Ashtavakra Gita Verse 18.80
न स्वर्गो नैव नरको जीवन्मुक्तिर्न चैव हि ।
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन योगदृष्ट्या न किञ्चन ॥ ८० ॥
There is neither heaven nor hell nor even liberation during life. In a nutshell, in the sight of the seer nothing exists at all.
The meaning of this verse is that the seer, who is the Pure Awareness that witnesses everything, transcends all dualities and concepts of heaven, hell, and liberation. The seer is not affected by the actions and experiences of the body and mind, which are mere appearances in the Consciousness. The seer is not bound by anything, nor does it seek anything. The seer is the Ultimate Reality, in which nothing else exists.
This verse expresses the essence of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, which is the non-dualistic view of reality. According to this view, there is only one Reality, which is Brahman, the Absolute and Infinite Consciousness. Everything else is an illusion, or Maya, created by the power of ignorance, or Avidya. The individual self, or Jiva, is not different from Brahman, but only appears to be so due to the identification with the body and mind. The Goal of spiritual practice is to realize one's True Nature as Brahman, and be free from all suffering and bondage.
Some similar verses from other Vedic texts that convey the same message are:
- Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.11
ब्रह्मैवेदममृतं पुरस्तात् ब्रह्म पश्चात् ब्रह्म उत्तरतो दक्षिणतश्चोत्तरेण । अधश्चोर्ध्वं च प्रसृतं ब्रह्मैवेदं विश्वमिदं वरिष्ठम् ॥ २ ॥
Brahman is the immortal, before us and behind us, to the south and to the north, below and above, extended everywhere. Brahman alone is this whole world, the Highest.
- Rig Veda 10.90.3
नान्यः पन्था विद्यतेऽयनाय ।
There is no other way than this.
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