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Ashtavakra
Gita
If we tell
you this is a famous Sanskrit scripture, you'll probably
think ugh, heavy turgid stilted.
But it's
none of those things. It's just a guy talking to you,
an enlightened guy, telling you what he knows and how
to see it for yourself. His words are weightless, airy,
transparent -- especially in the remarkable translation
by Thomas Byrom.
These are
words for eye dancing, for mere awareness, for floating
into infinity.
And yet
we have to be honest with you. Even though this poem
sounds as new as today's email, it really is
a classical scripture, infinitely substantial, one of
the most beautiful expositions of Advaita Vedanta and
Jnana Yoga ever written.
Ashtavakra
Gita means "Ashtavakra's Song" in Sanskrit.
It's also sometimes called Ashtavakra Samhita,
meaning "Ashtavakra's Collection." Ashtavakra
was a character in ancient Sanskrit literature, and
when the relatively modern author of the Ashtavakra
Gita wrote his poem, he pretended that he was recording
words spoken by the ancient character. Hence the title.
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OUR TRANSLATION ON THIS SITE
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The Ashtavakra Gita
Translated by John Richards
This
is the second edition of Mr. Richard's translation.
It's on our website
here.
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The Heart of Awareness:
A Translation of the Ashtavakra Gita
Translated by Thomas Byrom
An
amazing translation, light as a feather. Let your
eyes skim over it with awareness, without thoughts,
and you'll dissolve into the infinite. The book
includes a wonderful introduction by the translator.
On
the web for free here.
Order
it from Amazon.
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Wisdom,
Liberation, and Non-attachment
By
Osho
In this
chapter from one of Osho's books, he talks about the
Ashtavakra Gita. He begins: "Man has many
scriptures, but none are comparable to the Gita of Ashtavakra.
Before it the Vedas pale, the Upanishads are a mere
whisper. Even the Bhagavadgita does not have
the majesty found in the Ashtavakra Samhita --
it is simply unparalleled." It's on the web here
on the website of the Osho International Foundation.
Introduction to The Heart of Awareness
by Thomas Byrom
Thomas Byrom's
translation, recommended above, includes an excellent
short introduction. It's
on the web here.
This
page was published on January 20, 2000 and last revised
on May 8, 2000.
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