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Ashtavakra Gita – Chapter 8

Ashtavakra Gita

Vishnu Bapat

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Ch. 8 Sh.1
|| अष्टावक्र उवाच ॥

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं किञ्चिद् वाञ्छति शोचति ।
किञ्चिन् मुञ्चति गृण्हाति किञ्चित् हृष्यति कुप्यति ॥ ८-१॥

tadā bandhō yadā cittaṁ kiñcid vāñchati śōcati |
kiñcin muñcati gr̥ṇhāti kiñcit hr̥ṣyati kupyati || 8-1||

तदा बन्धः यदा चित्तम् किञ्चित् वाञ्छति शोचति किञ्चित् मुञ्चति गृण्हाति किञ्चित् हृष्यति कुप्यति

tadā bandhaḥ yadā cittam kiñcit vāñchati śōcati kiñcit muñcati gr̥ṇhāti kiñcit hr̥ṣyati kupyati

तदा-then बन्धः-bondage यदा-when चित्तम्-mind किञ्चित्-anything वाञ्छति-desires शोचति-grieves किञ्चित्-anything मुञ्चति-rejects गृण्हाति-accepts किञ्चित्-anything हृष्यति-feels happy कुप्यति-feels angry अस्ति- is present

It is bondage when the mind desires or grieves at anything; does reject or accept anything; does feel happy or angry at anything.

तदा बन्धः यदा चित्तम् किञ्चित् वाञ्छति शोचति किञ्चित् मुञ्चति- It is bondage when the mind desires something or grieves at something; rejects or accepts anything, or fees happy or angry at anything. By implication, lieration is attained when the mind does not desire or grieve at something; or does not feel happy or angry at anything.

तदा बन्धः यदा चित्तम् किञ्चित् गृण्हाति, हृष्यति, कुप्यति – It is bondage when the mind accepts or rejects anything, or becomes happy or angry at anything.
Desiring, grieving, etc., are the modifications of the Chitta, the mind-stuff, which may be likened respectively to ripples and a lake. The bottom of the lake is, as it were, our own true self. We can catch a glimpse of the bottom only when the water is calm and clear and there are no waves. If the water is muddy or agitated, the bottom will not be seen. Likewise as long as there are mental modifications which are possible only so long as we identify ourselves with them, we cannot see the Self and are in ignorance and bondage. But when the mind is calm and free from such modifications, we realize our true nature and thus attain liberation. –Swami Nityswarupananda
Amritabindu Upnshad says:
यतो निर्विष्यस्यास्य मनसो मुक्तिरिष्यते।
अतो निर्विषयं नित्यं मनः कार्यं मुमुक्षुणा॥ ३॥

When the mind is free from objects it becomes liberated. Therefore a seeker of liberation should always strive to free his mind from objects. 

Ch. 8 Sh.2

तदा मुक्तिर्यदा चित्तं न वाञ्छति न शोचति ।
न मुंचति न गृण्हाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति ॥ ८-२॥

तदा-then मुक्तिः-liberation, freedom यदा-when चित्तम्- mind न- not वाञ्छति-wants, desires न-not शोचति-grieves न-not मुंचति- leaves off, rejects न-not गृण्हाति-takes, accepts न-not हृष्यति-enjoys, is pleased with न-not कुप्यति- is angry at

Feedom is attained when the mind neither desires or grieves nor becomes pleased or displeassed

तदा मुक्तिर्यदा चित्तं न वाञ्छति न शोचति ।
न मुंचति न गृण्हाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति ॥ ८-२॥

तदा मुक्तिः यदा चित्तम् न वाञ्छति न शोचति ।
Freedom is said to be attained when the mind does not desire or grieve. It is because desiring and rejecting are the modifications of the chtta. It does not represent the absolute self.
न मुंचति न गृण्हाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति
Freedom is said to be attained when the mind does not feel happy or angry at anything. These four emotions may be likend to ripples arising in a cool clear pond.
Swami Nityswarupananda states
Desiring, grieving, etc., are the modifications of Chitta, the mind-stuff, which may be likened respectively to ripples and a lake. The bottom of the lake is, as it were, our own true self. We can catch a glimpse of the bottom only when the water is calm and clear and there are no waves. If the water is muddy or agitated, the bottom will not be seen. Likewise as long as there are mental modifications which are possible only so long as we identify ourselves with them, we cannot see the Self and are in ignorance and bondage. But when the mind is calm and free from such modifications, we realize our true nature and thus attain liberation. Vide Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras I. 2.]

