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ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର ଗୀତା ପ୍ରଥମୋଽଧ୍ୟାୟଃ ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର ଗୀତା (also known as ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର ସଂହିତା) is a direct, uncompromising dialogue on ଅଦ୍ଵୈତ (non-duality), traditionally spoken by the sage ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର to King ଜନକ. In 298 verses across 20 compact chapters, it alternates between the teacher's sharp pointers and the student's dawning recognition, undoing the habit of taking the body, thoughts, and roles to be the whole of "me". Unlike many works that build a ladder of practices first and philosophy later, this text often speaks from the "top of the ladder": it points straight to the Self as ever-free awareness and treats bondage as a mistake of identification rather than as a real chain. Tradition also preserves a vivid origin-story for the teacher. ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର literally means "eight bends". It is said that while still in the womb he heard his father, the scholar କହୋଡ, reciting with errors; the unborn child corrected him, and the offended father uttered a curse that the boy would be born with eight physical deformities. Whatever we make of the legend, its teaching point is clear: wisdom is not a product of bodily perfection or social status. Later, as a young sage, ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର walks into ଜନକ's court, defeats ଵଂଦିନ୍ in debate, and wins the release of sages who had been humiliated - including his own father. The story frames the gItA's central message: the Self is not the shape of the body, nor the story of the past, but the luminous awareness that can know limitation without being limited. At the same time, its directness is meant to mature you, not to make you careless. When the book says "you are already free", it does not mean "actions do not matter"; it means your deepest nature (ଆତ୍ମା) is untouched by what comes and goes. In lived practice, this recognition becomes steady when it rests on basic inner ethics and stability: honesty, non-harm, contentment, and the willingness to see your own patterns without excuses. Think of this study as sharpening the mind for one clear recognition, rather than collecting more beliefs. Chapter 1 opens with three practical questions: how does ଜ୍ଞାନ (clear Self-knowledge) arise, what is ମୁକ୍ତି (liberation), and how does ଵୈରାଗ୍ୟ (dispassion) become natural? ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର answers by steering attention away from addictive clinging to ଵିଷୟs (objects the mind treats as "this will complete me") and toward the witness standpoint (ସାକ୍ଷୀ). The chapter repeats a theme you will see throughout: freedom is not postponed; it is accessed "now" by seeing what you are and what you are not. Chapter 1 lays the foundation for the whole work. It begins with ଜନକ's three questions and ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର's two-part reply: (1) loosen compulsion by treating ଵିଷୟ-attachment as poison and cultivating the "nectar" of inner virtues; (2) turn directly to Self-knowledge by recognizing yourself as the witness (ସାକ୍ଷୀ) rather than as elements, roles, or mind-states. The chapter also clears two common detours: identity built from social labels and identity built from special experiences (including clinging to ସମାଧି). It closes with spacious images (mirror and reflections, pot and space), echoing the Upanishadic vision of ଏକମେଵ ଅଦ୍ଵିତୀୟମ୍ and the Advaita method of ଦୃଗ୍-ଦୃଶ୍ୟ discrimination emphasized in ଆଦି ଶଂକରାଚାର୍ୟ's teaching. In the chapters that follow, this seed blossoms: ଜନକ expresses the afterglow of recognition (Chapter 2), ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର tests the remaining knots of desire and fear (Chapter 3), and ଜନକ describes the texture of lived freedom (Chapter 4). ॥ ଶ୍ରୀ ॥ Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): Calling the work ଶ୍ରୀମତ୍ is not decoration; it points to the kind of wealth it offers. The gItA does not promise a new set of achievements; it points to the recognition of the already-present Self. That recognition often feels like dignity returning: a quiet sense that you are not as fragile as your moods, not as small as your fears, and not defined by a single chapter of your life. "Now begins" is also a method: freedom is not postponed to an imagined future; it is approached by returning attention to what is actually present. As a simple practice, pause for a few seconds before each reading session. Let the body settle, soften the jaw and shoulders, and set an intention: "May this study lead to clarity and kindness." If you like, notice one small gratitude and one small responsibility you want to carry more cleanly today. Then read one verse slowly and pick one sentence that challenges you; carry it like a thread through the day. Throughout the day, treat "now" as a reset: when worry spirals, return; when pride rises, return; when regret replays, return. In conversations, use "now" as a cue to listen fully for one breath before you respond. At night, jot down one moment you remembered the witness and one moment you forgot - not for guilt, but to learn your patterns. That repeated returning is a modern way of honoring ଶ୍ରୀ: it makes the text less like information and more like a mirror that gradually changes how you live. ଜନକ ଉଵାଚ ॥ Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): ଜ୍ଞାନ here is not information; it is the recognition of what you are - the steady awareness in which the body, mind, and world are known. ମୁକ୍ତି is not escape; it is the end of compulsion: the sense that you "must" have something, "must" avoid something, or "must" become someone to be okay. ଵୈରାଗ୍ୟ is not coldness; it is maturity - the loosening of attachment when you see clearly what is stable and what is passing. In everyday terms, most suffering comes from seeking security in unstable things: approval, status, comfort, control. ଜନକ is asking for the root solution: what changes the very way the mind relates to life? Practice begins by observing the exact places where bondage feels real. For a few days, keep a small note of where the mind says "I must have this" or "I cannot face that" - whether the trigger is food, attention, money, control, comfort, or being seen a certain way. When a trigger appears, do three things before acting: name the impulse ("craving", "avoidance", "approval-seeking"), feel where it lives in the body, and ask, "Who is aware of this wanting? Who is aware of this fear?" Instead of immediately obeying or suppressing, rest for two breaths as the witness and then choose the next action deliberately: maybe you still act, but with less compulsion. Also experiment with one "small renunciation" a day: delay a habit by five minutes, or let a minor discomfort be present without fixing it. Bring the same inquiry into responsibilities: can you speak, decide, and care without collapsing into a tight self-image? This makes the teaching lived and prepares the mind for the clarity that follows. ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର ଉଵାଚ ॥ Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): You can see the difference in ordinary patterns. Many habits promise relief but quietly increase agitation: scrolling for hours, overeating to numb stress, overworking for validation, chasing romance to avoid loneliness, or needing to win every argument. The mind calls these "small joys", but they often leave a residue of fatigue or emptiness. The virtues, on the other hand, can feel simple and unglamorous, yet they create deep inner safety. They also prepare the mind for non-dual insight: when the mind is less reactive and less dishonest with itself, it can actually hear teachings about the witness without turning them into ego. This is why the tradition treats ethics and clarity as part of the doorway, not as optional decoration. Practice can be very concrete. Pick one "poison" pattern and one "nectar" virtue for a week, and make it observable. For example: notice the impulse to check the phone (a ଵିଷୟ pull) and delay it by two minutes while breathing; use that pause to practice ତୋଷ by letting "this moment is enough" be true. Or notice anger rising in a conversation, feel the heat in the body, and choose କ୍ଷମା (forbearance) by waiting one breath before speaking; often the sentence becomes cleaner. If you struggle with self-deception, practice ଆର୍ଜଵ by naming the real motive in a journal: "I wanted praise", "I wanted to avoid discomfort." Pair it with one act of ଦୟା: speak to yourself as you would to a friend, and do one small kindness without credit. Keep the experiment small and honest; begin again without shame. As you read, treat the verses as mirrors: when a line triggers resistance, ask what identity is being threatened and what "nectar" would look like in that moment. These are not moral badges; they are practical technologies that make the mind quiet enough for freedom to be recognized. ନ ପୃଥ୍ଵୀ ନ ଜଲଂ ନାଗ୍ନିର୍ନ ଵାୟୁର୍ଦ୍ୟୌର୍ନ ଵା ଭଵାନ୍ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): This is where we usually get confused: we mix up "what I experience" with "what I am". Pain arises and we say "I am in pain" - true as a report, but it quietly turns the Self into the body. Fear arises and we say "I am afraid" - and the witness disappears into the wave. This verse trains a different stance: body and mind are seen as objects in awareness. That does not make you insensitive or detached from life; it makes you less trapped. You can still care fully, but you do not have to drown in each passing inner weather system. Try a simple inquiry when something intense happens: "This is being known. What is the knower?" Notice that awareness is already present before you answer. Then add one more step: check whether that awareness is itself tense, hurt, or threatened - or whether the tension is an object in it. If the mind keeps insisting "I am the body," bring it back to direct evidence: the body is sensed, but the sensing is not a body. Do this in small moments too, not only crises: while brushing teeth, while walking, while reading, notice "this is known" and rest as the knower for two breaths. In a difficult conversation, let the question be a pause: feel the urge to react, remember the witness, and speak from that wider space. This recognition is not a theory; it is immediate and repeatable. Over time, it becomes a stable refuge: work can change, relationships can stretch, the body can age, moods can rise and fall - yet the ସାକ୍ଷୀ remains the same steady background in which life appears. ୟଦି ଦେହଂ ପୃଥକ୍ କୃତ୍ୟ ଚିତି ଵିଶ୍ରାମ୍ୟ ତିଷ୍ଠସି । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): In practical terms, this is the difference between being consumed by an emotion and knowing an emotion. Stress rises before a meeting; if identity is merged with it, the whole world feels threatening and you may overcompensate or shut down. If you can rest as the knower, the stress becomes a passing wave in awareness. You still prepare, speak, and act - but the inner panic loses its authority. This is not dissociation or indifference; it is clarity. You remain connected to life, but you are less hypnotized by the mind's drama. A simple exercise: several times a day, pause for ten seconds and notice three things - a sensation in the body, a thought in the mind, and the fact that both are being known. Then place attention on the knowing itself for two breaths, without trying to change anything. If the mind argues, let it argue as an object; keep returning to the knower. Use ordinary triggers as reminders: before opening the phone, before replying in a tense conversation, while waiting at a signal, or right after a meeting ends. You can also add one question: "If this sensation changes, do I disappear?" and notice the quiet presence that remains. This "micro-rest" builds the habit of ଚିତି ଵିଶ୍ରାମ୍ୟ. Over time, the promise "adhunA Eva" becomes believable because you taste it directly, even in the middle of an ordinary day, and you learn to act from that steadiness rather than from impulse. ନ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵିପ୍ରାଦିକୋ ଵର୍ଣୋ ନାଶ୍ରମୀ ନାକ୍ଷଗୋଚରଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): If you look closely, most anxiety is an identity problem. Our identities may be career, community, relationship status, achievements, or trauma stories. These can be useful in society, but bondage begins when we treat them as "what I am". Then any threat to the label feels like a threat to existence itself, and we either become defensive or numb. This verse invites a deeper dignity: you can play roles without being imprisoned by them. It also echoes the Advaitic refrain: ମନୋ ବୁଧ୍ୟହଂକାର ଚିତ୍ତାନି ନାହଂ - I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory; I am the awareness in which they appear. Practice by noticing when the mind says "I am the kind of person who..." and then gently add, "as a role, yes; as the Self, no." Notice the body response when an identity is challenged: tightening, defensiveness, the urge to argue. Use that as a cue to ask, "Who is aware of this identity claim?" and rest as that awareness for two breaths. Then choose one action that would be easier if you were not protecting an image: admit a mistake, ask a question, let someone else shine, or change your mind without drama. You can also practice "role-lightness": for one day, intentionally do one familiar role (worker, parent, friend) with less performance - do the duty, but drop the inner narration. Over time, this loosens defensiveness and increases authenticity. You become more available to learn, apologize, change, and love because your worth is no longer chained to a fixed self-image. That is the lived meaning of ସୁଖୀ ଭଵ: ease that comes from Self-knowledge, not from constantly defending a label. ଧର୍ମାଧର୍ମୌ ସୁଖଂ ଦୁଃଖଂ ମାନସାନି ନ ତେ ଵିଭୋ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): This is where ନ କର୍ତା and ନ ଭୋକ୍ତା become liberating. The doer-enjoyer identity is the ego's attempt to own everything: credit for success, blame for failure, control over the unpredictable. In real life, the suffering pattern sounds like: "I did something wrong, therefore I am wrong," or "I feel anxious, therefore I am unsafe," or "I am not getting what I deserve." This verse breaks that collapse. The ଭଗଵଦ୍ ଗୀତା expresses the same correction by showing action as moving through the ଗୁଣs while the ego claims "I am the doer" (see 3.27), and by recommending the steadiness of ନୈଵ କିଂଚିତ୍କରୋମି (see 5.8-9) - the clear sense that the Self is not personally "manufacturing" the movement of life. Actions have consequences and must be handled; relationships still need repair; duties still