Chapter 8 ( 4 verses)

CHAPTER EIGHT

अष्टावक्र उवाच​

Ashtaavakra spoke

{BONDAGE AND LIBERATION}

तथा बन्धो यदा चित्तं किंचिद्वाञ्छति शोचति ।

किंचिन्मुञ्चति गृह्णाति किंचिद्दुष्यति कुप्यति ॥८-१॥

That is the state of bondage,

when the mind wants something and feels dejected,

  when it rejects something and accepts something;

when it hates something and gets irritated at something.

तदा मुक्तिर्यदा चित्तं न वाञ्छति न शोचति ।

न मुञ्चति न गृह्णाति न हृष्यति न कुप्यति ॥८-२॥

That is the state of liberation,

when the mind does not want anything and does not feel anxious about it,

when it does not reject, accept, feel happy, or is irritated.

तदा बन्धो यदा चित्तं सक्तं काश्वपि दृष्टिषु ।

तदा मोक्षो यदा चित्तमसक्तं सर्वदृष्टिषु ॥८-३॥

That is the state of bondage,

when the mind is stuck to some perception as real (and is affected).

That is the state of liberation,

when the mind is detached from all the perceived (knowing its unreal nature.)

यदा नाहं तदा मोक्षो यदाहं बन्धनं तदा ।

मत्त्वेति हेलया किंचिन्मा गृहाण विमुञ्च मा ॥८-४॥

When ‘I’ is not there, it is Moksha. When the ‘I’ is there, it is bondage.

Understand this, and do not accept anything or reject anything.