Chapter-15, Verse 8

Ashtavakra Gita Verse 15.8

श्रद्धत्स्व तात श्रद्धत्स्व नात्र मोहं कुरुष्व भोः । ज्ञानस्वरूपो भगवानात्मा त्वं प्रकृतेः परः ॥ ८ ॥

Have faith, my son, have faith! Have no delusion about this! You are Knowledge itself. You are the Lord. You are the Self. You are beyond nature.

- The first line of the verse is an exhortation by the Sage Ashtavakra to his disciple King Janaka, who is seeking liberation from the bondage of ignorance and suffering. Ashtavakra urges Janaka to have faith, twice repeating the word "śraddhatsva", which means "have faith" or "trust". He also addresses him as "tāta", which means "son" or "dear one", indicating his affection and compassion for him. He then warns him not to be deluded in this matter, using the words "nātra mohaṃ kuruṣva bhoḥ", which mean "do not make a mistake here, sir". He implies that the lack of faith and the presence of delusion are the main obstacles to the realization of the truth.

- The second line of the verse reveals the essence of the truth that Ashtavakra wants Janaka to realize. He says that Janaka is himself the Lord, whose nature is Pure Knowledge, and who is beyond the realm of nature or prakṛti. He uses the words "jñānasvarūpo bhagavānātmā tvaṃ", which mean "you are the Lord, the Self, whose form is Knowledge". He also uses the word "prakṛteḥ paraḥ", which means "beyond prakṛti". Prakṛti is the term used in Samkhya philosophy to denote the material cause of the universe, consisting of three modes or guṇas: sattva (purity), rajas (activity) and tamas (inertia). According to Advaita Vedanta, prakṛti is not real, but only an appearance or illusion projected by ignorance or avidyā. The reality is Brahman, the Supreme Self, who is beyond all attributes and distinctions, and who is identical with one's own true Self or ātman.

- The third paragraph summarizes the implication and application of this verse for the seeker of Realization. It means that one should have faith in one's own True Nature as Brahman, and not be misled by the apparent diversity and multiplicity of the world. One should not identify oneself with the body, mind, senses or ego, which are products of prakṛti and subject to change and decay. One should instead Realize that one is Pure Consciousness, Bliss and Being, which are unaffected by any modifications or limitations. One should abide in this knowledge and renounce all attachments and desires that arise from ignorance. By doing so, one will attain Realization from all bondage and suffering, and become one with Brahman.

There are many verses in other Vedic texts that convey a similar message as this verse from Ashtavakra Gita.

- In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.5), Yajnavalkya tells his wife Maitreyi: अहमेवाव्ययो ब्रह्मेति संज्ञानं कुरुते अत्र ब्रह्म समश्नुते ॥ meaning "He who knows 'I am Brahman alone, immutable', he attains Brahman here itself." 

- In the Bhagavad Gita (18.54), Krishna tells Arjuna: ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्‍क्षति । समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्‍भक्तिं लभते पराम्‌ ॥ meaning "One who becomes Brahman-like, with a serene mind, neither grieves nor desires; being equal to all beings, he attains Supreme devotion to Me." 

- In the Vivekachudamani (verse 258), Shankara says: आत्मानमच्छिद्रमकारणं निर्विकल्पं निराकारम् । अजं नित्यं विशुद्धं बुद्धं चिन्मात्रमवलोकयेत् ॥ meaning "One should behold the Self as without any flaw, without any cause, without any modification, without any form, unborn, eternal, Pure, conscious and the essence of Consciousness."