Ch. 8 Sh.3
तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं सक्तं काश्वपि दृष्टिषु ।
तदा मोक्षो यदा चित्तमसक्तं सर्वदृष्टिषु ॥ ८-३॥

In the pevious two verses bondage and freedom have been explained as internal modifictions of the emotions of the mind such as desire, grief, happiness etc. In this verse it is explained with reerence to external objects.

तदा-then बन्धः-bondage यदा-when चित्तम्-mind सक्तम्-attached काश्वपि (कासु-to anything अपि-at all)-attached to any objects दृष्टिषु-all sensory perceptions तदा-then मोक्षः-liberation यदा-when चित्तम्-mind असक्तम्-unattached सर्वदृष्टिषु (सर्व-all दृष्टिषु-perceptions) –any objects of sensory perceptions

When the mind is attached to any experience, it is bondage. When the mind is detached from all experiences, it is liberation.

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं सक्तं काश्वपि दृष्टिषु । तदा मोक्षो यदा चित्तमसक्तं सर्वदृष्टिषु

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं सक्तं काश्वपि दृष्टिषु
It is bondage when the mind is attached to any experience one obtains in the world. Information about the objects of senses come to the mind by five channels namely ear, skin, eyes, tongue and nose. A shloka in Tattva Bodha says, श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षु: रसना घ्राणम् इति पंच ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि. The sensory perceptions that come to the mind through any of the five channels may therefore be considered as काश्वपि दृष्टिषु (Experiences) from any perception. Any sense object has fatal capacity to seduce the mind and cause bondage.

तदा मोक्षो यदा चित्तमसक्तं सर्वदृष्टिषु
When the mind is detached frpom all experiences it called liberation. Sage Ashtavakra started this chapter by stating that any experiences of the mind like desire, grief or happiness is bondage. In this verse he completes the statement by saying that detachment from such experiences is freedom. A yogi or a bhogi has to live in the midst of objects of enjoyment. You cannot change the objects, but you have an option of not to be succmbed to the attraction caused by the objects.
the problem is not with the objects. The problem is with our reaction.

Ch. 8 Sh.4
यदा नाहं तदा मोक्षो यदाहं बन्धनं तदा ।
मत्वेति हेलया किंचिन्मा गृहाण विमुंच मा ॥ ८-४॥

यदा-when न-not अहम्-I तदा-then मोक्षः-liberation, freedom यदा-when अहम्-I बन्धनम्-bondage तदा-then मत्वा-knowing इति-thus हेलया-playfully, spontaneously किंचित्-anything मा-do not गृहाण-take, accept विमुंच-leave, reject मा-do not

When there is no “I”there is only liberation. When “I” appears bondage appears with it. Knowing this, stop accepting and rejecting anything playfully,

यदा न अहम् तदा मोक्षः यदा अहम् बन्धनम् तदा –
When there is no thought of “I”, attached to anything that is perceivable in the world, then liberation is attained. But when the thought of “I” appears, you immediately get an attachment or revulsion to it. This creates a feeling of pain and pleasure. That is identification with body, and going away from God onsciusness. That is bondage.

यदा न अहम् तदा मोक्षः यदा अहम् बन्धनम् तदा
When there is no thought of “I” the sense objects do not cause any modifications in the mind. Thre is no identification of self with body and mind. Consequently, there is no attachment and revusion; there is no desire, delusion and duality. The self is realized. One abides in the all-pervading self.

मत्वा इति हेलया किंचित् मा गृहाण विमुंच मा
Knowing this, stop accepting and rejecting anything playfully. Having this knowledge refrain from accepting or rejecting any thing playfully. Playfully means sportingly or wantonly. When you reject or accept any material object or compliments, or even just pose for photograph, it adds up to you sense of ego. You will great by such acts or would like to see your printed pictures or your views on TV show.

References

1. https://nivedita2015.wordpress.com/category/gyan-swamini-svatmavidyananda/ Swami Tejomayananda Chinmaya Mission Trust 2014 

2. Swami Chidatmananda of Chinmaya Mission Thiruvananthapuram discourses in Bangalore in March https://ia802708.us.archive.org/25/items/amritabindukaiva00mahauoft/amritabindukaiva00mahauoft.pdf A. Mahadeva Sastry Government Oriental Library, Mysore