Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.54
श्रोत्रियं देवतां तीर्थमङ्गनां भूपतिं प्रियम्। दृष्ट्वा संपूज्य धीरस्य न कापि हृदि वासना ।।
Whether he is honouring a Vedic scholar, the gods or the holy places or seeing a woman, a king or a beloved one, not a bit of desire ever springs in the heart of the wise one.
The meaning of this verse is that the wise one, who is free from attachment and egoism, does not have any craving or longing for anything in the world. He is content and peaceful in his own Self, which is the Supreme Reality. He does not seek anything from anyone, nor does he depend on anyone for his happiness. He is the embodiment of wisdom and bliss, and by seeing and worshipping him, one can attain the same state of Realization.
The verse implies that the wise one is not an ordinary person, but a Realized Sage who has transcended the duality of the world and the limitations of the mind. He is not affected by the pairs of opposites, such as pleasure and pain, gain and loss, honor and dishonor, etc. He is equal to all beings, and does not discriminate between friend and foe, high and low, good and bad, etc. He is the knower of the Self, and the Self of all. He is the Guru, the teacher, who can guide the seekers to the Ultimate Truth.
The verse also suggests that the way to attain the same state of wisdom and bliss as the wise one is to see and worship him. This means to recognize and respect the presence of the divine in him, and to follow his teachings and example. By seeing and worshipping the wise one, one can purify one's mind and heart, and develop the qualities of detachment, discrimination, devotion, and surrender. By doing so, one can gradually realize one's own true nature, which is identical to that of the wise one.
Similar verses from other Vedic texts are:
- Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.23
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिर्यथा देवे तथा गुरौ ।
तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः ॥
He who has Supreme devotion to God, and as to God so to the Guru, to him these truths are revealed, O great one.
- Chandogya Upanishad 6.14.2
आचार्यवान् पुरुषो वेद ।
One who has a Teacher knows.
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