Avaduta Gita

CHAPTERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Avadhut Gita by Daatreya

4 1 7
I ntroducon
THE AVADHUT GI TA, or Avadhuta Gi ta, may be cal l ed an
anci ent non-dual text. Several errors i n Hari Prasad
Shastri 's Engl i sh transl aon (1st edi on, 1934) have been
corrected here; some words and phrases are updated; and
a few notes have been added. The source of the
i ntroducon i s Hari Shastri Prasad's preface. - Tormod Kinnes
Introducon
The word Avadhuta refers to a mysc who has done away wi th worl dl y
concerns and standard soci al equee, at l east i n hi s or her heart. Such
personal i es are consi dered to be free to 'roam the earth l i ke a chi l d'.
An avadhuta does not i denfy wi th thei r body or mi nd. Such a person i s
sai d to be pure consci ousness i n human form. Avadhuts pl ay a
si gni cant rol e i n many Yoga, Vedanta and Bhak tradi ons.
Some are born free, and may appear i n any cl ass of soci ety. Others
wear next to nothi ng, and medi tate a l ot. And then there are others who
may not be recogni sed for what they are, as they do not show o. They
may l i ve l i ke ordi nary peopl e.
The Avadhut(a) Gi ta i s a myscal text whi ch tel l s how the avadhut(a)
i s.
Daatreya, the Author
I t has been menoned that Daatreya was the teacher of the sage
Patanjal i . Be that as i t may: The mai n work ari buted to Daatreya i s
Avadhut Gita by Dattatreya - The Gold Scales http://oaks.nvg.org/pv6bk7.html
1 de 23 21/08/14 15:19
the Avhadhuta Upani shad. I t descri bes the wherabouts of a free
(l i berated) soul , one who i s much uni nterested i n the dogmas of others,
or habi ts, ri tual s, and surface moral i ty too at mes.
Accordi ng to Daatreya, the free man need not have any parcul ar
appearance, l i festyl e, rel i gi on or soci al rol e. He (or she) may wal k about
naked or be dressed up as a pri nce. He may appear pi ous or
bl asphemous, ascec or hedoni sc. The i mportant thi ng i s that. Al so, a
l i berated soul wi l l not wi l ful l y harm or destroy others, i t i s poi nted out,
even i f there occasi onal l y are good si des to breaki ng ri gi d taboos
before they do us harm.
Daatreya i s oen pi ctured naked, si ng i n embrace wi th a l ovel y
femal e, eang hog's esh, dri nki ng wi ne . . . He i s further descri bed as
Madman and Chi l d and so on.
The Avadhut Gita
The Avadhut Gi ta i s . . . meant for the use of those advanced students of
I ndi an metaphysi cs who have l earned sel f-control to an appl i cabl e
extent . . . [Mod.]
I t i s a wel l known cl assi c i n i ts way.
The l ower form of prayer consi sts of si ngi ng hymns and repeang
mantrams [words or sounds] i n whi ch the ul mate Real i ty, the
secondl ess, al l -transcendi ng Brahman [God] i s concei ved i n terms of
dual i ty.
A mantra(m) i s a Vedi c formul a, the repeon of whi ch,
accordi ng to approved rul es, i nduces spi ri tual
consci ousness, and al so psychi c powers.
Added: I t i s perhaps poecal l y decl ared i n the Manu
Samhi ta "An oeri ng, consi sng of muered prayers, i s ten
mes more ecaci ous than a sacri ce performed accordi ng
to the rul es (of the Veda); a (prayer) whi ch i s i naudi bl e (to
others) surpasses i t a hundred mes, and the mental
(reci taon of sacred texts) a thousand mes." [Chap 2, v 85].
Add a pi nch of sal t, al l owi ng l eeway too. Dependi ng on the
requi red ski l l s and the condi ons, eects may vary.]
'Brahman' comes from the root 'bri h', expand - al so cal l ed
Sat, Chi t and Ananda, i .e., (Absol ute) Exi stence, I ntel l i gence
and Bl i ss (joy).)
The hi gher form of prayer consi sts of feel i ngl y si ngi ng of Brahman i n
terms of non-dual i ty, [for exampl e,]" I am Brahman," and [i t may] bri ng
before us the great vi si on of Truth [i t i s hel d] . . .
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The Avadhut Gi ta contai ns thi s knowl edge . . . The word Avadhut
means a hi gh renunci ate, a Mahatma ['great soul ', perfected i n some
way or ways], one who has found uni ty wi th God . . .
Who was thi s Mahatma Daatreya . . .? To some Yogi s and devotees
he i s an i mmortal , and they sl l see hi m . . .
He was a hi stori cal person . . . From the fact that most of hi s devotees
l i ve i n the Bombay presi dency we can i nfer that he l i ved i n Western
I ndi a . . .
There i s a menon of the Avadhut i n the El eventh Book of the Shrimad
Bhagavata [whi ch i s ari buted to Vyasa, wri en i n a hi ghl y poec styl e . .
. The fol l owi ng i s an extract from thi s book:
His many gurus
"Sal utaons to you, Sage, Ki ndl y tel l us what guru has gi ven you the
great knowl edge whi ch has made you perfect i n wi sdom, ful l of peace,
and devoted to the good of al l l i vi ng bei ngs."
