Ashtavakra Gita chapter 9: Weariness with the world

Chapter 9 of the Ashtavakra Gita, "Weariness with the world", has 8 verses. Ashtavakra speaks. Seeing how the opposites never end, one grows tired of chasing them and lets go of every vow. Every verse is below in Sanskrit and in Wisdom's plain English.

All 8 verses

1. 9.1

   कृताकृते च द्वन्द्वानि कदा शान्तानि कस्य वा ।एवं ज्ञात्वेह निर्वेदाद् भव त्यागपरोऽव्रती ॥

   kṛtākṛte ca dvandvāni kadā śāntāni kasya vā |evaṃ jñātveha nirvedād bhava tyāgaparo'vratī ||

   Things done and things left undone, the pairs of opposites: when have they ever ended, and for whom? Knowing this, grow weary of it all, let go, and keep no vows.

2. 9.2

   कस्यापि तात धन्यस्य लोकचेष्टावलोकनात् ।जीवितेच्छा बुभुक्षा च बुभुत्सोपशमः गताः ॥

   kasyāpi tāta dhanyasya lokaceṣṭāvalokanāt |jīvitecchā bubhukṣā ca bubhutsopaśamaḥ gatāḥ ||

   My child, rare is the fortunate one whose wish to live, to enjoy and to know has been put out by watching how people live.

3. 9.3

   अनित्यं सर्वमेवेदं तापत्रितयदूषितम् ।असारं निन्दितं हेयमिति निश्चित्य शाम्यति ॥

   anityaṃ sarvamevedaṃ tāpatritayadūṣitam |asāraṃ ninditaṃ heyamiti niścitya śāmyati ||

   All this passes. It is spoiled by the three kinds of suffering, empty, worth little, fit to be left. Certain of this, one becomes still.

4. 9.4

   कोऽसौ कालो वयः किं वा यत्र द्वन्द्वानि नो नृणाम् ।तान्युपेक्ष्य यथाप्राप्तवर्ती सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् ॥

   ko'sau kālo vayaḥ kiṃ vā yatra dvandvāni no nṛṇām |tānyupekṣya yathāprāptavartī siddhimavāpnuyāt ||

   What time, what age of life is free of the pairs of opposites for anyone? Ignore them, live with what comes, and you reach the goal.

5. 9.5

   नाना मतं महर्षीणां साधूनां योगिनां तथा ।दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमापन्नः को न शाम्यति मानवः ॥

   nānā mataṃ maharṣīṇāṃ sādhūnāṃ yogināṃ tathā |dṛṣṭvā nirvedamāpannaḥ ko na śāmyati mānavaḥ ||

   Seeing how great sages, saints and yogis differ in their views, who would not grow weary of it all and fall quiet?

6. 9.6Word meanings and notes

   कृत्वा मूर्तिपरिज्ञानं चैतन्यस्य न किं गुरुः ।निर्वेदसमतायुक्त्या यस्तारयति संसृतेः ॥

   kṛtvā mūrtiparijñānaṃ caitanyasya na kiṃ guruḥ |nirvedasamatāyuktyā yastārayati saṃsṛteḥ ||

   One who comes to know the nature of awareness through weariness with the world, evenness of mind and reasoning, and so crosses the round of birth and death: is he not a guru?

7. 9.7

   पश्य भूतविकारांस्त्वं भूतमात्रान् यथार्थतः ।तत्क्षणाद् बन्धनिर्मुक्तः स्वरूपस्थो भविष्यसि ॥

   paśya bhūtavikārāṃstvaṃ bhūtamātrān yathārthataḥ |tatkṣaṇād bandhanirmuktaḥ svarūpastho bhaviṣyasi ||

   See the changes of the elements as only the elements, as they are. That very moment you will be free of bondage and stand in your own nature.

8. 9.8

   वासना एव संसार इति सर्वा विमुञ्च ताः ।तत्त्यागो वासनात्यागात्स्थितिरद्य यथा तथा ॥

   vāsanā eva saṃsāra iti sarvā vimuñca tāḥ |tattyāgo vāsanātyāgātsthitiradya yathā tathā ||

   Habit-tendencies are the world. So let all of them go. Dropping them is dropping the world. Then stay as you are, as things come.