Astravakra Gita

Why am I diverting from the sole purpose of my blog is beyond me? So leaving that behind I am blogging my latest entry to understand my interpretation of the Astravakra gita the divine conversation between Astravakra and King Janaka which started as conversation between a guru and a shishya but ultimately became a conversation between to eternally learned souls who discuss the universe and our existence.

A discussion abstract in nature provides a philosophy to leading ones life I happiness and in essence is similar to the Bhagavad gita or the Vashistha Gita and astavakra gita provides a direct and poetic explanation of life. Astavakra GIta is not a part of the Mahabharata.

For me Gita are the basis of the modern Hindu religion and the Mahabharata as a plot is a medium of carrier of message of the divine.
The paragraphs I have quoted are really direct to comprehend but I will nonetheless interpret.
Try to finish the article.

The thought: “I am the doer”

is the bite of a poisonous snake.

To know: “I do nothing”

is the wisdom of faith.

Be happy.

A single understanding:

“I am the One Awareness,”

consumes all suffering

in the fire of an instant.

Be happy.

You are unbounded Awareness—

Bliss, Supreme Bliss--

in which the universe appears

like the mirage of a snake in a rope.

Be happy.

Be happy. The sole purpose of life and individual is to be happy and the only way to complete your pursuit of Happyness is to leave or desires. Be transparent, devote yourself to the truth and be free from desires. Be happy.....

In Reality,

knowledge, the knower, and the knowable

do not exist. 

I am the transparent Self

in which through ignorance

they appear.

Everything around us is illusion the only thing of significance to us is our soul.  As a child I had this strange belief I am fighting the world that only my thoughts and actions are tangible and all others are following a coded program but at the same time convinced myself that I am nothing special.

Having realized yourself as One,
being serene and indestructible,
why do you desire wealth?

Now King Janaka has realised his true self so Astravakra is asking him renounce all his wealth as all in the world is moh maya. Anything done for I goes in vain and rather than providing happiness causes much sadness and pain.

Just as imagining silver in mother-of-pearl,

causes greed to arise,

so does ignorance of Self

cause desire for illusion.

Realizing the universe is illusion,

having lost all curiosity,

how can one of steady mind fear death?

Ignorance of ones souls or true self causes desire of illusion which in itself causes anxiety to be happy one should give less importance what is around him or rewards but only what he does.

You are immaculate,

touched by nothing.

What is there to renounce?

The mind is complex—let it go.

Know the peace of dissolution.

The Self is not in objects,

nor are objects in the pure and infinite Self.

The Self is tranquil,

free of attachment and desire.

In this alone I abide

Where there is peace of mind, peace of dissolution the lack of involvement, true happiness is achieved. Free does not mean someone is a sage but is free from prejudice, free from desire and free from judgement. He neither feels too sad nor feels happy. So is in a constant state of eternal bliss. 

When there is no “I”

there is only liberation.

When “I” appears

bondage appears with it.

Knowing this,

it is effortless to refrain

from accepting and rejecting.

Where there is desire, there is the world.

Be firm in non-attachment.

Be free of desire.

Be happy

For how many lifetimes

have you done hard and painful labor

with body, mind and speech?

It is time to stop.

Non attachment is not lack of action but is a state that bhagavad gita refers as state of action but without attachment of the consequence. Only then do we fully realise the full benefits of our actions and in many ways is better and easier the lack of any action

One who knows for certain

that birth and death, happiness and misery,

come and go in obedience to destiny

sees nothing to accomplish.

He engages in non-action,

and in action remains unattached.

Thinking of the unthinkable One

unavoidably conjures thought.

I choose no-thought

and remain here.

Thoughts and dilemma's of the mind do not exist they are productions of our own mind, the only thing that exist is our consciousness. 

I have nothing to gain or lose

by standing, walking or sitting down.

So whether I stand, walk or sit

I am happy.

Your ignorance alone

creates the universe.

In reality One alone exists.

There is no person or god

other than You.

One who knows for certain

that the universe is illusion,

a no-thing,

becomes desireless,

pure Awareness,

and finds peace in the existence of nothing.

God is nothing but our own consciousness as it is the only way to experience eternal bliss.
"Sab moh maya hai". Find solace with the truth and existence of nothing.

The knower of Truth

is never miserable in the world,

for the whole universe

is filled with Himself alone.

The sage sees no difference

between happiness and misery,

man and woman,

adversity and success.

Everything is seen to be the same.

The knower of truth is never unhappy he is happy in his existence with himself. He has no prejudices and sees all with the same eyes. Loss or victory is all the same

The wise one

is not troubled by action or inactivity.

He lives happily, 

doing whatever gets done

Beyond stillness,

beyond distraction,

the great soul thinks nothing

of liberation or bondage.

Having seen the universe is void--

even though it seems to exist--

he is God.

Even in practical life

the wise one remains happy.

Happy to sit,

happy to sleep,

happy to move about,

happy to speak,

happy to eat…

All activities are equal. A beggars work is equivalent to Albert Einstein if done with same amount of detachment and passion for perfection without desire for the rewards. Only the work is important, the compensation for it isn't.

He who is without desire excels,

be he beggar or king.

He no longer sees good or bad.

Nothing is good or bad and only lies in the eyes of the beholder as the sensei is says We'll see.

Where are the elements, the body,

the organs, the mind?

Where is the void?

Where is despair?

My nature is transparent clearness.

Nothing in life is permanent only everything is transient and only thing that exists the transparent truth if existence of our consciousness.

In my life I do not follow the gita but I do say the truth at all times, have no secrets and be transparent in all forms of life. 

Why is that necessary in my experience our brain is chemically programmed to become anxious in hopes of expectations and lack of expectations and desires is the only way to be happy. Be happy with what you get cause in the end Nothing else matters.

Don't Worry be happy