Ashtavakra Gita Verse 17.18:
समाधानासमाधानहिताहितविकल्पनाः ।
शून्यचित्तो न जानाति कैवल्यमिव संस्थितः ॥ १८ ॥
One who has a mind free of doubts and solutions, good and bad, does not know liberation, as if established in it. || 18 ||
The verse describes the state of a Realized person, who has transcended the duality of the mind and the world. Such a person does not have any mental fluctuations or preferences, and does not depend on any external factors for happiness or peace.
The verse also implies that Realization is not something to be attained or known, but rather something to be Realized as one's own True Nature. Realization is not a result of any action or effort, but a spontaneous recognition of one's identity with the Supreme Reality.
The verse uses the word iva, which means "as if" or "like", to indicate that the Realized person does not have any sense of distinction or separation from Realization. Realization is not an object of knowledge or experience, but the very essence of one's being. Therefore, the Realized person does not know Realization, but is Realization itself.
Similar verses from Vedic texts that convey the same message are:
- From the Yogavashishta (VI.2.47):
यदा नास्ति विकल्पोऽयं विकल्पात्मकदृश्ययोः । तदा नास्ति विकल्पोऽयं विकल्पात्मकदृश्ययोः ॥
When there is no distinction between the seer and the seen, which are both products of the mind; Then there is no distinction between the seer and the seen, which are both products of the mind. ||
- From the Mandukya Upanishad (7):
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् । अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥
Not inwardly conscious, not outwardly conscious, not both-wise conscious; Not a mass of Consciousness, not conscious, not unconscious.
Unseen, with which there can be no dealing; ungraspable, having no distinctive mark, unthinkable, that cannot be designated, the essence of the assurance of which is the State of being One with the Self, the cessation of development, tranquil, benign, without a second, such they think is the Fourth. That is the Self. That should be discerned. || This is the description of the Turiya State.
- From the Bhagavad Gita (6.28):
युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः ।
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥
Thus always keeping the mind balanced, the yogi, with the mind controlled; Attains the peace abiding in Me, which culminates in Realization. ||
No comments:
Post a Comment