ਅਸ਼੍ਟਾਵਕ੍ਰ ਗੀਤਾ is a 20-chapter dialogue of direct ਅਦ੍ਵੈਤ that keeps cutting through the same illusion: taking the body-mind to be the Self. It does not try to decorate life with new beliefs; it tries to remove the deeper misunderstanding that makes life feel like a constant struggle for security.
So far the dialogue has moved through a clear arc. Chapter 1 answers ਜਨਕ's questions about ਜ੍ਞਾਨ, ਮੁਕ੍ਤਿ, and ਵੈਰਾਗ੍ਯ by warning against compulsive attachment to ਵਿਸ਼ਯs while pointing to the witness. Chapters 2-4 express recognition and then mature it into lived freedom.
Seen as a whole, Chapter 10 is a chapter of "enough." It repeats a single medicine: recognize what has never truly satisfied, stop fueling it, and let the mind rest. ਤ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਣਾ (craving-thirst) is named as the essence of bondage, and the chapter says that rest comes not by rearranging the world again, but by ending the compulsion that keeps you rearranging.
ਅਸ਼੍ਟਾਵਕ੍ਰ ਉਵਾਚ ॥
ਵਿਹਾਯ ਵੈਰਿਣਂ ਕਾਮਮਰ੍ਥਂ ਚਾਨਰ੍ਥਸਂਕੁਲਮ੍ ।
ਧਰ੍ਮਮਪ੍ਯੇਤਯੋਰ੍ਹੇਤੁਂ ਸਰ੍ਵਤ੍ਰਾਨਾਦਰਂ ਕੁਰੁ ॥ 10-1॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Ashtavakra said: Abandon craving, the enemy, and abandon wealth that is entangled with harm. Even ਧਰ੍ਮ, when treated as a means for craving and wealth, do not treat as your ultimate. Practice non-importance toward these everywhere.
ਸ੍ਵਪ੍ਨੇਂਦ੍ਰਜਾਲਵਤ੍ ਪਸ਼੍ਯ ਦਿਨਾਨਿ ਤ੍ਰੀਣਿ ਪਂਚ ਵਾ ।
ਮਿਤ੍ਰਕ੍ਸ਼ੇਤ੍ਰਧਨਾਗਾਰਦਾਰਦਾਯਾਦਿਸਂਪਦਃ ॥ 10-2॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
See possessions and supports as dreamlike or like a magic show - lasting only a few days (three, five, or so). Friends, land, wealth, houses, spouses, heirs, and related prosperities are not lasting refuges.
ਯਤ੍ਰ ਯਤ੍ਰ ਭਵੇਤ੍ਤ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਣਾ ਸਂਸਾਰਂ ਵਿਦ੍ਧਿ ਤਤ੍ਰ ਵੈ ।
ਪ੍ਰੌਢਵੈਰਾਗ੍ਯਮਾਸ਼੍ਰਿਤ੍ਯ ਵੀਤਤ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਣਃ ਸੁਖੀ ਭਵ ॥ 10-3॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Wherever craving arises, know that bondage is there. Taking refuge in mature dispassion, be free of craving and be at ease.
ਤ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਣਾਮਾਤ੍ਰਾਤ੍ਮਕੋ ਬਂਧਸ੍ਤਨ੍ਨਾਸ਼ੋ ਮੋਕ੍ਸ਼ ਉਚ੍ਯਤੇ ।
ਭਵਾਸਂਸਕ੍ਤਿਮਾਤ੍ਰੇਣ ਪ੍ਰਾਪ੍ਤਿਤੁਸ਼੍ਟਿਰ੍ਮੁਹੁਰ੍ਮੁਹੁਃ ॥ 10-4॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Bondage is nothing but craving; the ending of that craving is called liberation. Merely by non-attachment to worldly becoming, contentment with what comes arises again and again.
ਤ੍ਵਮੇਕਸ਼੍ਚੇਤਨਃ ਸ਼ੁਦ੍ਧੋ ਜਡਂ ਵਿਸ਼੍ਵਮਸਤ੍ਤਥਾ ।
ਅਵਿਦ੍ਯਾਪਿ ਨ ਕਿਂਚਿਤ੍ਸਾ ਕਾ ਬੁਭੁਤ੍ਸਾ ਤਥਾਪਿ ਤੇ ॥ 10-5॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
You alone are pure consciousness; the world is inert and has no independent reality. Even ignorance is nothing - then what is there to know? Yet even so, you still have the urge to know.
ਰਾਜ੍ਯਂ ਸੁਤਾਃ ਕਲਤ੍ਰਾਣਿ ਸ਼ਰੀਰਾਣਿ ਸੁਖਾਨਿ ਚ ।
ਸਂਸਕ੍ਤਸ੍ਯਾਪਿ ਨਸ਼੍ਟਾਨਿ ਤਵ ਜਨ੍ਮਨਿ ਜਨ੍ਮਨਿ ॥ 10-6॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Kingdoms, children, spouses, bodies, and pleasures - even when you were attached to them - have been lost by you, birth after birth.
ਅਲਮਰ੍ਥੇਨ ਕਾਮੇਨ ਸੁਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤੇਨਾਪਿ ਕਰ੍ਮਣਾ ।
ਏਭ੍ਯਃ ਸਂਸਾਰਕਾਂਤਾਰੇ ਨ ਵਿਸ਼੍ਰਾਂਤਮਭੂਨ੍ ਮਨਃ ॥ 10-7॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
Enough of wealth and pleasure, and even of merit-making action. In this wilderness of saMsAra, the mind has found no rest from these.
ਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤਂ ਨ ਕਤਿ ਜਨ੍ਮਾਨਿ ਕਾਯੇਨ ਮਨਸਾ ਗਿਰਾ ।
ਦੁਃਖਮਾਯਾਸਦਂ ਕਰ੍ਮ ਤਦਦ੍ਯਾਪ੍ਯੁਪਰਮ੍ਯਤਾਮ੍ ॥ 10-8॥
Translation (ਭਾਵਾਰ੍ਥ):
In how many lifetimes have you not done exhausting, pain-giving actions by body, mind, and speech? Let that compulsive labor stop, even now.
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