The Avadhut anwered:
"One's own Sel f i s one's chi ef Guru. By knowl edge of Sel f [i n]
communi on one gets the great bl i ss."
The Avadhut di d not l earn from one parcul ar source, but from many
teachers, or gurus. He then menoned twenty-four of them, i ncl udi ng
Water, the earth, the wind, space, the moon, the sun, the sea, and the arrow-
maker.
From water he l earned puri ty and the taste of tastel essness. "As
water i s sweet and pure, so i s Atman [the di vi ne Sel f]. Man shoul d
mani fest sweetness and puri ty i n hi s conduct. I have therefore
taken water as one of my Gurus," he sai d.
1.
"Paence, forgi veness, supporng others wi thout expectaon of
gratude I have l earned from my Guru, the earth."
2.
"The wind bl ows everywhere, over the ower-beds, deserts,
marshes, pal aces and pri sons, wi thout bei ng aached to any of
them, wi thout preference or di sl i ke. So, I , an Avadhut, go
everywhere, scaeri ng my bl essi ngs of peace, wi thout bei ng
aached to anyone. My Guru, the wi nd, has taught me thi s l esson."
3.
"I n the al l -pervadi ng space there exi st cl ouds, stars, pl anets,
dust-storms, and so on, but i t i s not touched by any of them. So i s
Atman, whi ch, pervadi ng al l bodi es of men and ani mal s, of sai nts,
sages, ki ngs, madmen, si nners, and paupers, i s untai nted by any
of them. So do I feel , havi ng l earned thi s l esson from space, my
Guru."
4.
"As the moon i s perfect, i n spi te of i ts wani ng and waxi ng, whi ch do
not exi st i n i t, so i s Atman ever perfect, i n spi te of i ts seemi ng
5.
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i mperfecons. Thi s i s what the moon, my Guru, has taught me."
"As the sun through i ts rays absorbs water from the earth, onl y to
gi ve i t back i n a cool and pure form, so ought a Mahatma to take
the thi ngs of the worl d, not for hi s own sake, but i n order to gi ve
them back i n a ri cher and beer form. Thi s i s what my Guru, the
sun, has taught me."
6.
"Though thousands of ri vers empty themsel ves i nto the sea, yet i t
remai ns wi thi n i ts l i mi ts; so remai ns undi sturbed the mi nd of the
knower of God, though objects of al l ki nds pour themsel ves i nto i t.
Thus, the sea, my Guru, has i nstructed me."
7.
"From the arrow-maker I have l earned the val ue of concentraon. I n
a certai n town there l i ved an arrow-maker, who devoted hi s ful l
aenon to hi s occupaon. Once he was beang the poi nt of an
arrow, when the ki ng and hi s processi on went by the street. He
was so aenve to hi s work that he knew nothi ng of the ki ng's
passi ng, and when they asked hi m how he l i ked the musi c of the
processi on he sai d, 'What processi on? When di d i t pass?' So
ought we to concentrate on the Truth that no external object or
event shoul d di sturb us."
8.
The teachi ngs of Ri shi Daatreya are si mi l ar to those of Vasi shtha . . .
There are sl l many paramahansas . . . and yogi s who fol l ow the path of
spi ri tual sol i tude . . .
Chapter 1
1. By the grace of God the Brahmi ns above al l men are i nspi red wi th the
di sposi on to non-dual i ty (uni ty of the Sel f wi th God), whi ch rel i eves
them of the great fear.
2. How can I sal ute the Sel f, whi ch i s i ndestrucbl e, whi ch i s al l Bl i ss,
whi ch i n I tsel f and by I tsel f pervades everythi ng, and whi ch i s
i nseparabl e from I tsel f?
3. I al one am, ever free from al l tai nt. The worl d exi sts l i ke a mi rage
wi thi n me. To whom shal l I bow?
Reader, do you exi st?
4. Veri l y the one Sel f i s al l , free from di erenaon and
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non-di erenaon. Nei ther can i t be sai d, "I t i s" nor "I t i s not." What a
great mystery.
5. Thi s i s the whol e substance of Vedanta; thi s i s the essence of al l
knowl edge, theorecal and i ntui onal . I am the Atman, by nature
i mpersonal and al l -pervasi ve.
6. That God who i s the Sel f i n al l , i mpersonal and changel ess, l i ke unto
space, by nature puri ty i tsel f, veri l y, veri l y, that I am.
7. I am pure knowl edge, i mperi shabl e, i nni te. I know nei ther joy nor
pai n; whom can they touch?
8. The acons of the mi nd, good and evi l , the acons of the body,
good and evi l , the acons of the voi ce, good and evi l , exi st not i n me
(Atman). I am the nectar whi ch i s knowl edge absol ute; beyond the range
of the senses I am.
9. The mi nd i s as space, embraci ng al l . I am beyond mi nd. I n Real i ty,
mi nd has no i ndependent exi stence.
10. How can i t be sai d that the Sel f i s mani fest? How can i t be sai d that
the sel f i s l i mi ted? I al one am exi stence; al l thi s objecve worl d am I .
