Ashtavakra Gita

Chapter 3

Wisdom

Verses 5 - 10

The man who is wise

Knows himself in all things

and all things in himself.

Yet how strange!

He still says, "this is mine".

Determined to be free,

he abides in the oneness

beyond all things.

Yet how strange!

Indulging in passion, he weakens,

And lust overwhelms him.

Feeble with age,

Still he is filled with desire,

When without doubt he knows

That lust is the enemy of awareness.

Indeed how strange!

He longs to be free...

He has no care for this world

Or the next,

And he knows what is passing

or forever.

And yet how strange!

He is still afraid of freedom.

But he who is truly wise

always sees the absolute Self.

Celebrated, he is not delighted.

Spurned, he is not angry.

Pure of heart,

He watches his own actions

as if they were another's.

How can praise or blame disturb him?

#ashtavakragita