Chapter-8, Verse 2

Ashtavakra Gita Verse 8.2

तदा मुक्तिर्यदा चित्तं न वाञ्छति न शोचति। न मुञ्चति न गृह्णाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति॥२॥

2. Freedom is attained when the mind does not desire or grieve, does not reject or accept, does not feel happy or angry at anything. 

In one line, that is the state of freedom, which is opposite to what has been described earlier as the state of bondage of the mind. This state of freedom cannot be attained unless the mind discovers the source of a greater Bliss in itself, so that in its utter satisfaction, the mind gets no more tempted to gush out to embrace the sense objects. 

Thunders Annapūrṇopaniṣad:   ‘There is no freedom found either in the outer space, or in the nether kingdom, or on the surface of the earth. It is found only in the mind in which all desires have dried up. When desires are conquered, the march of thoughts cease, and the mind ends. This is the state of freedom.’ (na mokṣo nabhasaḥ pṛṣṭhe na pātāle na bhūtale, sarvāśāsaṅkṣaye cetaḥ kṣayo mokṣa itīṣyate. ~ Annapūrṇopaniṣad-2.23)

The same idea is supported by the crisp statement in Yogavāsiṣṭha: ‘Thought reduction is freedom, thought assertion is bondage’ (bhāvanātānavaṁ mokṣo bandho hi dṛḍhabhāvanā ~ Yogavāsiṣṭha - 6.85.120)

There is no other escape. The seeker must learn to rise above his desire promptings. Elsewhere it is said: ‘This ignorance is nothing but desires; when desires have ended, that state is called the state of freedom. The moment you become desireless, instantaneously that man of reflection has established himself in ‘freedom’.

(icchāmātramavidyeyaṁ tannāśo mokṣa ucyate, sa cāsaṅkalpamātreṇa siddho bhavati vai mune ~ Yogavāsiṣṭha)