More subtl e than space i tsel f am I .
11. Know the Sel f to be i nni te consci ousness, sel f-evi dent, beyond
destrucon, enl i ghteni ng al l bodi es equal l y, ever shi ni ng. I n I t i s nei ther
day nor ni ght.
12. Know Atman to be one, ever the same, changel ess. How canst
though say: "I am the medi tator, and thi s i s the object of medi taon?"
How can perfecon be di vi ded?
13. You, Atman, were never born, nor di d you ever di e. The body was
never yours. The Shru (reveal ed Scri ptures) has oen sai d: "Thi s i s al l
Brahman."
14. You are al l Brahman, free from al l change, the same wi thi n and
wi thout, absol ute bl i ss. Run not to and fro l i ke a ghost.
15. Nei ther uni ty nor separaon exi st i n you nor i n me. Al l i s Atman
al one. "I " and "you" and the worl d have no real bei ng.
16. The subtl e facul es of touch, taste, smel l , form and sound whi ch
constute the worl d wi thout are not yoursel f, nor are they wi thi n you. You
are the great al l -transcendi ng Real i ty.
17. Bi rth and death exi st not i n the mi nd, not i n you, as do al so bondage
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and l i beraon. Good and evi l are i n the mi nd, and not i n you. Bel oved,
why do you cry? Name and form are nei ther i n you nor i n me.
18. Oh my mi nd, why do you range i n del usi on l i ke a ghost? Know Atman
to be above dual i ty and be happy.
19. You are the essence of knowl edge, i ndomi tabl e, eternal , ever free
from modi caons. Nei ther i s there i n you aachment nor i ndi erence.
Let not yoursel f suer from desi res.
20. Al l the Shrus speak of Atman as wi thout ari butes, ever pure,
i mperi shabl e, wi thout a body, the eternal Truth. That know to be
yoursel f.
21. Know al l forms, physi cal and subtl e, as i l l usi on. The Real i ty
underl yi ng them i s eternal . By l i vi ng thi s Truth one passes beyond bi rth
and death.
22. The sages cal l Atman the "ever-same." By gi vi ng up aachment the
mi nd sees nei ther dual i ty nor uni ty.
23. Concentraon i s not possi bl e ei ther on peri shabl e objects, on
account of thei r mutabi l i ty, nor on Atman. "I s" and "i s not" do not appl y
to Atman ei ther. I n Atman, freedom absol ute, how i s Samadhi [state of
i nner uni on] possi bl e?
24. Bi rthl ess, pure, bodi l ess, equabl e, i mperi shabl e Atman you
knowest yoursel f to be. How then canst you say: "I know Atman," or "I
know not Atman."
25. Thus has the Shru spoken of Atman; "That You are." Of the i l l usory
worl d, born of the ve physi cal el ements, the Shru says: "Ne, ne" (not
thi s, not thi s).
26. Al l thi s i s ever pervaded by you as Atman. I n you i s nei ther the
medi tator nor the object of medi taon. Why, mi nd, do you shamel essl y
medi tate?"
27. I know not Shi va [i t can mean Brahman and hi gh awareness],
How can I speak of Hi m?
Who Shi va i s I do not know,
How can I worshi p Hi m?
28. I am Shi va, the onl y real i ty,
Li ke absol ute space i s my nature.
I n me i s nei ther uni ty nor vari ety,
The cause of i magi naon too i s absent i n me.
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29. Free from subject and object am I ,
How can I be sel f-real i zabl e?
Endl ess i s my nature, nothi ng el se exi sts.
Absol ute Truth i s my nature, nothi ng el se exi sts.
30. Atman by nature, the supreme Real i ty am I ,
Nei ther am I sl ayer nor the sl ai n
31. On the destrucon of a jar, the space i n i t uni tes wi th al l space. I n
mysel f and Shi va I see no di erence when the mi nd i s puri ed.
32. Brahman al one i s, as pure consci ousness. I n truth there i s no jar,
and no jar-space, no embodi ed soul , nor i ts nature.
33. There are no worl ds, no Vedas, no Devas, no sacri ces, no castes, no
fami l y tri bes, no naonal i es, no smoke-path, no shi ni ng-path.
34. Some there are that pri ze non-dual i sm, others hol d to dual i sm. They
know not the Truth, whi ch i s above both.
35. How can the supreme Real i ty be descri bed, si nce I t i s nei ther whi te
nor any other col our, has no qual i es such as sound, and i s beyond voi ce
and mi nd?
36. "I eat," "I gi ve," "I act"; such statements do not appl y to Atman,
whi ch i s puri ty, bi rthl ess and i mperi shabl e.
37. Where the one Brahman al one i s, how can i t be sai d "thi s i s Maya
[by whi ch the phenomenal worl d has been brought i nto exi stence]", or
"thi s i s not Maya", "thi s i s shadow" or "thi s i s not shadow"?
38. I am wi thout begi nni ng and wi thout end. Never was I bound. By
nature pure, tai ntl ess i s my Sel f. Thi s I know for sure.
