Ashtavakra Gita 3.11Chapter 3, Verse 11
Ashtavakra Gita 3.11 is a verse from chapter 3 (The test). The sage Ashtavakra speaks it to King Janaka. In plain English it says: "He sees this world as mere appearance and has lost all curiosity about it. How could the steady one be afraid, even when death is close?"
मायामात्रमिदं विश्वं पश्यन् विगतकौतुकः ।अपि सन्निहिते मृत्यौ कथं त्रस्यति धीरधीः ॥
māyāmātramidaṃ viśvaṃ paśyan vigatakautukaḥ |api sannihite mṛtyau kathaṃ trasyati dhīradhīḥ ||
He sees this world as mere appearance and has lost all curiosity about it. How could the steady one be afraid, even when death is close?
Ashtavakra, to King Janaka
Word meanings and a note for this verse are still being written. Read it in context on the chapter 3 page, or start with the verses in where to begin.
Chapter 3, The test: Ashtavakra tests the king: if you know the Self, why do greed, desire and fear of freedom still move you?
Read all 14 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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