aṣṭāvakra gītā is a 20-chapter dialogue of uncompromising advaita, where aṣṭāvakra's terse instructions and janaka's responses repeatedly circle one liberation: you are the awareness that knows experience, not the body-mind that is experienced. The text is famous for its directness - it often speaks from the standpoint of freedom and then asks you to notice, again and again, how bondage is only the habit of identification.
In the previous chapters, the foundation and the first recognition are laid. Chapter 1 begins with janaka's questions about jñāna, mukti, and vairāgya, and aṣṭāvakra responds by pairing ethical steadiness with direct inquiry into the witness (sākṣī). Chapter 2 then becomes janaka's "afterglow" chapter: he declares the non-dual vision through metaphors (wave-water, pot-clay, rope-snake) and loosens ownership and fear by seeing the world as appearance in awareness rather than a second reality.
Seen as a whole, Chapter 3 is a diagnostic chapter meant to convert insight into character. It asks, repeatedly, why the mind still runs as if poor after knowing the imperishable Self; it points to projection and superimposition as the hidden engine of craving; and it insists that freedom includes vāsanā-weakening, not merely philosophical agreement.
aṣṭāvakra uvācha ॥
avināśinamātmānamēkaṃ vijñāya tattvataḥ ।
tavātmajñānasya dhīrasya kathamarthārjanē ratiḥ ॥ 3-1॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Ashtavakra said: If you have truly known the one, imperishable Self, how can a steady, Self-knowing person still delight in acquiring wealth?
ātmājñānādahō prītirviṣayabhramagōcharē ।
śuktērajñānatō lōbhō yathā rajatavibhramē ॥ 3-2॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Ah! From ignorance of the Self arises attachment to the world of sense-objects and their illusions - just as greed arises from not knowing nacre and mistaking it for silver.
viśvaṃ sphurati yatrēdaṃ taraṅgā iva sāgarē ।
sō'hamasmīti vijñāya kiṃ dīna iva dhāvasi ॥ 3-3॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
In you the world appears like waves in the ocean. Knowing "I am That", why do you still run about as if you were helpless and poor?
śrutvāpi śuddhachaitanya ātmānamatisundaram ।
upasthē'tyantasaṃsaktō mālinyamadhigachChati ॥ 3-4॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Even after hearing that the Self is pure consciousness and supremely beautiful, one who becomes intensely attached to lust falls into impurity.
sarvabhūtēṣu chātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni chātmani ।
munērjānata āścharyaṃ mamatvamanuvartatē ॥ 3-5॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Even for one who knows the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, it is strange that possessiveness - the sense of "mine" - can still continue.
āsthitaḥ paramādvaitaṃ mōkṣārthē'pi vyavasthitaḥ ।
āścharyaṃ kāmavaśagō vikalaḥ kēliśikṣayā ॥ 3-6॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Even one established in the highest non-duality and committed to liberation - it is strange if such a person is still overpowered by desire and weakened by habitual pleasure-seeking.
udbhūtaṃ jñānadurmitramavadhāryātidurbalaḥ ।
āścharyaṃ kāmamākāṅkṣēt kālamantamanuśritaḥ ॥ 3-7॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Having understood that desire is the enemy of knowledge, it is strange that even one who is extremely weak and near the end of life would still long for desire.
ihāmutra viraktasya nityānityavivēkinaḥ ।
āścharyaṃ mōkṣakāmasya mōkṣād ēva vibhīṣikā ॥ 3-8॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
For one who is dispassionate here and hereafter, and who discerns the eternal from the non-eternal, it is strange if the very one who seeks liberation still feels fear of liberation.
dhīrastu bhōjyamānō'pi pīḍyamānō'pi sarvadā ।
ātmānaṃ kēvalaṃ paśyan na tuṣyati na kupyati ॥ 3-9॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
The wise person, whether treated well or badly, always sees only the Self. Such a person is neither inflated with pleasure nor provoked into anger.
chēṣṭamānaṃ śarīraṃ svaṃ paśyatyanyaśarīravat ।
saṃstavē chāpi nindāyāṃ kathaṃ kṣubhyēt mahāśayaḥ ॥ 3-10॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Seeing one's own body acting as if it were another's body, how could the great-souled person be disturbed by praise or blame?
māyāmātramidaṃ viśvaṃ paśyan vigatakautukaḥ ।
api sannihitē mṛtyau kathaṃ trasyati dhīradhīḥ ॥ 3-11॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Seeing this universe as mere appearance and free of fascination, how could the steady-minded person fear even when death is near?
niḥspṛhaṃ mānasaṃ yasya nairāśyē'pi mahātmanaḥ ।
tasyātmajñānatṛptasya tulanā kēna jāyatē ॥ 3-12॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
For the great-souled one whose mind is free from craving even without hope, and who is satisfied through Self-knowledge, with whom could such a person be compared?
svabhāvād ēva jānānō dṛśyamētanna kiñchana ।
idaṃ grāhyamidaṃ tyājyaṃ sa kiṃ paśyati dhīradhīḥ ॥ 3-13॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Knowing naturally that what is perceived is not ultimate, what does the steady-minded person see as something to grasp or to reject?
antastyaktakaṣāyasya nirdvandvasya nirāśiṣaḥ ।
yadṛchChayāgatō bhōgō na duḥkhāya na tuṣṭayē ॥ 3-14॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
For one who has dropped inner taints, is free from opposites, and has no demands, the enjoyment that comes by chance is neither a cause of sorrow nor a cause of egoic elation.
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