39. From subtl e substance (mahat) down to formed creaon, there i s
nothi ng but Brahman; most cl earl y do I see thi s. Where then i s the
di vi si on of caste?
40. The absol ute voi d and i ts opposi te, al l am I everl asngl y.
41. Atman i s not mal e or femal e, nor i s I t neuter; nei ther i s I t happi ness
or sueri ng. How dare ye pervert I t?
42. Atman i s not puri ed by the si x methods of Yoga. Absence of the
mi nd makes I t no cl earer. The teachi ngs of a Guru reveal I t not. I t i s al l
puri ty, i n I tsel f, by I tsel f.
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43. I am nei ther bound nor free. I am not separate from Brahman.
44. Nei ther the doer nor the enjoyer of the frui ts of karma am I . The
pervader or the pervaded I am not.
45. As a vol ume of water poured i nto water i s i nseparabl y uni ted wi th
water, so, I percei ve, maer and spi ri t are one.
46. Why do you cal l Atman personal and i mpersonal . Si nce you are
nei ther bound nor free?
47. Pure, pure you are, wi thout a body, unrel ated to the mi nd, beyond
maya; why are you ashamed to decl are: "I am Atman, the supreme
Real i ty"?
48. My mi nd, why do you cry? Real i ze thy Atman, Bel oved; dri nk the
mel ess great nectar of non-dual i ty.
49. Knowl edge born of the i ntel l ect am I not. By nature Truth eternal am
I . I am perpetual i mmutabi l i ty.
50. Nei ther forml ess nor wi th form, descri bed by the Vedas as "Not thi s,
not thi s," free from separaon and uni ty, the true Sel f rei gns supreme.
51. There i s no father, no mother, no ki nsman, no son, no wi fe, no
fri end, no prejudi ce, no doctri ne. Why are you di squi et, my mi nd?
52. Why do the wi se i magi ne the bodi l ess Brahman to be a body? I n I t
there i s nei ther day nor ni ght, nei ther ri si ng nor seng.
53. Si nce the i mperfecons of aachment and the l i ke are not i n me, I
am above the sueri ng of the body. Know me to be i nni te, l i ke unto
space, one Atman.
54. My mi nd, my fri end, many words are not needed, and the worl d
[hardl y] comprehends reason. I n a word, I have tol d you the essence of
truth: "you are Truth, you are as space."
55. I n whatever pl ace and i n whatever state the Yogi di es, hi s spi ri t i s
absorbed i nto That, as, on the destrucon of the jar, the space i n the jar
i s uni ted wi th absol ute space.
56. Whether he di es consci ous or i n coma, i n a hol y templ e or i n the
house of an untouchabl e, he obtai ns l i beraon, becomi ng the
al l -pervadi ng Brahman.
57. The Yogi s regard ri ghteousness, prosperi ty, desi re for Paradi se and
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l i beraon, and al so the movi ng and xed objects, as mere wi l l -o'-
the-wi sps.
58. The Avadhut i n unshakabl e equani mi ty, l i vi ng i n the hol y templ e
of nothi ngness, wal ks naked, knowi ng al l to be Brahman.
59. Where there i s no "Thi rd" or "Fourth [note]", where al l i s known as
Atman, where there i s nei ther ri ghteousness nor unri ghteousness, how
can there be ei ther bondage or l i beraon?
Note: I n addi on to waki ng, dreami ng and dreaml ess sl eep,
I ndi ans reckon wi th "the fourth" (state), al so cal l ed Turi ya.
Beyond i t i s the . . . whi ch i s beyond words and common
experi ence. - TK.
Chapter 2
The Avadhut sai d:
1. Do not hol d the i mmature, the credul ous, the fool i sh, the sl ow, the
l ayman and the fal l en to have nothi ng good i n them. They al l teach
somethi ng. Learn from them. Surel y we do not gi ve up a game al though
we have mastered i t?
2. Thi nk not l i ghtl y of your Guru shoul d he l ack l eers and l earni ng.
Take the Truth he teaches and i gnore the rest. Know wel l that a boat,
pai nted and adorned, wi l l carry you across the ri ver; so al so wi l l one that
i s pl ai n and si mpl e.
3. The hi gher i ntel l i gence whi ch wi thout eort pervades the movabl e
and the i mmovabl e, and whi ch by nature i s al l peace and
consci ousness, that I am.
4. How can the one supreme consci ousness whi ch wi thout eort rul es
the l i vi ng and the i nert and i s al l -pervasi ve, be other than I ?
5. I am subtl er than pri mordi al substance, beyond el ements and
compounds, free from bi rth and death, above dual i ty and uni ty.
6. The modi caons of the i nner organ (antahkarana) have no part i n
me. Li ke bubbl es ri si ng and fal l i ng i n a ri ver, thoughts and vol i ons ri se
and di sappear i n the i nner organ.
7. As soness i s not percei ved apart from so objects, as sweetness i s
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not known apart from honey, as bi erness i s not known apart from the
[very bi er-tasng] Neem tree [l eaves], as ui di ty and cool ness are the
nature of water, so the pri mordi al form of maer cal l ed mahat ['gi ant'] i s
no other than the Sel f (Atman). As the rays of the sun di er not from the
sun, so maer does not di er from God.