matter. But the Self is not reduced to a doer-ego. Emotions provide information, but they are not the final truth of what you are. As practice, bring this stance into difficult moments in a structured way. If guilt arises, acknowledge it without self-hatred: name what happened, make the repair you can, and then rest as the witness that is larger than the episode. If praise arises, enjoy it without addiction and without building a fragile self-image out of it; notice how quickly the mind wants to store it as "proof." When plans fail, ask, "What is required now?" instead of "What does this say about me?" You can also practice with small daily actions: do one task with full care and then let the result be what it is; notice the urge to take credit or blame, and return to ନ କର୍ତା as the inner stance. In relationships, try one breath of witness before you defend yourself; often the response becomes more truthful and less reactive. Over time, this becomes ନ କର୍ତା ନ ଭୋକ୍ତା as lived wisdom: responsible action without inner bondage. The outer life continues, but the inner weight reduces, and emotions become information rather than identity. ଏକୋ ଦ୍ରଷ୍ଟାସି ସର୍ଵସ୍ୟ ମୁକ୍ତପ୍ରାୟୋଽସି ସର୍ଵଦା । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): The Upanishadic tradition points to the same insight with statements like ଏକମେଵ ଅଦ୍ଵିତୀୟମ୍ ("one without a second") and ସର୍ଵଂ ଖଲ୍ଵିଦଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ("all this is Brahman"). These are not meant to flatten human life into sameness; they are meant to dissolve the deep sense of existential separation that fuels fear and craving. In daily life, that separation shows up as chronic comparison and defensiveness. If "I" is a separate fragile unit, then other people become threats or tools: threats to my status, tools for my comfort. This creates stress even when things go well. When the seer is recognized as not-separate, relationships soften because you no longer need to protect a brittle identity. Practice by noticing the moment of inner division: "I am here, peace is there," or "I am here, truth is there." Then reverse the direction: the very knowing of "there" is here. Instead of searching for awareness as a special experience, rest as the simple fact that you are knowing this moment right now. To make it practical, use a short cue: whenever you feel you are "trying to be spiritual", pause and ask, "Who is aware of this trying?" and relax into that. In conversations, try a gentle version of the same practice: listen from the sense of being awareness, not from the urge to defend an image; notice the impulse to prepare your reply and let it soften for one breath. You will still speak clearly, but the inner hostility reduces. Repeat this in small doses many times a day - it is a re-training of perception. Returning to this repeatedly is what turns ମୁକ୍ତ-ପ୍ରାୟ ("nearly free") into stable freedom. ଅହଂ କର୍ତେତ୍ୟହଂମାନମହାକୃଷ୍ଣାହିଦଂଶିତଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): This teaching becomes very practical wherever control and perfectionism dominate. When you believe "everything depends on me", you live in chronic overdrive; when you believe "I must be seen as competent", you become defensive and tight; when you believe "my worth depends on results", you oscillate between pride and shame. The result is not excellence but exhaustion and resentment. Dropping doership is like dropping a backpack you forgot you were carrying. You can still work hard, care for your family, and keep high standards, but the inner strain reduces because you stop demanding that the world validate your identity. You learn to relate to action as responsibility, not as self-definition. As practice, before starting a task, pause and set a clean intention: "I will do what is appropriate; results are not fully mine." Make it concrete by naming what is in your control (effort, honesty, preparation) and what is not (other people's reactions, timing, chance). If you relate to devotion, add, "May this be an offering" (ଅର୍ପିତମ୍), which softens the ego's grip and turns work into service. During the task, watch the "doer bite": the urge to prove yourself or to panic; when it arises, return to the witness for one breath and continue. After the task, review honestly: learn one thing, correct one thing, and then release. Do not keep sipping the poison of replay and rumination, especially after criticism or failure; treat feedback as information, not identity. You can rehearse this in small tasks - cooking, writing a message, cleaning - so the habit becomes natural under pressure. This is the spirit of ନାହଂ କର୍ତା: wholehearted effort without inner captivity. Over time, you taste the "amRuta": the quiet joy of acting cleanly, without the extra weight of self-image. ଏକୋ ଵିଶୁଦ୍ଧବୋଧୋଽହମିତି ନିଶ୍ଚୟଵହ୍ନିନା । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): If you watch closely, much sorrow is not caused by events alone, but by the identity-story wrapped around events: "I am unlovable", "I must prove myself", "I will lose everything", "I am behind." These narratives feel personal because we confuse the witness with the narrative. The ଭଗଵଦ୍ ଗୀତା uses the same image of purification: ଜ୍ଞାନାଗ୍ନି (the fire of knowledge) burns confusion, leaving the mind clearer and less reactive (see 4.37). When you repeatedly return to the fact of awareness, the story loses some of its hypnotic power. You can still address problems, but the emotional drama is less consuming, and choices become cleaner. Practice with repetition and patience. In quiet time, contemplate the sentence ଵିଶୁଦ୍ଧବୋଧୋଽହମ୍ and check it against immediate experience: awareness is present before every thought, during every thought, and after every thought. To make it experiential, do a short cycle: notice a thought arise, pause, and notice the awareness that knows it; then notice the gap between thoughts and see that awareness remains. During the day, when agitation arises, return to that recognition for a few breaths and let the body soften a little; this helps the mind stop re-tightening around its story. If the mind is very busy, use a simple anchor: feel the breath for ten seconds and remember "I am the knower of this." Over weeks and months, the "forest" thins: grief may still arise, but it no longer becomes a permanent home. You recover faster because you have a deeper place to stand, and you also learn to respond wisely - practical action at the level of life, without the extra self-attack that feeds ଶୋକ. ୟତ୍ର ଵିଶ୍ଵମିଦଂ ଭାତି କଲ୍ପିତଂ ରଜ୍ଜୁସର୍ପଵତ୍ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): This shows up everywhere. A delayed message becomes "they do not care"; a small criticism becomes "I am a failure"; a mistake becomes "my life is ruined"; a bodily symptom becomes a catastrophe story. The raw facts are usually simpler than the mind's interpretation. When awareness is steady, you see the story as story: useful sometimes, but not final. That is the beginning of ଆନଂଦ: not a constant pleasure, but the relief of not being hypnotized by the mind's projections. ପରମ-ଆନଂଦ points to a deeper ease - the quiet fullness of being awareness itself, which does not rise and fall with each storyline. Practice by separating facts from interpretations in a disciplined way. When something triggers you, write down the bare event in one short sentence, then write the added story in another sentence, then name the emotion the story produces. Next ask, "Is the story a fact, or an interpretation?" and check for evidence. Finally ask, "What is aware of all this?" and rest as that awareness for a few breaths. If you want a simple daily drill, choose one recurring trigger (messages, criticism, health worries) and do this each time; you will start seeing the "snake" pattern early, before it becomes panic. In conversations, practice the same skill silently: hear the words (fact), notice the meaning you add (story), and return to the witness before you respond. Over time, projections lose their authority, and you notice more often that awareness is already unburdened. That is how the teaching moves from being a clever metaphor to becoming lived freedom and a steadier ଆନଂଦ. ମୁକ୍ତାଭିମାନୀ ମୁକ୍ତୋ ହି ବଦ୍ଧୋ ବଦ୍ଧାଭିମାନ୍ୟପି । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): You can observe this even at the ordinary psychological level: two people face the same feedback, the same uncertainty, or the same delay. One collapses because the inner story is "I am not enough"; another learns because the inner stance is "I can meet this." The ଭଗଵଦ୍ ଗୀତା captures this in its teaching that the mind can be either friend or enemy depending on how it is trained (see 6.5-6). ଅଷ୍ଟାଵକ୍ର takes it deeper: the most liberating identity is not a stronger ego, but the recognition of the witness behind all ego-stories. When the witness is remembered, even a difficult mood is not taken as a final verdict. Practice by catching the sentence that runs your life. It may be "I am behind", "I am broken", "I must control", "I will be rejected", "I am not safe." Each time it appears, pause and test it: is this a fact, or a ମତି habit that has become automatic? Separate the raw situation from the identity conclusion, and notice how quickly the body contracts when the conclusion is believed. Then return to the simplest truth you can verify: awareness is present, and the sentence is appearing in it. If helpful, replace the old sentence with a truer one that does not inflate ego but restores sanity: "This is a moment of challenge; I can respond." From that steadier place, choose one small response that is clean and realistic - make the call, set the boundary, apologize, rest - and then stop repeating the identity story. Do this repeatedly for a week with the same sentence and you will see its power weaken. Over time, the inner direction (ଗତି) changes because identification changes, and life begins to