Ashtavakra Gita 2.17Chapter 2, Verse 17
Ashtavakra Gita 2.17 is a verse from chapter 2 (Janaka's wonder). King Janaka speaks it to his teacher, the sage Ashtavakra. In plain English it says: "I am awareness alone. Through not knowing, I imagined limits on myself. Reflecting on this always, I rest in what has no divisions."
बोधमात्रोऽहमज्ञानाद् उपाधिः कल्पितो मया ।एवं विमृशतो नित्यं निर्विकल्पे स्थितिर्मम ॥
bodhamātro'hamajñānād upādhiḥ kalpito mayā |evaṃ vimṛśato nityaṃ nirvikalpe sthitirmama ||
I am awareness alone. Through not knowing, I imagined limits on myself. Reflecting on this always, I rest in what has no divisions.
King Janaka, to Ashtavakra
Word meanings and a note for this verse are still being written. Read it in context on the chapter 2 page, or start with the verses in where to begin.
Chapter 2, Janaka's wonder: Janaka finds himself as awareness and bows to it in astonishment, testing the new view against the world, the body and the crowd.
Read all 25 verses in this chapter →Seven mornings of short readings from the Bhagavad Gita, chosen for what you're going through, by email.
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