Chapter-12, Verse 2

Ashtavakra Gita Verse 12.2

प्रीत्यभावेन शब्दादेरदृश्यत्वेन चात्मनः। विक्षेपैकाग्रहृदय एवमेवाहमास्थितः॥२॥

2. Having no satisfaction (attachment) in sound and the other sense objects and the Self being no object of perception, I have my mind freed from distractions and rendered single pointed. Thus do I, therefore, abide in myself. 

Explaining the stages by which Janaka walked into the palace of Truth in himself, he confesses here that at this stage he has felt a growing dissatisfaction with ‘sound and so on’ – meaning in the study of the scriptures and discussions, in reflection, in japa and so on and, therefore, he dropped them. 

Again, he found that even contemplation is meaningless, because meditation is a process whereby the mind is trying to visualise, think and experience the Self which is invisible, unthinkable. Therefore, he has left even all conscious attempts at contemplation and meditation. Honest to himself, the disciple declares to his Teacher, ‘Thus do I, therefore, abide in myself’.