worry like others or do you want to be different?
Worry and fear increase possibility of future suffering. Worry and fear can weaken
the body and increase possibility of suffering. Intensity can also get magnified.
Worry works against me. It joins the pāpa prārabhdha. Therefore when I dwell on
reasons that justify the worry and fear, I’m inviting worry and fear to occupy the
mind. Once I allow them to occupy the mind, will grow in the mind. All emotions
grow in the fertile ground the mind.
त ादपिरहायऽथ, न ं शो चतुमह स ॥ गी 2-27॥
Don’t dwell on these though patterns. That’s a deliberate effort

इ य े य ाथ, राग ष
े ौ व तौ ।
तयोन वशमाग े , तौ पिरप नौ ॥ gee 3-34॥
Arrival of worry is natural. Continuity requires my support. शर रे ऽ प with regard
to one’s own body also. The body is viśvarūpa iśvara property, we serve it. Not for
worrying. No scripture gives us this duty. Greatest disservice is worry. नराशः
शोभते बुधः without any positive or negative expectation, with regard to the future,
the wise man shines (excels) .

तु ः सव धीर यथाप ततव तनः ।

ं चरतो देशा य मतशा यनः ॥ १८ -८५॥
तु ः सव धीर this wise person who has reduced FIR and increased CCC, for
him he is totally contented with the creation. Jñāni has a balanced vision. With
respect to body, family etc, I’m balanced, I’ve no complaints. World is OK as it is.
No attachment to birth or death. यथाप ततव तनः he lives a life as ordered by the
situation dictated by prārabhdha. Vedānta can save us only from emotional
dependence. Physical dependence may be there. ं चरतो one who moves

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freely retaining the internal freedom, he spends time dwelling on his higher nature.
Aṣṭāvakra is speaking of two types of jñānis. Gṛhastha and sanyasi. A gṛhastha has
handed over the family to Bhagawan. This shloka talks of a parivrajaka sanyasi
jñāni. देशा moves from one place to another. य मतशा यनः he sleeps anywhere.
य अ मत शा यनः Wherever the sun sets, he sleeps in multistar hotel.
Class 70 on 13th January 2021

Sanyāsa means the renunciation of controllership. A jñāni give up this

controllership. The minute I want to control a grown-up child, it leads to anxiety.
You cannot ask for ownership and controller ship and avoid anxiety. They go
together. Then sakama bhakti or special prayers come. This ownership and
controllership are directed towards properties, relationships, our own physical body
(most powerful) and toughest is mind. (pancaanātmā) Special prayers are for these.
In all these verses, he is focussing on body ownership and controllership. We are
extremely optimistic when the body is fine and extremely pessimistic when any
problem hits the body. A jñāni is neither.

पततू देतु वा देहो ना च ा महा नः ।

भावभू म व ा व ृ ताशेषसंसृ तेः ॥ १८ -८६॥
महा नः This mahātmā has learnt to claim the ātmā. Disidentified with the body
पततूदेतु वा देहो let the body fall anywhere. Or let the body get up or survive.. ना
च ा he refuses to worry about the body, he does not neglect the body. There is
only a thin line of difference between caring and controlling. if worry happens
without the deliberate attempt, jñāni practices a new meditation. He says I don’t
want to worry, worry is happening in the mind, I have no control over the mind,
that is not Me. Somebody else is owner of the mind. I have no ownership. That
some owner is Bhagawan. Bhagawan decides how long the worry should continue.
when worries are unstoppably continuing, practice the above. I’m the witness of
the mind and worries belong to the Bhagawan, asangha dhyānam. Let Bhagawan
manage the worries. भावभू म he has come to Ātmā the witness of both the body,
mind, ground reality. It is the ground of the whole universe.
व ा व ृताशेषसंसत
ृ ेः I’m the worryless witness, preoccupied with this thought

