Chapter-18, Verse 26

Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.26

अतद्वादीव कुरुते न भवेदपि बालिशः ।जीवन्मुक्तः सुखी श्रीमान्संसरन्नपि शोभते ॥ २६ ॥

The Realized in life even though he acts like one, does not say why he is acting so, is not, thereby, a fool. He flourishes in the world and is happy and even blessed.

The verse describes the state of a jivanmukta, or one who is Realized while still living in the body. A jivanmukta is free from attachment, ego, and desire, and acts spontaneously according to the natural flow of life. He does not act with any motive, expectation, or justification, but simply as an expression of his True Nature, which is Pure Consciousness.

A jivanmukta is not a fool, who acts out of ignorance, delusion, or impulsiveness. He is a wise person, who has Realized his identity with the Supreme Self, and has transcended the duality of subject and object, Self and other, doer and enjoyer. He is not bound by the laws of karma, or the results of his actions, as he has no sense of agency or ownership. He is not affected by the pairs of opposites, such as pleasure and pain, success and failure, honor and dishonor, etc.

A jivanmukta is happy and blessed, as he has attained the Supreme Bliss of the Self, which is independent of any external factors. He is not dependent on anything or anyone for his happiness, nor does he seek anything from the world. He is content and peaceful in himself, and radiates joy and love to all. He is also prosperous and graceful, as he has the Grace of the Supreme Lord, who is the Source of all wealth and beauty. He lives in the world, but is not of the world. He does not renounce the world, nor does he cling to it. He is a Witness of the world, but not a participant in it.

Some similar verses from other Vedic texts are:

- From the Yoga Vasistha, Chapter 6, Verse 2.18:

यदा न लिप्यते चित्तं नानावस्थासु सर्वदा । तदा जीवन्मुक्तः सद्भिर्विद्वानित्यभिधीयते ॥ २.१८ ॥

When the mind does not get attached to the various states (of the body and the world) at all times, then that wise one is called a jivanmukta by the good.

- From the Mundaka Upanishad, Chapter 3, Verse 1.4:

यदा पश्यः पश्यते रुक्मवर्णं कर्तारमीशं पुरुषं ब्रह्मयोनिम् । तदा विद्वान्पुण्यपापे विधूय निरञ्जनः परमं साम्यमुपैति ॥ १.४ ॥

When one sees the golden-colored maker, the Lord, the person, the source of Brahman, then the illumined one, shaking off good and evil, makes everything (his Self) free from taints and attains the Supreme Identity.