Chapter-18, Verse 23

Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.23

 कुत्रापि न जिहासास्ति हाशा वापि न कुत्रचित् । आत्मारामस्य धीरस्य शीतलाच्छतरात्मनः ॥ २३ ॥

He whose Joy is in himself, and who is peaceful and pure within has no desire for renunciation or sense of loss in anything.


The verse describes the state of a Self-Realized person, who is free from all attachments and aversions, and who is contented in his own Self. He does not seek anything outside himself, nor does he feel any lack or deficiency in himself. He is not affected by the dualities of the world, such as pleasure and pain, gain and loss, honor and dishonor, etc.

He is serene and tranquil in all situations, and does not depend on anything for his happiness.
The verse also implies that renunciation is not a physical act of giving up the world, but a mental attitude of detachment and dispassion. The true renunciant is not the one who abandons his duties and responsibilities, but the one who performs them without any selfish motive or expectation of reward. He is not attached to the results of his actions, nor does he identify himself with the doer-ship of his actions. He is a witness of his own mind and body, and remains unaffected by their modifications.


The verse further suggests that the Source of Joy and Peace is not in the objects of the world, but in the Self, which is the essence of all Beings. The Self is the Pure Consciousness, which is eternal, blissful, and indivisible. It is the substratum of all phenomena, and the witness of all thoughts and feelings. It is the same in all, and transcends all differences and distinctions. To realize the Self is to realize one’s True Nature, and to abide in it is to attain the Supreme State of Realization.