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pattern. Many thoughts are determined by vāsana and not will. Let the worry
thoughts flow… he does not give over-importance of the elimination of worries.
Worry about worry is meta worry. A jñāni does not have meta worry also.
अ क नः कामचारो न संशयः ।
अस ः सव भावेषु केवलो रमते बु धः ॥ १८ -८७॥
Jñāni is one who possesses nothing. Even if a jñāni is gṛhastha, jñāni does not
really “own” anything and has given up any worries associated with them. When
I practise this actively/deliberately, the subconscious mind generates thought
patterns that will help in dealing with family. अ क नः कामचारो he does not want
to own anything. In the relative world, no more personal desire to own anything.
He has a free life with no agenda. No anxiety with respect to a particular goal.
न : free from pairs of opposites, not emotionally controlled. When I try to
control the success and failure, that object controls me. object of control, controls
my emotions . All these are descriptions of sanyāsa. छ संशयः his knowledge is
perfect free from all forms of doubt. All pañca anātmās belong to Īśvara. अस ः
detached from all these things. CLASP rejection. सवभावेषु केवल: alone to the alone
all alone. रमते बुधः this wise person revels. In spite of giving up all these ownership.
Everything being handed over to Bhagawan.
यदा ेवैष एत ेऽना ेऽ न े ऽ नलयनेऽभयं त व ते । . मान दव ल 7
When I have something to lose, I’ve something to worry.

नममः शोभते धीरः समलो ा का नः ।

सु भ दय व नधू तरज मः ॥ १८ -८८॥
धीरः wise man सु भ दय knots of the heart, all attachments in the heart
have been taken away from the pañca anātmā. व नधूतरज मः He is free from rajo
guna and tamo guna. Delusion is trying to control the uncontrollable. 1st capsule
I’m of the nature of eternal and all-pervading consciousness. 2nd capsule I’m the
only source of permanent peace security and happiness. No emotional dependence
on panca anātmā. Till now description of jñānaṃ Now description of sanyāsa
नममः free from mamakāra समलो ा का नः a balanced mind, undisturbed mind.
शोभते
Class 71 on 14th January 2021

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Description of a jñāni is always description of sanyāsa nishṭāand jñāna nishṭā.
Sanyāsa or renunciation is just handing over the misappropriated (pañca anātmā)
property back to the owner. By withdrawing ahankara and mamakāra is returning
pañca anātmāto Bhagawan. Ātmā jñānaṃ plus anātmāsanyāsa is equal to nitya
mokṣā. No question of getting mokṣā, it is nitya.

सव ानवधान न क वासना द ।
मु ा नो वतृ तु लना केन जायते ॥ १८ -८९॥
सव ानवधान all the things and beings in the world, repeatedly dwelling upon
them is avadhānam

ायतो वषया ुंसः, स ेषूपजायते ।

स ा ायते कामः, कामा ोधोऽ भजायते ॥ गी 2-62॥

Looked at negatively by the shastra.

स ेषूपजायते, that’s what Lord Krishna said that.
Once an object is empower to create raga dveṣa, it enslaves the mind and occupies
the mind. Person has become one of the tenants of the mind. Mind is eternally
preoccupied with these people. Especially during japa etc. If they occupy my mind
with my deliberate thinking, I’m their master.
He refuses to dwell on any object-anavadhānam. न क वासना द He does not
allow the creation of vāsana in the subconscious mind. Deliberate thinking of
anātmā is mastery, we want that.

In 5th chapter, Lord Krishna says you have to push the anātmā from the mind.
Keep family members outside the mind. मु ा नो one who has an unpreoccupied
mind वतृ he is totally ready to accept any situation obtained now. Anything
is acceptable. No complaints. I’m Ok buddhi is वतृ :. तुलना केन जायते he does not
have any equals in the creation.