feel less like struggle and more like clarity in action. ଆତ୍ମା ସାକ୍ଷୀ ଵିଭୁଃ ପୂର୍ଣ ଏକୋ ମୁକ୍ତଶ୍ଚିଦକ୍ରିୟଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): This is relatable: a movie can make you cry even though you know it is a screen. The screen is not harmed, yet the experience is vivid. Similarly, mind-stories can make you suffer even though you are awareness. The verse says samsara is "as if" (ଇଵ) - it appears, it functions, it can feel intense, but it is not the final truth of the Self. That "as if" is not denial of pain; it is a pointer to its source. When identification shifts, many old fears lose their grip because the witness is no longer mistaken for the character. This echoes the Advaitic emphasis that bondage is a cognitive error, not an ontological fact. In practice, repeatedly distinguish awareness from mental movement, without turning it into struggle. When craving arises, note, "craving is present in the mind." When peace arises, note, "peace is present in the mind." When judgment arises, note, "judgment is present in the mind." Then ask, "What knows both the storm and the calm?" and rest for a few breaths as that knowing. If it helps, locate the "as if" character: the felt sense of "me" that is anxious or proud, and notice it too is known. You do not have to force the mind to be pure; you simply stop treating its temporary states as your identity. Bring this into ordinary moments: while reading news, while driving, while feeling envy, while receiving praise. Each time you remember the witness, the story loses a little of its grip, and ଭ୍ରମ becomes easier to see as a misreading rather than a life sentence. Over time, the "as if" quality of bondage becomes more obvious, and you begin to live with a lighter, clearer heart - engaged, but less internally entangled. କୂଟସ୍ଥଂ ବୋଧମଦ୍ଵୈତମାତ୍ମାନଂ ପରିଭାଵୟ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): Modern life multiplies ଆଭାସ: online profiles, curated images, performance identities, the constant pressure to be "a certain kind of person". Even inwardly, we identify with mental weather: "I am my anxiety", "I am my depression", "I am my motivation." This verse says: do not cling to outer things (ବାହ୍ୟ) and do not cling to inner things (ଆଂତର) either. Both are objects in awareness. Freedom is not a better inner movie; it is waking up from the need for a movie to define you. This is why Advaita repeatedly emphasizes ଦୃଗ୍-ଦୃଶ୍ୟ discrimination: the seen can never be the seer. Practice by making contemplation concrete and repeatable. Sit quietly and notice an outer perception (a sound), an inner perception (a thought), and the awareness that knows both. Then rest for a few breaths in the sense of unchanging knowing, without trying to hold any special state. When the mind says, "I got it!" or "I lost it!", notice that too as ବାହ୍ୟମଥାଂତରମ୍ - another object appearing in awareness. Bring this into daily life: while scrolling, notice the outer images; while worrying, notice the inner movie; in both cases, return to the same knower. A helpful cue is to ask, "Is this outer or inner?" and then, "What knows it?" You do not have to fight experiences; you simply stop giving them the job of defining you. With patient repetition, the witness becomes clearer, and the need to clutch experiences softens. You begin to trust the କୂଟସ୍ଥ more than the passing waves, and even busy life becomes a place for steady contemplation. ଦେହାଭିମାନପାଶେନ ଚିରଂ ବଦ୍ଧୋଽସି ପୁତ୍ରକ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): This matters in modern contexts of insecurity and comparison. Many people live under a constant background pressure to optimize the body, career, or personality, and then feel anxious even when things go well. Even spiritual effort can become another body-identity project: "I should be calmer, I should be enlightened, I should not feel this." This verse points to a different freedom: you can care for the body without worshipping it as "me". When the witness is remembered, health and appearance become practical concerns, not existential anchors. Practice by distinguishing care from identification. Eat well and rest, but notice the silent claim, "If I lose this, I lose me." When that claim appears, feel the anxiety it produces, and bring in the sword: ବୋଧୋଽହମ୍ - not as a mantra to escape, but as a reminder to stand as the witness while you take the right human steps. You can make this practical by doing a brief body-scan once a day: notice sensations without turning them into a story of "me." If a symptom is real, respond wisely - go to the doctor, adjust habits - but do not add identity panic on top. In social moments, notice comparison (looks, age, performance) and return to the witness for one breath before reacting. Over time, the noose loosens because you stop feeding it with constant "me"-thinking. The body becomes what it always was: a living instrument in awareness, cared for with respect, but not worshipped