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Ashtavakra Gita Chapter 3 aṣṭāvakra gītā is a 20-chapter dialogue of uncompromising advaita, where aṣṭāvakra's terse instructions and janaka's responses repeatedly circle one liberation: you are the awareness that knows experience, not the body-mind that is experienced. The text is famous for its directness - it often speaks from the standpoint of freedom and then asks you to notice, again and again, how bondage is only the habit of identification. In the previous chapters, the foundation and the first recognition are laid. Chapter 1 begins with janaka's questions about jñāna, mukti, and vairāgya, and aṣṭāvakra responds by pairing ethical steadiness with direct inquiry into the witness (sākṣī). Chapter 2 then becomes janaka's "afterglow" chapter: he declares the non-dual vision through metaphors (wave-water, pot-clay, rope-snake) and loosens ownership and fear by seeing the world as appearance in awareness rather than a second reality. Chapter 3 reads like a compassionate "reality check" after that soaring clarity. Once non-dual insight dawns, the mind may quickly turn it into a new identity ("I am enlightened now"), a new bargain ("I know the Self, so I can indulge"), or a quiet fear ("If this freedom is real, what happens to me?"). aṣṭāvakra addresses these subtle after-effects directly. Many verses begin with āścharyaṃ ("how strange!") - not to mock the seeker, but to expose the odd ways desire and identity can survive even after understanding. The spotlight falls on "residual knots": craving for wealth, fascination with sense pleasure, the persistence of mamatva, and even fear of liberation itself. The next movement of the text continues this maturation. In Chapter 4, janaka speaks again, describing how freedom looks in ordinary living: enjoyment without compulsion, steadiness without pride, and fearlessness without denial. From Chapter 5 onward, the dialogue keeps turning the same truth from different sides: aṣṭāvakra urges laya (dissolution of identification), janaka replies that for one established in truth there is "no giving up and no grasping", and later chapters offer crisp definitions of bondage and liberation as movements of mind rather than realities of the Self. Seen as a whole, Chapter 3 is a diagnostic chapter meant to convert insight into character. It asks, repeatedly, why the mind still runs as if poor after knowing the imperishable Self; it points to projection and superimposition as the hidden engine of craving; and it insists that freedom includes vāsanā-weakening, not merely philosophical agreement. This aligns with the bhagavad gītā's portrait of sthita-prajñā and with ādi śaṅkarāchārya's insistence on vivēka and vairāgya as supports for steady knowledge: when grasping and fear fall away, the same non-dual truth that was glimpsed becomes stable, simple, and fearless in life. aṣṭāvakra uvācha ॥ Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This verse also distinguishes knowledge from maturity. People can understand Advaita intellectually while still living from fear and desire. The gItA calls this the difference between seeing and being established: the mind can assent to truth while habits pull it elsewhere. dhīra here means more than smart; it means steady - not easily shaken into compulsive chasing. When this steadiness grows, wealth becomes a means, not an identity, and generosity becomes natural because the need to hoard for self-worth reduces. Practice by examining what "more money" is really meant to solve. Is it genuine responsibility (education, health, stability), or is it fear of being small and unsafe? Name the underlying fear in plain words, and feel it in the body; then notice it is known in awareness and therefore not the Self. From that steadiness, make your relationship with money clean: budget, pay what you owe, earn honestly, and spend with intention rather than compulsion. Try one small experiment in non-hoarding: give a small amount, share time or knowledge, or help without announcing it, and watch how the ego relaxes when worth is not tied to accumulation. If ambition arises, convert it into responsibility: "How can I serve well and be sustainable?" not "How can I prove I am enough?" Over time, wealth becomes a tool rather than a substitute for inner security, and the verse's question becomes lived: the pull to chase reduces because completeness is sought in the Self, not in numbers. ātmājñānādahō prītirviṣayabhramagōcharē । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This mechanism operates in modern life as "projection". A promotion becomes salvation, a relationship becomes identity, a purchase becomes comfort, a social-media image becomes self-worth. When the promised wholeness does not arrive, we assume we chose the wrong object and we chase a new one. Advaita says the problem is not the object; it is the mistaken location of fulfillment. When the Self is known as the stable ground of being, objects can be enjoyed without being used as psychological substitutes. Practice by tracing desire back to its claim. When craving arises, ask, "What is the mind promising?" Often it is, "If I get this, then I will be okay." Write the promise in one sentence, then check: is the promise actually about the object, or about inner lack - safety, love, worth, relief? Feel the urge in the body without rushing; notice it is an appearance in awareness, not the Self. Take two breaths as the witness and let the urgency soften. Then decide with clarity: if the object is genuinely useful, pursue it responsibly; if it is only a psychological substitute, let the craving burn out without feeding it. Train this on small cravings (shopping, scrolling, reassurance-seeking) so it becomes available for bigger ones. Over time, you learn to enjoy objects without turning them into saviors, and the mind gradually stops mistaking "nacre" for "silver." viśvaṃ sphurati yatrēdaṃ taraṅgā iva sāgarē । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This is not a call to become inactive. It is a call to stop acting from desperation. When you act from the witness, action becomes cleaner: you do what is needed without turning it into a referendum on your existence. In the gItA, this shows up as acting without being bound by results. In Advaita, it shows up as acting without being bound by self-image. The wave still moves, but it knows it is water. Practice by watching the "run" impulse in small everyday moments. Notice how often you hurry unnecessarily: rushing to respond, rushing to fix, rushing to be liked, rushing to prove competence. When you catch it, pause and ask, "What am I afraid will happen if I do not run?" Usually it is an identity fear: "I will be judged", "I will be left", "I will lose control." Feel that fear in the body and remember the wave-ocean teaching: the fear is a wave, not the ocean. Return to awareness for two breaths and let the shoulders drop. Then take one appropriate step from clarity - reply, plan, apologize, rest - without the frantic inner squeeze. You can train this by choosing one "slow action" a day: walk without rushing, eat without multitasking, wait before responding in chat. Over time, the body learns safety in stillness, and "I am That" becomes embodied rather than merely philosophical. śrutvāpi śuddhachaitanya ātmānamatisundaram । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): The phrase ati-sundara is important. The Self is described as beautiful not as an object of desire, but as the deepest wholeness that does not disappoint. Lust tries to extract that wholeness from a momentary sensation. When it cannot, it demands more, and dissatisfaction grows. Advaita invites a reversal: enjoy life without trying to make pleasure into the meaning of existence. When the Self is tasted as already full, cravings become less tyrannical. Practice by noticing the difference between enjoyment and compulsion. Enjoyment can coexist with dignity, truthfulness, and care for others; compulsion makes you smaller and less free. When desire arises, ask, "Is this clean and kind, or is it a grasp?" Check signs: urgency, secrecy, bargaining, the willingness to harm or lie - these point to saṃsakti (binding attachment). If you see grasping, pause and let the body cool for a few breaths. Return to awareness and watch the desire as a wave; you will often find it peaks and passes if you do not feed it with fantasy. Then choose wisely: if the desire is appropriate and respectful, act with responsibility; if it is addictive, do not obey it immediately. You can also practice strengthening inner fullness: reduce inputs that inflame craving (explicit media, constant stimulation), and add simple steadiness (sleep, silence, honest conversation). Over time, desire becomes less binding, and the mind becomes capable of the deeper beauty the verse points to: inner freedom that is not bought by sensation. sarvabhūtēṣu chātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni chātmani । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This is especially relevant in relationships. Love becomes painful when it is mixed with possession. Parents cling to children as extensions of ego; partners cling as sources of security; friends cling as mirrors of identity. Non-dual seeing does not remove love; it purifies it. When possessiveness reduces, love becomes more spacious: you can care deeply without gripping. The Upanishadic vision of one reality is meant to dissolve this fear-based clutching. Practice by noticing where "mine" shows up as tension. When you feel controlling, jealous, or anxious, ask, "What am I trying to secure right now?" Usually it is a self-image: being needed, being special, being in control, being safe. Feel the gripping in the body and recognize it as mamatva in action. Return to awareness for two breaths and let the grip loosen before you speak or act. Then act from care rather than possession: set boundaries without hostility, support without manipulation, speak truth without needing to dominate. In relationships, try one concrete shift: replace "you must" with "I feel / I need / I request," and allow the other to be a person rather than a possession. Also practice letting small things go - letting someone do it their way, letting a plan change - as training. Each time you do this, mamatva weakens and love becomes cleaner, because it is less mixed with fear. āsthitaḥ paramādvaitaṃ mōkṣārthē'pi vyavasthitaḥ । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): In contemporary terms, this is the difference between understanding and embodiment. Someone can speak beautifully about awareness and still be hijacked by craving, pornography, gambling, overeating, or attention addiction. The teaching is not "never enjoy"; it is "do not lose your freedom." Pleasure that is enjoyed consciously and cleanly can be part of life; pleasure that controls you makes you smaller. Non-dual wisdom aims for inner sovereignty, not repression. Practice by working with habit honestly, without drama and without denial. Identify one desire-pattern that weakens you and be specific: what triggers it, what the mind promises, what you do, and what you feel afterward. Write this down once; clarity grows when the pattern is seen plainly. Then bring in both sides of the path: remembrance and discipline. Remembrance means returning to the witness when the urge arises and noticing, "This is a wave in awareness, not my identity." Discipline means changing the environment: reduce triggers, add friction, avoid late-night scrolling, keep the phone out of bed, seek support if needed. Also replace, not just remove: add one steadier nourishment (walk, silence, meaningful conversation) so the mind is not starving. The verse is inviting wholeness: let insight guide behavior so that the mind becomes steady enough to live what it knows, and freedom is not traded for habit. udbhūtaṃ jñānadurmitramavadhāryātidurbalaḥ । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): You do not need to wait for old age to see this. Many of us notice the same pattern in smaller endings: after an argument, after a binge, after a burnout. We see clearly that the pattern harms us, and yet the next trigger arrives and we repeat. This verse is calling for sober honesty: insight without transformation is fragile. The teaching is urging you to cut the groove now, while strength and choice are available. Practice by treating desire as a wave, not as a command. When it rises, do not immediately obey or suppress; give it space to be seen. Pause, breathe, and ask what the desire is trying to avoid: loneliness, insecurity, boredom, shame, the ache of "not enough." Feel that deeper feeling in the body for a few breaths while staying as the witness. Then choose a kinder response that actually addresses the root: rest, honest conversation, meaningful work, prayer, exercise, service, or simply allowing boredom to be boredom. If the urge is strong, use a practical rule: delay for ten minutes and do one grounding action (walk, water, breathing) before deciding. This builds inner sovereignty. Over time, desire loses its power as a durmitra ("bad friend") because you stop treating it as authority; it becomes one movement in awareness that you can meet, understand, and let pass. ihāmutra viraktasya nityānityavivēkinaḥ । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): You can see the same fear in ordinary life. People long for peace, yet feel uneasy when life becomes quiet, because quiet exposes inner emptiness and unresolved pain. People long for intimacy, yet fear it because it dissolves the protective persona. Liberation is the ultimate intimacy with reality, so the protective persona resists. The gItA speaks to this by urging steadiness and non-attachment; Advaita speaks to it by repeatedly returning you to the witness, where the fear is seen as an object rather than as truth. Practice by meeting this fear gently and staying with it a little longer than the mind prefers. When fear of emptiness or loss of identity arises, do not argue it away; acknowledge, "the ego is afraid." Notice the fear's physical expression - tightness, sinking, restlessness - and let it be felt without adding catastrophe stories. Then return to the simplest, verifiable fact: awareness is present. Ask, "Is awareness itself afraid, or is fear appearing in awareness?" Rest as the witness for a few breaths. If the mind wants to escape into distraction, delay that escape by a minute; let the fear be seen as a wave that can pass. You can also reassure the mind with reality: freedom does not remove your capacity to love, act, or care; it removes the compulsive need to build identity out of everything. Over time, the mind learns that liberation is not annihilation; it is relief - the end of being bullied by a self-image. dhīrastu bhōjyamānō'pi pīḍyamānō'pi sarvadā । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This is close to the gItA's description of the steady-minded person who is not shaken by sorrow and does not thirst for pleasure. The key is not numbness; it is non-reactivity. Reactive emotion is usually a defense of self-image: anger defends pride, elation defends craving. When self-image loses its centrality, the emotional swings soften. You can still say "this is wrong" and act firmly, but without inner poison. Practice by watching what triggers elation and anger, and look for the shared root: ego hunger. When you feel either rising, pause and ask, "What is being defended or fed right now?" Is it the need to be admired, the fear of being wrong, the fear of being unseen? Feel the body's charge - heat, speed, tightening - and return to the witness for two breaths. Then choose a response that is clean: if praise comes, receive it without building a story of superiority; if criticism comes, check the facts and respond without venom. A practical training is to create a small delay rule: no immediate replies when emotionally charged; wait five minutes, or take a short walk, then respond. Over time, this small gap becomes a stable space. From that space, you speak more truthfully, choose better timing, and reduce regret - not because you became perfect, but because you became less reactive and more rooted in the Self. chēṣṭamānaṃ śarīraṃ svaṃ paśyatyanyaśarīravat । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): In modern life, this is especially relevant because our nervous systems are constantly trained to seek approval and avoid criticism. Social media, workplace metrics, and comparison culture make praise/blame feel like survival signals. This verse offers a liberating stance: treat feedback as information, not as identity. If the feedback is true, learn. If it is false, let it pass. In either case, the Self is not touched. Practice by separating three things when feedback arrives: facts, feelings, and identity-story. Facts may be useful; feelings may need care; identity-story is optional suffering. When someone criticizes you, first write the factual point in one line. Second, acknowledge the feeling in the body - hurt, heat, shame - and give it a few breaths of attention. Third, notice the identity-story ("I am worthless", "I am being attacked", "I must win") and label it as story. Return to the witness and see that all three are known in awareness. Then respond appropriately: correct, clarify, apologize, or move on - but do it from steadiness, not from self-defense. You can train this even with small feedback: a comment, a review, a suggestion. Each time you practice, the mind learns to live from mahā-āśaya - spaciousness rather than defensiveness - and relationships become cleaner because you are less reactive. māyāmātramidaṃ viśvaṃ paśyan vigatakautukaḥ । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This is not about denying the biological fact of death. It is about not turning death into existential terror. The Upanishads often define liberation as abhayam (fearlessness) because the Self is not a perishable object. When you repeatedly return to awareness as what you are, death is seen as a change in experience, not the destruction of the Self. Even if you do not have a firm metaphysical view, you can see psychologically that fear is amplified by identification. Practice by working with smaller "deaths": endings, losses, changes, disappointments. Each time something ends - a plan, a relationship phase, a project, an expectation - notice the ego's panic and the urge to immediately replace the loss with another object. Pause and return to awareness. Ask, "What has ended?" and then, "What remains as the knower of ending?" Let the body feel the grief or discomfort without turning it into a story of annihilation. Then take one respectful action: make the call, clean up the mess, rest, or accept what cannot be changed. This trains the nervous system to experience change without collapse. Over time, steadiness grows - not because you forced bravery, but because you stopped confusing the Self with what comes and goes. This also makes you more compassionate, because you see others' fears of endings as the same identity fear. niḥspṛhaṃ mānasaṃ yasya nairāśyē'pi mahātmanaḥ । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This is the difference between mood-based happiness and ground-based peace. Mood-based happiness is fragile and becomes dependent on outcomes. Ground-based peace remains even when outcomes are uncertain because it rests on the witness. That is why comparison becomes meaningless: the usual yardsticks (success, failure, excitement, loss) do not measure this kind of inner fullness. Practice by exploring contentment without external change. When you feel dissatisfied, resist the immediate urge to fix or distract. Pause and ask, "What is the craving here?" - is it for stimulation, approval, certainty, control? Feel the restlessness in the body for a few breaths and return to awareness; let the shoulders and belly soften. Then try a small "minute of enough": for sixty seconds, let the moment be exactly as it is without bargaining. If action is needed, choose one clean action afterward, but do not use action as an escape from inner discomfort. You can train this with small situations: waiting in line, sitting in silence, doing a routine chore. Over time, this builds inner fullness that does not depend on hope or improvement, and it makes improvement cleaner too - you act because it is wise, not because you are trying to buy peace. svabhāvād ēva jānānō dṛśyamētanna kiñchana । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): This verse also points to naturalness (svabhāva). At a certain depth, non-attachment is not forced discipline; it becomes the mind's default because it is rooted in clear seeing. You still respond to danger, care for loved ones, and pursue meaningful work. But you do not need to label everything as "mine" or "enemy". This is one meaning of freedom: the mind stops turning every event into a personal battlefield. Practice by watching your labels in real time. Notice the instant "good/bad" reflex and how it tightens the body and narrows attention. Then ask, "Is this label an absolute truth, or a mental strategy?" Often the label is useful for action but not true as identity. Return to awareness for two breaths and allow a little openness. From openness, choose what is appropriate: say yes, say no, protect, engage, or let go. You can train this with small annoyances: a slow driver, a rude comment, a messy room. Watch the label appear and practice not obeying it immediately. This does not make you passive; it makes you less compulsive. Over time, fewer things feel like they must be grabbed or must be destroyed, and life feels less like a personal battlefield and more like a field of changing events in awareness. antastyaktakaṣāyasya nirdvandvasya nirāśiṣaḥ । Meaning (padārtha): Translation (bhāvārtha): Commentary (anusandhāna): The gItA expresses a similar maturity as yadṛchchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ - content with what comes unasked. This is not passivity; it is freedom from inner demand. Demand is what turns pleasure into anxiety: "I must keep this." When demand drops, you can enjoy without being owned. This is why Advaita often looks surprisingly practical: it is not only metaphysics; it is a training in not being psychologically enslaved. Practice by receiving one pleasant experience without grasping. Enjoy a meal, a compliment, a good outcome - and then let it pass without replay or bargaining for more. Notice the subtle demand that says, "I must keep this," and relax it for a few breaths. Also practice the other side: receive one unpleasant experience without collapse - a delay, a criticism, a small loss - and watch the urge to dramatize it. When you notice either craving or aversion, return to awareness and soften the body; let the wave be a wave. A useful daily drill is "one clean enjoyment": enjoy something fully with attention, then stop; and "one clean discomfort": let a small discomfort be present without immediately fixing it. Over time, your mind becomes less sticky because inner taints (kaṣāya) lose fuel. Then chance enjoyments stop being traps and become simple parts of life, while the deeper peace remains your home.
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