Chapter-18, Verse 35

Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.35 

शुद्धं बुद्धं प्रियं पूर्णं निष्प्रपञ्चं निरामयम् ।आत्मानं तं न जानन्ति तत्राभ्यासपरा जनाः ॥ ३५ ॥

In this world those who devote themselves to diverse practices (abhyasa) do not know the Self which is Pure, enlightened, beloved, perfect, transcendental and stainless. 

These verses are not to be misunderstood to mean that sādhanā is unnecessary. Those who have not done sādhanā, Aṣṭāvakra indicates them by the derogatory term 'fool' (mūḍhaḥ). But a sādhaka must know that the sādhanā is the means and the direct experience of the Infinite is the Goal. Very often the seeker comes to confuse the means for the very goal. In ordinary life this often happens. Money is the means for happy living, but there are fools who mistake the means for the end and get exhausted in their worry for and anxiety of collecting money and, in their miserliness, they live but a miserable life! In the spiritual life do not be such a miserable fool! 

The various practices of devotion to the Lord, service to the society, study of the scriptures, reflection upon the truths and even meditation are all means to awaken ourselves from the dreams of the ego and realise our True Nature. To students of higher meditation this warning is appropriate and very necessary. Aṣṭāvakra-gītā is a dialogue between the great sage and an equally great student, Janaka, and hence, the discussion is at this high level. Early seekers should not get confused.

The verse also states that the people who are devoted only to practice (abhyasa) do not know themselves as such. This implies that the practice of yoga, meditation, rituals, etc. is not sufficient to realize the True Nature of the Self. Rather, one needs to transcend the mind, which create the illusion of duality and diversity. The verse suggests that the Self is self-evident and self-revealing, and does not depend on any external means of knowledge or validation.

Similar verses from other Vedic texts, are:

- Yogavashishta 6.2.8: अविद्याकृतबन्धानां विद्याकृतविमोचनम् ।विद्याविद्यात्मकं सर्वं विद्याविद्याविवर्जितम् ॥

For those who are bound by ignorance, knowledge is the cause of liberation. All this is composed of knowledge and ignorance, and is devoid of knowledge and ignorance.

This verse explains the role of Knowledge (vidya) and ignorance (avidya) in the bondage and liberation of the Self. Ignorance is the cause of bondage, as it veils the True Nature of the Self and projects the false notion of the ego and the world. Knowledge is the cause of Realization, as it removes the veil of ignorance and reveals the Self as the Supreme Reality. However, the verse also states that all this, i.e. the phenomenal existence, is composed of Knowledge and ignorance, and is devoid of Knowledge and ignorance. This implies that Knowledge and ignorance are relative and empirical concepts, and do not pertain to the Absolute Reality, which transcends both.

- Bhagavad Gita 13.12:

अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् ।एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोऽन्यथा ॥

The Constant Awareness of the Self (Constant Remembrance), the vision of the purpose of the knowledge of Reality, this is declared to be knowledge, and all else is ignorance.

This verse defines the nature of Knowledge (jnana) and ignorance (ajnana) in relation to the Self (atman) and the Reality (tattva). Knowledge is the Constant Remembrance of the Self, which is the essence of one's Being and the witness of all phenomena. Ignorance is everything else signified by the knowledge of the material world.