जान प न जाना त प प न प त ।
ुव अप न च ू ते कोऽ ो नव सना ते ॥ १८ -९०॥

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We are not talking about a sanyasi here. A liberated person who is very much in
transaction, a gṛhastha like Janaka is spoken about. If I think I’m a contributor
and not controller of events, transactions are always lighter. Based on my bhavana
towards the transaction. There should be transaction as though there is no
transaction. जान प न जाना त experiencing the world he does not experience.
Cognising the world he does not cognise. च ािर अ ःकरणा न ; प प न प त
seeing he does not see. Seeing represents प ाने या ण, ुव अप न च ूते
speaking he does not speak. Speaking represents प कम या ण; 14 organs interact
with the world, but do not generate vasanas in the mind. कोऽ ो नव सना ते other
than this jñāni who can be like this? For him, nothing is a burden.

भ ु व भू प तव प यो न ामः स शोभते ।
भावेषु ग लता य शोभनाशोभना म तः ॥ १८ -९१॥
Such a mukta person, भ ुव भूप तव प can be an aśrama sanyasi or a King or
emperor, external conditions do not matter. यो न ामः स शोभते one who is free
from all binding desires (inappropriate or disturbing desires), he may be more
active than a samsārī. When icchaa shakti is polluted with avidhyā it becomes
harmful to oneself and society. Mokṣā is converting this to Vidhya decorated iccha
shakti. Serving Bhagawan and society till the end. Such a mukta purusha outshines.
Like a water drop on the lotus leaf. It appears like pearl and the glorious shiny
water drop cannot wet the leaf. Jñānis mind is like lotus leaf. Desires do not
disturb the mind. भावेषु with regard to things beings and events शोभनाशोभना म तः
The judgemental attitude of this is good this is bad, that is not there, every event
is in keeping with bhagawan’s will in line with universal law. I don’t want to be
critical. ग लता य

ा ं स ोचः वा त व न यः ।
न जाजवभू त चिरताथ यो गनः ॥ १८ -९२॥
This kind of non judgemental response to situations, this way of lie has become
spontaneous to a liberated person. In the initial stages, our life is governed by
impulses and instinct. From instinctive impulsive life I should graduate to a
thoughtful life. Your actions should be governed by dharma adharma, deliberate
life (mindful life). Jñāni is one who has lived this life. This dharmic life has become

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natural to him. He need not b deliberate. He has become spontaneously thoughtful.
ा ं (jñāni is free from instinctive living) स ोचः where is the question
of restraint? Whatever he does is naturally dharmic.

In अ भ ानशाकु ल , Duśyanta is on impulse wanting to marry śakuntala.

He wonders if it is appropriate. Then he feels he has always followed dharma
and therefore whatever he does must be dharmic only. Very famous
quotation from Kalidasa’s epic.
सता ह स ेह पदेषु व ुषु माणम ःकरण वृ यः
If a person has followed dharma for 12 years, whatever desires comes from
his subconscious will be dharmic. He is no more impulsive but spontaneously
dharmic.
न जाजवभूत he is spontaneously dharmic.
वा त व न यः ।
चिरताथ यो गनः

Class 72 on 15th January 2021

Inner condition of a jñāni is indescribable. If we try then it will be paradoxical

only…Aṣṭāvakra is going to use the language of paradox to describe.

आ व ा तृ ेन नराशेन गता तना ।

अ यदनु भू येत त कथं क क ते ॥ १८ -९३॥
कथं क क ते how can it be described? अ यदनुभय
ू ेत त
The internal mental condition which is intimately experienced? How can it be
communicated to a lay person> it cannot be shared. आ व ा तृ ेन who has been
talked about as one who has discovered fulfilment through abiding in the higher
I. such a wise person therefore नराशेन he does not seek fulfilment from external
relations/objects गता तना therefore no mental distress. He was called चिरताथ in
previous shloka one who has attained mokṣā puruṣārtha.

सु ोऽ प न सु षु ौ च ेऽ प श यतो न च ।
जागरे ऽ प न जाग त धीर ृ ः पदे पदे ॥ १८ -९४॥

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When lay people describe a jñāni they look at him from śarīram stand point, a
jñāni has handed over the body to Īśvara and ahankara and mamakāra as absent.
Lay people describe these as jñāni. Whether waker dreamer or sleeper. A wise
person says I’m not avasthatrayavaan but avasthaatraya sakṣi. I’m the sakṣi of
these descriptions. Even in deep sleep, सु ोऽ प न सुषु ौ च ेऽ प dream state
श यतो न च waking state, I have none of these states. जागरे ऽ प न जाग त धीर ृ ः
पदे पदे therefore a wise person looks at himself as ever trupti sakṣi ātmā.

ः सच ोऽ प न ः से योऽ प निर यः ।
सु बु र प नबु ः साह ारोऽनह ृ तः ॥ १८ -९५॥
This wise person ः स च ोऽ प even though thoughts are running in his mind, lay
person calls him thinking person. A wise person says I’m thoughtless, this is
different from a yogic person. A vedantin does not feel the need to become
thoughtless as he is ever thought less as he is asangha ātmā. न ः always
thoughless, no meditation required से योऽ प निर यः lay people see him as
endowed with 10 sense organs, whereas jñāni does not claim that

नैव क रोमी त, यु ो म ेत त व ।
प ृ ृश , अ प स ॥ गी 5-8॥

3rd capsule, by my mere presence….

Factually he is not connected to the sense organs. Exactly like screen and movie.
Mind also will have to go through certain choiceless thoughts. सुबु र प नबु ः
even though world says jñāni has sattvic intellect, jñāni does not claim I’m a jñāni
also associated with a sattvic enlightened intellect. Even wisdom he does not claim.
Śankaracārya says य सुखा ुधौ ग लतधी: ैव न व
यः क सुरे व तपदो नूनं मनीषा मम ॥ ५॥ in Manisha pancakam
I’m brahman the witness of brahmajñānam. साह ारोऽनह ृ तः even when there is a
functional ahankara, jñāni is not bounded by this ahankara, like a roasted seed
that cannot germinate. Though he has an ahankara, he is free from ahankara.

न सु खी न च वा ःखी न वर ो न स वा ।
न मु मु ु न वा मु ा न क च क न ॥ १८ -९६॥

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All conventional descriptions is from a standpoint of a world, a jñāni rejects both
positive and negative decriptions. न सुखी न च वा ःखी happy unhappy both
(thoughts..priya, moda, pramodha), FIR reduction. Jñānis mind may have jvaram,
but no anujvaram, identification with mind (pañcadaśī) न वर ो न स वा no
detachment or attachment. He does not neglect his mind, he continues to improve
the mind without attachment.
न मे ेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मा यभावः ।
न धम न चाथ न कामो न मो दान पः शवोऽहं शवोऽह ॥ ३॥
न मुमु ुन वा मु ा I’m neither a seeker nor a liberated one. न क च क न I’m
not connected to anything , anything at all

व ेपेऽ प न व ः समाधौ न समा धमा ।

जा ेऽ प न जडो ध ः पा ेऽ प न प तः ॥ १८ -९७॥
In binary format, there is only ātmā and anātmā, I’ve no complaints regarding
both. व ेपेऽ प न व ः when there is distraction in the mind, jñāni refuses to
say I’m distracted, he will say I’m witness. समाधौ न समा धमा yogi will say I am
in samadhi, but jñāni will say I’m witness of samadhi (single thought/no thoughts).
जा ेऽ प न जडो when mind is like a stone, jñāni claims himself as witness of
jadatvam. (tamo guna aspect) 14th chap of gita
काशं च वृ ं च, मोहमेव च पा व ।
न े स वृ ा न, न नवृ ा न का त ॥गी 14-22॥
ध ः पा ेऽ प न प तः when whole world claims I’m a scholar (at anātmālevel)
I don’t claim. (from 64, all three gunas of maya, these conditions are described)
they are only worth watching. 5th capsule. by remembering my real nature. One
who has understood this truth is such a jñāni. He is rich with spiritual knowledge.