8. How can "I " or "you" be sai d of Brahman whi ch i s more subtl e than
mahat, free from al l ari butes, greater than al l , above the range of mi nd
and emoon, wi thout medi um or l i mi taon, l ord of the uni verse? I t can
nei ther be cal l ed stac or dynami c.
9. As space cannot be compared wi th another space, so Brahman bei ng
above dual i ty, cannot be compared wi th any object. Brahman al one i s
perfecon, tai ntl ess, al l knowl edge.
10. I t wal ks not on the earth, the wi nd cannot move I t, the water cannot
cover I t, I t stands i n the mi ddl e of [i nner, subtl e] Li ght.
11. I t pervades space-me. Nothi ng pervades I t. From l i mi taons ever
free, eternal l y the same, wi th nothi ng outsi de I t and nothi ng wi thi n, I t
abi des.
12. Atman, of whi ch the hi gh yogi s speak, most subtl e, beyond
percepon, wi thout ari butes, must be real i zed step by step, and not by
sudden vi ol ence.
13. Ever pracci ng yoga, not dependi ng on any object, the yogi merges
hi s consci ousness i n Brahman, and becomes Brahman.
14. There i s but one andote to the poi son of hi ghl y dangerous
passi ons, whi ch beget i nfatuaon, and that i s to return to the state of
Atman. Atman i s unapproachabl e by the emoons, i s ever forml ess and
i ndependent.
15. Hi dden i n the real m of eternal consci ousness l i es the worl d's
cause, whi ch i s prakri . Wi thi n thi s cause i s Brahman. The husk of a
coconut i s the worl d, the pul p i s prakri , and the sweet cool water
encased i n the pul p i s Brahman.
16. Li ke the ful l moon i s Atman. See I t i n al l . Dual i ty i s the product of
defecve vi si on. As there i s onl y one moon so there i s onl y one Atman i n
al l .
17. No dual i ty can touch the concepon of Brahman, because I t i s
al l -pervasi ve. The wi se who teach thi s acqui re boundl ess paence, and
thei r di sci pl es can never be too thankful to them.
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18. The tal ented as wel l as the wi tl ess aai n the state of
desi rel essness by knowi ng the mystery of Atman, through the grace of
thei r spi ri tual teacher.
19. Thi s transcendent ['beyondi c'] state of consci ousness i s reached by
those who are free from aachment and aversi on, ever engaged i n doi ng
good to al l l i vi ng bei ngs, whose knowl edge i s rml y rooted, and who are
paent.
20. The yogi i s merged i n the di vi ne aer l eavi ng the body, as the
jar-space i s merged i n cosmi c space on the destrucon of the jar.
21. The statement that the future condi on i s determi ned by the state
of the thoughts at death i s made of the uni ni ated, not the i ni ated.
22. The knower of Brahman may l eave hi s body i n a hol y pl ace, or i n the
house of an untouchabl e, he i s absorbed i nto Brahman.
23. When a yogi has real i zed Atman, whi ch i s hi s true Sel f, bi rthl ess and
beyond the range of the mi nd and emoons, then the karmas [acons
and thei r retri buons] no l onger touch hi m. He may perform the ri tual s
or l eave them. To hi m i t i s al l one.
24. Atman real i zed i s the master of creaon, eternal , i ndestrucbl e,
forml ess, wi thout di mensi ons, absol utel y i ndependent, wi thout
pl easure or pai n, ful l of al l powers.
25. The wi se di scover that Atman i s not seen ei ther by the study of the
Vedas, by i ni aons, by shavi ng the head, or by bei ng a Guru or chel a
[dear, i nmate fol l ower or di sci pl e]. Nor i s i t seen through postures.
26. That God, Atman, by whose power the whol e uni verse i s born, i n
whi ch i t abi des and to whi ch i t nal l y returns l i ke bubbl es and waves i n
the sea, i s real i zed by the wi se.
27. Atman, whi ch the wi se real i ze, i s not the ai m of control of breath
(pranayama) or hatha yoga [of physi cal postures and the l i ke]. I n I t there
i s nei ther knowl edge nor i gnorance.
28. There i s nei ther uni ty nor dual i ty i n Atman, nor uni ty-dual i ty, nei ther
smal l ness nor greatness, nei ther empness nor ful l ness. Al l these exi st
i n the mi nd, and the mi nd i s not Atman.
29. The teacher cannot teach Atman [note]; the di sci pl e cannot
l earn i t.
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Note: "I f that i s so, then why thi s song at al l ?" asked a
mi rthful l ad.
Chapter 3
1. How shal l I worshi p that great Atman
Whi ch i s nei ther personal nor i mpersonal .
Tai ntl ess, above l ove and aversi on, uncreated,
Al l pervasi ve, of the form of the uni verse,
Havi ng no ari butes, yet not ari butel ess
That al l -bl i ss Shi va, my Sel f.
2. How shal l I bow down to mi ne own Sel f
I n my own Sel f and by my Sel f?
I have no col ours, whi te or yel l ow;
Eternal Shi va am I .
3. I am rootl ess, and wi thout root,
Free from smoke, and smokel ess am I ,
Wi thout a l amp, and l i ghtl ess am I ,
Equani mi ty am I , l i ke a sun ever ri sen.
4. How can I name the passi onl ess, desi rel ess One
As havi ng desi res? The Absol ute cannot
Be descri bed i n terms of condi ons;
How can I speak of mysel f?
I am nei ther wi th an essence,
Nor am I wi thout an essence.
Space-l i ke al l equani mi ty am I .
"I am not wi thout an essence," then . . . (For everyday
armaons one i s advi sed to hol d on to the posi ve
thi ngs, vi sual i ze and repeat them, and steer out of
negaons.)
5. How shal l I say that non-dual i ty
I s al l thi s creaon, or that, or that?
Even i f i t be dual i ty, then too I cannot
Ari bute creaon or di ssol uon to I t.
How can the Eternal , the Al l
Be expressed i n any way?
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Space-l i ke, al l -bl i ss am I .
6. Nei ther gross nor subtl e i s my Atman;
I t comes not, and I t goes not;
Wi thout a begi nni ng and wi thout an end;
Nei ther hi gher nor l ower i s I t;
That Truth absol ute, space-l i ke,
I mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge am I .
7. Know wel l that al l the senses
Are as space, and so al so thei r objects.
Know that the One i s tai ntl ess,
The One i s nei ther bound nor free.
That al l -pervasi ve ever-bl i ssful Shi va,
I mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge am I .
8. The knowl edge of the Sel f, hard to obtai n,
Whi ch i s experi enced, i s not Atman;
The object of medi taon,
Hard to concentrate upon, i s not Atman;
That whi ch i s near, and that whi ch i s far, far away,
I s not Atman. Space-l i ke, al l -bl i ss
Shi va am I , Shi va am I .
9. Wi thout karma am I , I burn up karmas;
Wi thout pai n am I , I burn up sueri ngs;
Bodi l ess, homel ess am I , and yet I burn up these,
Al l equani mi ty, space-l i ke am I .
10. The seed of the pl ant of the worl d exi sts not i n me,
Contentment and pl easures exi st not i n me;
Bondage and i gnorance are not i n me;
Space-l i ke, absol ute Shi va am I .
11. Atman i s not the Knower
Nor the known.
I t i s not accessi bl e to i nference.
Words cannot descri be
Thi s Consci ousness Absol ute.
The mi nd i s l ost i n I ts majesty.
How can I t be expl ai ned to you?
As space-l i ke I AM-real i zaon gi vi ng i mmortal i ty
[Space-l i ke i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge am I ].
12. There i s no separaon and no uni ty i n I t.
Nei ther i s I t i nner nor outer.
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I t i s Truth transcendental .
I t cannot be sai d "I t was al l before."
Veri l y nothi ng exi sts but Atman.
And that space-l i ke i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng
Knowl edge am I .
13. I am the eternal pri nci pl e.
Free from aachment and aversi on,
Free from i mperfecons am I ,
Fate and provi dence exi st not i n me.
Eternal l y free from the sueri ngs of the worl d,
Veri l y, space-l i ke i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng
Knowl edge am I .
14. As the three states of consci ousness
Exi st not i n Atman,
How can I t be the Fourth?
Free from past, present and future
How can the cardi nal poi nts exi st i n I T?
Eternal peace, space-l i ke transcendental
Truth am I .
15. Nei ther father nor mother have I ,
Nei ther wi fe nor chi l d.
Bi rth and death I do not know.
The mi nd i s not my own.
Eternal peace, space-l i ke transcendental
Peace am I .
16. Devas and Gods, l i ke I ndra and Brahma,
Have no pl ace i n Atman.
Nei ther Paradi se nor Heaven exi st i n Atman.
The one tai ntl ess transcendental Truth am I .
17. The sayi ng of the Shru "not thi s, not thi s"
Does not appl y to Atman.
How can i t be sai d "When al l i s subtracted
Atman al one remai ns"?
I t i s symbol i cal but not a symbol ;
Yet even thi s cannot be sai d of Atman.
Space-l i ke, the water of i mmortal i ty am I .
18. Maya i s not my modi caon.
Nor i s i ts gl amour mi ne.
Decei t and hypocri sy, truth and untruth
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Have no pl ace i n me.
Space-l i ke, i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge am I .
Chapter 4
1. Nothi ng can be added or taken away from the Uni versal
Consci ousness. I t cannot be i nvoked or worshi pped wi th owers and
l eaves. Medi taons and mantras cannot reach I t. How coul d I t be
worshi pped as Shi va? - for i n I t there are nei ther di sncons nor uni ty.
2. I n the One there i s nei ther bondage nor sal vaon, nei ther puri ty nor
i mpuri ty. From uni on and separaon the One i s free. That space-l i ke
Truth am I .
3. As i n real i ty I am Ni rvana, thoughts as to the real i ty and unreal i ty of
the worl d troubl e me not at al l .
4. Eternal l y free from the tai nt of i gnorance as I am, knowl edge or
i l l usi on never had bi rth i n me. How can I say whether I am bound or
free?
5. Nei ther si n nor vi rtue ever exi sted i n me; by nature I am Ni rvana.
Nei ther the worshi per nor the worshi pped am I . No i nstrucons and no
ri tual s are there for me. Knowl edge al so am I not. By nature I am Ni rvani c
[HPS: Ni rvana].
6. Tai ntl ess Ni rvana am I ; I am nei ther the comprehender nor the
comprehended. Nei ther the cause nor the eect exi sts i n me.
7. Nei ther am I a body, nor am I bodi l ess. The buddhi [note], the mi nd
and the senses are not mi ne. How can I tal k of aachment and
detachment, si nce I am tai ntl ess Ni rvana?
NOTE: Buddhi : The hi gher mi nd whi ch i ncl udes the
di scri mi nave facul ty and i ntui ve reason. I t may al so mean
i ntel l ect.
8. I n me exi st not bi rth, death, puri ty, i mpuri ty, poi son or the water of
i mmortal i ty. Veri l y I am free even from the tai nt of Ni rvana. I cannot
speak of the "Thi rd" or the "Fourth".
9. Nei ther a fool nor a pundi t am I , nei ther si l ent nor of many words;
how can I speak of reasoni ng or argument si nce I am free even from the
15 de 23 21/08/14 15:19
tai nt of Ni rvana?
10. Gi vi ng up al l medi taons, al l good and evi l karma, dri nki ng the
water of i mmortal i ty, the heros know that I from the tai nt of Ni rvana am
free.
11. No ri tual i st i njuncon i s bi ndi ng on me; mi nd, the seat of anxi ees
does not exi st i n me. Far, far from me al so i s egosm. Space-l i ke,
i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge absol ute am I .
12. I cannot say whether the worl d i s nothi ngness or i f i t i s partl y real
and partl y unreal , or, i f l i ke a owi ng ri ver though ever changi ng, i t i s i n
fact real as a whol e. Space-l i ke i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge absol ute
am I .
13. There i s not the l east shadow of name or form i n the I nni te, nor i s
there uni ty or di versi ty i n me. My shamel ess mi nd, why do you create a
confusi on? Space-l i ke i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge absol ute am I .
14. My fri end, there i s no cause for di squi etude si nce you are not the
body. You are i mperi shabl e and eternal , then why do you cry? Rest i n
peace. Space-l i ke, i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng knowl edge absol ute am I .
15. Why are you troubl ed, fri end, si nce avari ce, l ust, aachment, are not
you? [A real i zaon of] space-l i ke, i mmortal i ty-gi vi ng absol ute
knowl edge I am.
16. Why thi s cravi ng for power, compani on, when i n truth weal th i s not
thi ne. "Mi ne" and "thi ne" are not i n you.
17. I n your heart there i s no medi tator, there i s no Samadhi , nor i s there
any possi bi l i ty of medi taon i n Atman. Ti me and causaon never exi sted
i n you.
18. I have tol d the di sci pl e the essence of Truth. There i s no "you" nor
"I ", no worl d, no Guru, or di sci pl e. Know that by nature I am freedom
absol ute. I am transcendental Truth.
19. When Atman, the absol ute exi stence, al one i s, and I t i s I , then
where i s transcendental Truth, where i s bl i ss, where i s knowl edge,
secul ar or spi ri tual ?
20. Unknown to re, water and earth, moonl ess, al l -pervasi ve as
space, knowl edge absol ute know your Atman to be.
21 Renounce, renounce the worl d, and al so renounce
renunci aon, and even gi ve up the absence of renunci aon. By
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nature al l -pervasi ve as space, knowl edge absol ute are you.
Chapter 5
1. The syl l abl e OM spoken i s the essence of the l ower and the hi gher
knowl edge. I t i s Brahman, space-l i ke. There i s nei ther exi stence nor
non-exi stence i n thi s worl d. Brahman i s ever free from dual i ty.
2. You are that Atman of whi ch the Shru says, "Tat Twam Asi [you are
That]." Know that you are free from maya. Do not cry, mi nd, veri l y you are
al l .
3. There i s nei ther hi gher nor l ower i n you. You pervade al l equal l y, and
there i s nei ther i nner nor outer. Then why do you mourn, mi nd? Al l , al l i s
Brahman.
4. Nei ther that whi ch i s i magi ned, nor the i magi naon exi st i n you;
know that cause and eect touch you not. Free from words and al l
expressi ons are you, eternal l y the same. Mi nd, do not cry.
5. To know that there i s nei ther hi gher nor l ower i n Atman i s
Samadhi [note]; to know that Atman i s ever free from me and
space i s Samadhi . Do not cry, mi nd, al l i s Brahman.
NOTE: I t i s a sort of exi stenal deni on.
6. As there i s no jar, there i s no jar space. As there i s no ji va body, no
condi oni ng medi um, there i s no ji va. The cause and eect that produce
condi ons do not exi st i n Atman. Why then do you cry, my mi nd?
7. I t i s al l one whether we l i ve i n a hut i n rerement, or i n a house wi th
many ki nfol k, for Atman i s free from the mul tude as from sol i tude. Free
al so i s I t from knowl edge, theorecal and praccal , Atman bei ng Al l , my
mi nd, do not cry.
Chapter 6
1. The whol e uni verse i s a projecon of the mi nd; therefore i t i s a mode
of the mi nd. The true nature of the mi nd i s bl i ss, and when the mi nd i s
17 de 23 21/08/14 15:19
sl l ed, bl i ss absol ute i s reveal ed.
2. Consci ousness absol ute, bei ng unknowabl e by the mi nd, how can
speech expl ai n i t?
3. The Sel f i s free from day and ni ght, and therefore the concepon of i ts
pi l gri mage i n me and space i s no true one.
4. No sun i l l umi nes Atman; the re and the moon cannot shi ne therei n.
I t i s not equani mi ty or even desi rel essness; how then can acon exi st i n
i t?
5. Nei ther can i t be sai d that I t i s to be known by the absence of acon.
I t i s nei ther wi thi n nor wi thout. I t i s nothi ng but bl i ss absol ute.
6. How can i t be sai d that I t i s the rst or that I t i s the l ast, si nce I t i s
nei ther el ement or compound, nor empness nor ful l ness? Eternal , ever
the same, the essence of al l i s Shi va.
7. The statement that Atman i s descri babl e or i ndescri babl e cannot
stand. Nei ther i s I t the knower nor the known. I t cannot be i magi ned or
dened. How can we say that I t has a mi nd or any of the senses?
8. Space, me, water, re, earth, constung the worl d, are a mere
mi rage. I n truth the One, i mperi shabl e, ever bl i ssful , al one exi sts. There
i s nei ther cl oud nor water i n I t.
9. As there i s no possi bi l i ty of bi rth and death i n I t, so no concepon of
duty nor derel i con of duty can be appl i ed to I t. That undi erenated,
eternal , al l -pervasi ve Shi va al one i s.
10. The modi caons of pri mordi al maer and of i ndi vi dual i zed
consci ousness are i n the real m of cause and eect. When there i s
eternal al l -pervasi ve Shi va al one, how can there be maer or spi ri t
therei n?
11. There i s i n I t no sueri ng, and no possi bi l i ty of sueri ng, because I t
i s free from al l ari butes.
12. There i s no dual i ty i n I t. How can there be age, or youth, or
chi l dhood i n that One eternal pri nci pl e?
13. Atman i s dependent on nothi ng and i s unl i mi ted. The l aw of cause
and eect touches I t not. How can the buddhi , whi ch operates onl y i n
dual i ty, and whi ch i s peri shabl e, di scern I t?
14. I t grasps not, nor i s I t grasped. I t i s not born nor does I t bri ng forth.
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We can onl y say that i n I t there i s no destrucon.
15. I n Atman there i s nei ther manhood nor womanhood, because such
concepons cannot exi st i n eterni ty.
16. There i s no pl easure i n I t, and no facul ty of enjoyi ng pl easure, si nce
I t i s free from such defects as aachment. Equal l y free from doubts and
sueri ng, one and eternal i s Shi va; thus the concepon of "I " and "mi ne"
do not appl y to I t.
17. Nei ther i s there Brahman i n I t, nor the absence of Brahman. Si nce I t
al one exi sts and i s eterni ty, i t must fol l ow that I t i s free from pai n, and
al so from freedom from pai n.
18. There i s no gai n and there i s no l oss. I nfatuaon and worl dl y
wi sdom have no pl ace therei n. When the eternal consci ousness al one
exi sts, how can di scri mi naon or wi sdom, or any such thi ng be contai ned
i n I t?
19. I n I t there i s no "you" and no "I ", therefore fami l y and caste exi st not
therei n. I t i s nei ther true nor untrue. Nei ther i s I t of thi s worl d nor of the
next. How then can one pray to I t?
20. I l l usory i s the connecon of the l earner and the teacher. Teachi ng
and contempl aon, when thus behel d, are not admi ssi bl e. "Veri l y, I am
Shi va." Thi s al one i s the whol e Truth. How then can I pray to I t, or
worshi p I t?
21. The body i tsel f i s i magi ned i n Atman, as i s the whol e uni verse.
Atman i s free from al l di erenaons. Then si nce I am Shi va, there can
be no i dea of prayer or worshi p.
22. Consci ousness absol ute has no body. I t cannot be sai d that I t i s
wi thout a body or ari butes. Al l that can be sai d i s that I t i s bl i ss
absol ute, and that bl i ss am I . Thi s i s the hei ght of worshi p, and thi s i s
the cul mi naon of al l prayer.
23. The Avadhut who has real i zed thi s mystery of al l mysteri es, and has
ri sen to the state of unceasi ng and perfect bl i ss, moves about i n the
crowds unconcerned, radi ang bl i ss and hi gher knowl edge.
24. He i s cl othed i n a habi t of ol d and worn. He wal ks i n a path that i s
free from rel i gi ous meri t or si n. He l i ves i n the templ e of absol ute
empness. Hi s soul i s naked, and free from al l tai nts and modi caons
of [i l l usi ons cal l ed] maya.
25. The Avadhut has no i deal , nei ther stri ves he aer the aai nment of
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an i deal . