On Ashatavakra Gita: What is the state of the liberated one?
--
The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.
शून्या दृष्टिर्वृथा चेष्टा विकलानीन्द्रियाणि च ।
न स्पृहा न विरक्तिर्वा क्षीणसंसारसागरे ॥ 17.९ ॥
śūnyā dṛṣṭirvṛthā ceṣṭā vikalānīndriyāṇi ca
na spṛhā na viraktirvā kṣīṇasaṃsārasāgare || 17.9 ||
In him for whom the ocean of samsara (world) has dried up, there is neither attachment nor aversion. His gaze is vacant, his behavior purposeless, and his senses inactive.
~ Ashatavakra Gita, Chapter 17, Verse 9
✥ ✥ ✥
न जागर्ति न निद्राति नोन्मीलति न मीलति ।
अहो परदशा काऽपि वर्तते मुक्तचेतसः ॥ 17.१० ॥
na jāgarti na nidrāti nonmīlati na mīlati
aho paradaśā kā’pi vartate muktacetasaḥ || 17.10 ||
Surely the supreme state is everywhere for the liberated mind. He is neither awake nor asleep, and neither opens nor closes his eyes.
~ Ashatavakra Gita, Chapter 17, Verse 10
✥ ✥ ✥
Acharya Prashant (AP): The whole language is of negation. The language is symbolic; the language is of negation and negating it will carry us to a point beyond negation. “In him for whom the ocean of samsara has dried up, there is neither attachment nor aversion.” Where do attachments and aversions arise?
Questioner (Q): In the mind.
AP: Right, in the mind. In what kind of mind?
Q: Conditioned mind.
AP: This realized one lives at a point where attachments and aversions do not reach. His home is at a point that is untouched by both of…