मु ो यथा त ः कृ तकत नवृ तः ।

समः सव वैतृ ा र कृ तं कृ त ॥ १८ -९८॥
Similar discussion of binary format. मु ो wise person who remains as ātmā. He
abides in his swaroopam. यथा त ः body mind are worth watching, no point
in worrying. Even when worries are there, I don’t worry about the worry.
कृतकत नवृतः freedom from the burden caused by past actions. समः सव वैतृ ा
र कृतं कृत he does not remember the omissions and commissions of the past.

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He does not keep them in the mind. Because of this internal detachment, he
entertains the thoughts that he is śamaha.

न ीयते व मानो न मानो न कु त ।

नैवो ज त मरणे जीवने ना भन त ॥ १८ -९९॥
न ीयते व मानो whole world may prostate to him. He is not excited. न मानो न
कु त when he is criticised/censured also, he is not disturbed. नैवो ज त मरणे
जीवने ना भन त even death, he is not worried. Even punar jenma he is not worried,
birth or no birth is ok.. jñāni will never say I need an end to this jana marana
cycle.
न धाव त जनाक ण नार मु पशा धीः ।
यथातथा य त सम एवाव त ते ॥ १८ -१००॥
न धाव त जनाक ण he is not attached to company of people, नार मुपशा धीः nor
does he seek quietitude or seclusion. Whatever comes with prarabhdha.. यथातथा
य त wherever when ever सम एवाव त ते
He does not have any complaints. ।

Chapter 19
Class 73 on 16th January 2021

The teaching is over with 18th chapter, the longest chapter. 19,20 Janaka’s
response to Aṣṭāvakra acknowledging that the teaching is assimilated making
aṣṭāvakra “happy”.

जनक उवाच ॥

त व ानस ंशमादाय दयोदरा ।

ना वधपरामश श ो ारः कृ तो मया ॥ १९ -१॥
Janaka is thanking ashtavakra saying all the doubts have been removed through
tatvavijñānam given by Aṣṭāvakra. Example of thorn. Pincer the instrument to
remove thorn is compared here. त व ानस ंशम, स ंश means pincer namely
tatvavijñānam..sandamsham. त व ानस ंश the pincers in the form of
knowledge श ो ारः removal of thorns आदाय I’ve removed दयोदरा from the

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deepest hrudayam. ना वधपरामश varieties of philosophical system created doubts
(shalya-thorns) of many and varied nature. कृतो मया my doubts have been removed.
A common basic doubt is what is the purpose of creation? Janaka says all doubts
including this basic doubt is gone. As long as you look at the world as creation
you will have this problem. You will look for a creator, and then why this creation?
And creator is not around and the intention of creator has to be communicated,
so every philosopher will present his own view. Vedānta says calling the world as
creation is the problem, 1) call it as misperception of you. World is not creation
of God. 2) misperception is a natural consequence of ignorance. There is no will
involved. Misconception is not deliberate willful purposeful action. Cause is
ignorance. Once cause is remoed, misperception is removed. Remove the ignorance,
there is no question of knowing the purpose of the world. Avidya cause of
misperception is gone. No such thing called world at all. Everything is brahman.
Ahameva paschat purasthad..ahameva chan
Remove word shrushti replace with adhyāsa. Śankaracārya wrote adhyasa bhashyam
for this purpose. In all the following verses Janaka repeatedly asks where is time?
Where is space?
मह त मे I’m abiding in the non-dual ātmā, in my vision there is no
world. In all the 8 shlokas.

धमः च वा कामः चाथ ः ववे कता ।

ैतं च वाऽ ै तं मह त मे ॥ १९ -२॥
Janaka says मह त मे for me who am abiding in my higher nature, all
these are not there. Dharma, kama, artha, mokṣā puruṣārtha, where is dvaitam?
Where is advaitam? We don’t say ātmā is not there. When dvaitam is negated
word advaitam is negated. धमः च वा कामः चाथः ववे कता
ैतं च वाऽ ैतं ; all of them are not there.

व ं दपण माननगर तु ं नजा गतं

प ा न मायया ब हिरवो त
ू ं यथा न या ।
यः सा ा ु ते बोधसमये ा ानमेवा यं
त ै ीगु मूतये नम इदं ीद णामूतये ॥ १॥
The universe is the reflection of a mirror . The Truth is the supreme Brahman, the
one without a second. The mind, senses and intellect are all able to only discern

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 the reflection of the Ātmān . The identity of the brahman and the Ātmān is
apparent after self-illumination. I offer my profound salutations to the auspicious
Guru, who is an embodiment of Dakṣiṇāmūrti, and whose grace is responsible for
the illumination

A waker after waking up from dream can say that.

भू तं भव वा वत मानम प वा ।
देशः च वा न ं मह त मे ॥ १९-३॥
Janaka says मह त मे for me who am abiding in my higher nature, all
these are not there . there is no deśa or kala. Ātmā avidhyaa sambandhaha kala—
definition of time in vedānta. Moment ignorance is gone, kala is not there. In
saddarśanam, we saw past is not past in past, future..

भूतं भ व भव काले
त तमान वहाय त ।
हा ा न कं ा तभा वचच
वनैकस गणनेव लोके ॥ १७॥
Dayānandā Saraswati’s favourite shloka . भूतं where is past? भव where
is the future? वा वतमानम प वा if past and future are not there where is the
question of present? च वा न ं Where is the question of nityam? देशः
where is the question of desha or space? Aham asmi.. I’ve understood all this.
Advaita makaranda says…. Brahmaivahamaa siddham satchidānandā lakshanam” we
saw.

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 चा ा च वाना ा भं ा भं यथा ।
च ा च वा च ा मह त मे ॥ १९ -४॥
Janaka says मह त मे for me who am abiding in my higher nature, all
these are not there. I’m in unitary format (not even binary format) ajati vada…I
alone am (Maṇḍukyakārika) I don’t say जग ा but जग ना ; when I look at
anātmā as ātmā, then word ātmā is also negated. When observed is negated word
observer is negated. चा ा च वाना ा भं ा भं where is the question
of both?
In kaṭopaniṣad
अ धम द ाधम द ा ा ृ ताकृता ।
अ भूता भ ा य स त द ॥ १४ ॥..
यथा च ा च वा च ा Where is arriving anxiety caused by pāpam or arriving
peace caused by puṇyaṃ?

ः सु षु व च जागरणं तथा ।
तु र यं भयं वा प मह त मे ॥ १९ -५॥
Janaka says मह त मे for me who am abiding in my higher nature, all
these are not there. Where are ः dream, associated with dream taijasaha or
dreamer सुषु व sleep state, prājñāha or sleeper च जागरणं waking state
or waker तथा avasthatrayam naasti paadatrayam naasti तुर यं where is turīyam
fourth one when all three are negated. भयं वा प where is the question of bhayam
or loneliness? (because I’m striking off all relationaship?? No) I’m sat chit Ānandā
svarūpam

रं समीपं वा बा ं ा रं वा ।
ू लं च वा सू ं मह त मे ॥ १९ -६॥
Janaka says मह त मे for me who am abiding in my higher nature, all
these are not there रं where is the question of something far away? No worry
for mokṣā… समीपं वा where is the question of anything nearby? बा ं ा रं
वा in dvaitam alone, we’ve to talk about proximity or distance. ूलं च
वा सू ं there is neither matter (gross) nor subtle (consciousness) when everything
is negated (the words are not there)

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 मृ ु ज वतं वा लोकाः ा लौ कक ।
लयः समा धव मह त मे ॥ १९ -७॥
Janaka says मह त मे for me who am abiding in my higher nature, all
these are not there. मृ ुज वतं people are obsessed with either life or death,
depending on the age. Oh Lord I want to get out of cycles of birth and death.
Where is death? Where is jenma? Where is the question of worrying about rebirth?
Vedānta removes the very question of rebirth. Once I don’t worry about birth,
where are the lokas? वा लोकाः ा लौ कक loka related things,
relationships etc लयः समा धव where is the question of laya or sleep?
Where is the question of samadhi? Maṇḍukyakārika talks of 4 obstacles to samadhi.
Layam or sleep is one of them.

अलं वगकथया योग कथया ल ।

अलं व ानकथया व ा ममा न ॥ १९ -८॥
Even shastras are not relevant to me.. in dāsaśloki
न शा ा न शा ं न श ो न श ा
न च ं न चाहं न चायं प ः ।
पावबोधो वक ास ह ुः
तदेकोऽव श ः शवः केवलोऽह ॥ ७॥
T
᳚ here is no ruler nor rule, no pupil nor training.
There is no YOU nor I. This universe is not. For the realistion
of the true nature of the Self does not tolerate any distincion.
That One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone, am I.᳚

अलं वगकथया story of 3 puruṣārthas and relevant karma kanda is enough for me.
योग कथया ल jñāna yoga , that discussion is also irrelevant to me. अलं
व ानकथया where is jñānaṃ when there is no ajñānam? व ा ममा न there
is only one ātmā. Ends have ended, means have no meaning. “all these are not
there for me who am reposing ever resting in myself”

Class 74 on 16th January 2021

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Chapter 20
World is as good as non-existent from the standpoint of I the observer although
it is experientially available. In philosophical sense, it means world does not have
its own existence but borrowed existence like mirage water, rope snake, dream
world etc. It has a practical meaning also. Existence of the world does not affect
Me (sakṣi caitanyam) positively or negatively, “as good as non-existent”. Worlds
influence on the body and mind we are not negating.

A jñāni says पततु नभः let the sky fall down ुट ु गरयः let the mountains get
reduced to dust मल ु वािरधयः Let bay of Bengal and Arabian sea meet,
अधो रम ुजग , let the world turn upside down.. का हा नः वीतराग what ia going
to matter to person who has claimed I’m the sakṣi caitanyam…

Janaka dismisses everything in this chapter. All verses are a series of negations.

जनक उवाच ॥
Kva indicates where are they? To be added
भू ता न देहो वा े या ण वा मनः ।
ं च नैरा ं म पे नर ने ॥ २०-१॥
म पे नर ने In taintless me, all these are as good as not there. भूता न
elements देहो body वा े या ण sense organs वा मनः mind all are as good
as non-existent; ं you cant speak of emptiness also च नैरा ं no question
of desire-lessness as a virtue, there is nothing to be desired.

शा ं ा व ानं वा न वषयं मनः ।

तृ ः वतृ ा ं गत मे सदा ॥ २०-२॥
शा ं scriptures ा व ानं self-knowledge given by scriptures वा न वषयं
मनः desireless mind as a result of self-knowledge. तृ ः satisfaction (there is no
desire in the first place) वतृ ा ं freedom from rise of fresh desires गत
मे सदा from standpoint entire cause effect series is as good as absent
कायकरणकतृ े, हेतुः कृ त ते ।
पु षः सुख ःखान , भो ृ े हेतु ते ॥गी 13-21॥
In mandukya karika, Gaudapada says, getting lost in cause-effect series is samsara,
hetu phala…. I’m beyond the pairs of opposites always.

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 व ा च वा व ा ाहं ेदं मम वा ।
ब च वा मो ः प पता ॥ २० -३॥
व ा knowledge च वा व ा ignorance, ātmā is beyond both (pairs are
mentioned) ाहं ेदं where am I? where is this? Subject object pair. मम वा
where is mine and yours? ब च वा मो ः where is attachment or liberation?
प पता in my nature there is no attribute at all. Even word caitanyam
or awareness is from jada prapancha stand point.

ार ा न कम ण जीव ु रप वा ।
त वदेहकैव ं न वशेष सवदा ॥ २० -४॥
ार ा न कम ण where is the question of prārabhdha? A jñāni never thinks so.
जीव ु रप वा where is jīvanmukti? त वदेहकैव ं where is the question
of Videha mukti? न वशेष सवदा I’m ever changeless ever the same

कत च वा भो ा न यं ु रणं वा ।
ापरो ं फलं वा नः भाव मे सदा ॥ २० -५॥
कत where is the question of karta and च वा भो ा bhokta न यं ु रणं
वा changeless consciousness ापरो ं फलं where is the question of aparoksha
jñānaṃ which requires mind body guru shastram? From absolute angle they are
as good as absent. वा नः भाव मे सदा for me the nirguna caitanyam.

लोकं मु मु ु व योगी ानवा वा ।

ब ः च वा मु ः पेऽहम ये ॥ २०-६॥
लोकं where is the experienced world मुमु ुव an aspirant योगी a yogi
ानवा वा a jñāni ब ः a samsari च वा मु ः a liberated person
पेऽहम ये in my real nature which is non-dual I.

सृ ः च संहारः सा ं च साधन ।
साधकः स व पेऽहम ये ॥ २० -७॥
सृ ः where is creation च संहारः where is dissolution (ajati vada) सा ं
where is a goal of file? (puruṣārtha) च साधन where is the question of means?
साधकः seeker? स व what is successfully accomplished पेऽहम ये
in my real nature which is non-dual I

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 माता माणं वा मेयं च मा ।
क न क वा सव दा वमल मे ॥ २० -८॥
माता a knower माणं वा a knowing instrument मेयं object to be known
च मा knowledge क न क वा a small thing or a big thing? सवदा
वमल मे for Me who am free from ignorance

व ेपः चैका ं नब धः मू ढता ।

हषः वषादो वा सव दा न य मे ॥ २० -९॥
व ेपः distraction? चैका ं concentration नब धः niścayaha jñānaṃ
मूढता ignorance हषः experiential happiness वषादो sorrow वा सवदा न य
मे for Me who am free from all actions at all times

चैष वहारो वा च सा परमाथ ता ।

सु खं च वा खं न वमश मे सदा ॥ २० -१०॥
चैष वहारो where is the vyāvahārika field? वा च सा परमाथता pāramārthika
field (the wor absolute can be understood only relatively) सुखं happiness च
वा खं sorrow न वमश मे सदा for Me who am free from analysis of prātibhāsikam
vyāvahārika etc

माया च संसारः ी त वर तः वा ।
जीवः च त सवदा वमल मे ॥ २० -११॥
माया where is maya च संसारः world or travel ी त वर तः like or dislike
वा जीवः jiva? च त infinite word is a relative word सवदा वमल मे
one who is free from ignorance.

वृ नवृ व मु ः च ब न ।
कू ट न वभाग मम सव दा ॥ २० -१२॥
वृ नवृ व running towards or going away from things मु ः चब न
liberation or attachment कूट न वभाग changeless or divisionless मम
सवदा

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 ोपदेशः वा शा ं श ः च वा गु ः ।
चा पु षाथ वा न पाधेः शव मे ॥ २० -१३॥
ोपदेशः where is teaching वा शा ं scriptures श ः student च वा गु ः
teacher चा पु षाथ puruṣārtha वा न पाधेः शव मे for the attributeless ātmā
who I am

चा च वा ना ा चैकं च य ।
ब ना कमु े न क ो ते मम ॥ २० -१४॥
चा existence? च वा ना word non-existence? These are just concepts
in finite world. ा चैकं च य even word advaitam. ब ना कमु े न what
is the use of negating each and everything? क ो ते मम nothing arises for me
therefore nothing exists also, everything is as good as non-existent. Freedom from
complaint about the world is mokṣā.

इ त अ ाव गीता समा ा ।
॥ ॐ त ॥

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