Ashtavakra Gita 17.14Chapter 17, Verse 14
Ashtavakra Gita 17.14 is a verse from chapter 17 (The one who knows). The sage Ashtavakra speaks it to King Janaka. In plain English it says: "Whether he sees a woman full of desire or death standing near, the great soul stays unshaken and at ease. He is free."
सानुरागां स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा मृत्युं वा समुपस्थितम् ।अविह्वलमनाः स्वस्थो मुक्त एव महाशयः ॥
sānurāgāṃ striyaṃ dṛṣṭvā mṛtyuṃ vā samupasthitam |avihvalamanāḥ svastho mukta eva mahāśayaḥ ||
Whether he sees a woman full of desire or death standing near, the great soul stays unshaken and at ease. He is free.
Ashtavakra, to King Janaka
Word meanings and a note for this verse are still being written. Read it in context on the chapter 17 page, or start with the verses in where to begin.
Chapter 17, The one who knows: A portrait of the free person, who wants neither pleasure nor freedom and lives at ease seeing, hearing and eating.
Read all 20 verses in this chapter →Seven mornings of short readings from the Bhagavad Gita, chosen for what you're going through, by email.
Send my week