as the Self. ନିଃସଂଗୋ ନିଷ୍କ୍ରିୟୋଽସି ତ୍ଵଂ ସ୍ଵପ୍ରକାଶୋ ନିରଂଜନଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): Many sincere practitioners know this pattern: meditation becomes a performance review. If the sit is calm, you feel "spiritual"; if it is restless, you feel like a failure. That swing between pride and disappointment is just ego in a subtler costume. In the language of the ୟୋଗ ସୂତ୍ରs, this is the need for ଵୈରାଗ୍ୟ: you do not only let go of gross pleasures, you also let go of attachment to inner experiences (see 1.12 and the discussion around non-clinging). The verse reminds you: you are not the state; you are the awareness in which states arise. When that is remembered, even a restless meditation can become honest and freeing, because it reveals what the mind is doing without making it personal. A practical way to apply this is to meditate without bargaining. Sit, allow the mind to do what it does, and keep returning to awareness without judging the session. When restlessness appears, note it as an object; when calm appears, note it as an object; in both cases, keep returning to the knower. Let ସମାଧି be an effect, not a trophy. If you notice subtle greed ("I want that bliss again"), treat it like any other ଵିଷୟ: observe it, do not obey it. In daily life, treat moments of clarity the same way: appreciate them, but do not cling; when clarity fades, do not panic or self-criticize. A simple support is to keep a small journal of "effort, not result": note whether you returned to the witness, not whether you had a "good sit." Over time, this trains ଵୈରାଗ୍ୟ toward inner states and the mind learns that freedom does not depend on a particular experience. That repeated returning is more valuable than chasing peak states. ତ୍ଵୟା ଵ୍ୟାପ୍ତମିଦଂ ଵିଶ୍ଵଂ ତ୍ଵୟି ପ୍ରୋତଂ ୟଥାର୍ଥତଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): Small-mindedness (କ୍ଷୁଦ୍ରଚିତ୍ତତା) is the habit of shrinking life to personal drama: "What about me? How am I seen? What did I lose? What if I fail?" When that contraction happens, the mind becomes anxious and reactive, and even small events feel like existential threats. This verse is a corrective: expand to the larger view. Your essential nature is already wider than the situation. The Upanishadic vision says the same in different words: the one reality is not far away; it is the very being of all that appears. When you forget that, you feel isolated; when you remember it, life feels less like a fight to protect a tiny self. As practice, notice contraction in the body: tight chest, rushed breathing, obsessive thought, the urge to "fix it now." Then remember, "experience is appearing in awareness." Take two slow breaths while letting attention widen to include the whole field: sounds, sensations, thoughts, and the knowing of them. If the mind is frantic, widen by naming three sounds and three sensations; this grounds the witness. Then ask, "What is the next clean step?" and do only that step. This does not solve practical problems instantly, but it prevents the extra suffering created by mental constriction (କ୍ଷୁଦ୍ରଚିତ୍ତତା). You can use this in everyday triggers: before a difficult call, after reading news, when someone criticizes you. Each time you widen, you act from a larger inner space; decisions become clearer and kinder because you are no longer trying to solve life from a cramped, defensive identity. ନିରପେକ୍ଷୋ ନିର୍ଵିକାରୋ ନିର୍ଭରଃ ଶୀତଲାଶୟଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): If you compare this to the ଭଗଵଦ୍ ଗୀତା's description of a steady person (ସ୍ଥିତ-ପ୍ରଜ୍ଞ, 2.55-57), the family resemblance is clear: calm amid change, less hunger for sense-fixation, more inner steadiness. In ordinary experience, much suffering is reactivity: instant agitation when plans change, when someone disagrees, when uncertainty appears. Deep understanding (ଅଗାଧବୁଦ୍ଧି) means you see the pattern of reactivity and stop feeding it. You still feel what you feel, but you do not build an identity out of it, and you do not let a single mood dictate your whole day. Practice by cultivating one daily "coolness" habit and making it specific. When triggered, respond later instead of immediately; take three slow breaths before replying; walk for five minutes without the phone; eat one meal without distraction; end the day with two minutes of quiet sitting. Add one reflection: after the trigger passes, ask, "What did craving or resistance want me to do?" and notice how the pause changed the outcome. You can also train "independence" (ନିରପେକ୍ଷତା) in small ways: let a minor inconvenience remain without complaining, or let someone disagree without proving yourself. These acts are not suppression; they are re-training the nervous system to not be ruled by heat. Over time, the mind's ଵାସନା (tendency) shifts: less chasing, less resisting, more resting in awareness (ଚିନ୍ମାତ୍ର). The aim is not to become flat; it is to become steady enough that kindness and clarity are available even when life is noisy. ସାକାରମନୃତଂ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ନିରାକାରଂ ତୁ ନିଶ୍ଚଲମ୍ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): Rebirth (ପୁନର୍ଭଵ) can be understood traditionally as the continuation of the binding cycle, and it can also be understood psychologically: we keep "becoming again" as the same patterns. The same anger, the same craving, the same self-story repeats, as if life keeps handing us the same lesson until we actually learn it. The teaching says the root of repetition is mis-identification: treating the changing as "me" and "mine". When that is corrected, the compulsion to repeat reduces. You may still meet challenges, but you meet them with more freedom rather than re-enacting the same inner script. As practice, notice what you treat as absolute: a role, an opinion, a possession, even an emotion. Then ask, is this ସାକାର (form) changing? If yes, it cannot be the final ground. Return attention to the formless knowing that is present regardless, and let the body relax a little as you do so. Make it practical by choosing one "absolute" that runs you (being right, being liked, being secure) and watch it in real time for a day. Each time it activates, remind yourself, "This is a form; it will change," and take one breath as the witness. In ordinary life, this looks like not making one email, one argument, one compliment, or one failure into your identity; you handle the event, but you do not let it define you. Over time, the mind stops demanding permanence from form, and that repeated return is how ତତ୍ତ୍ଵୋପଦେଶ becomes lived freedom: you stop asking form to give you what only the formless can give. ୟଥୈଵାଦର୍ଶମଧ୍ୟସ୍ଥେ ରୂପେଽଂତଃ ପରିତସ୍ତୁ ସଃ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): In ordinary life, we often take our inner world personally: "my thoughts, my feelings, my problems." This creates a sense of isolation, as if you are trapped inside your private mind. When you see the mirror-like nature of awareness, the inner drama becomes less claustrophobic. You begin to experience thoughts as events, not as verdicts about existence. This is also why the Upanishads speak of the Self as both within and without: not because it travels, but because it is never actually confined. Practice by using the mirror image during meditation: let experiences arise as reflections, and keep returning to the "mirror" - the steady knowing. When a thought appears, label it "reflection"; when a sensation appears, label it "reflection"; then return to the mirror. In activity, when emotions surge, remember: the mirror is still here, even if the reflection is messy. Use that remembrance as a pause before you speak or act; often one breath is enough to choose tone, timing, and truth more wisely. You can also practice "widening the mirror": instead of shrinking into one thought, include sounds, body sensations, and the space of knowing all at once. This is especially helpful when anxiety narrows attention. Over time, life becomes less like being chased by reflections and more like resting as the mirror, with more patience for yourself and others because you are less hypnotized by each passing image. ଏକଂ ସର୍ଵଗତଂ ଵ୍ୟୋମ ବହିରଂତର୍ୟଥା ଘଟେ । Meaning (ପଦାର୍ଥ): Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ): Commentary (ଅନୁସଂଧାନ): In real life, much suffering comes from imagined separation: loneliness, rivalry, the fear of being unseen, the urge to prove "I matter." This teaching does not erase individuality at the functional level - people still have different bodies, histories, and responsibilities - but it dissolves existential isolation. When you sense the same awareness in yourself and others, empathy becomes easier and conflict becomes less absolute. Even disagreement can feel less violent, because you are not defending a tiny self against another tiny self; you are meeting life from a larger ground. As a practice, in ordinary interactions, pause and remember: the same field of awareness is present here. Let that remembrance soften your tone and your urgency to "win." If you feel triggered, take one breath as the witness and then speak; this small pause often prevents harshness. Try one concrete experiment for a week: in one conversation a day, prioritize understanding over being right. Listen fully, reflect back what you heard, and notice how the ego relaxes when it is not defending separation. In conflict, remember the pot-space image: bodies and viewpoints differ, but awareness is not actually divided; use that to reduce personalization and to choose cleaner boundaries. It does not make you passive; it makes you less reactive and more truthful. Over time, this becomes lived non-duality: differences remain, but the inner sense of separation softens, and relationships become more compassionate without losing clarity. That softness is not weakness; it is a form of freedom.
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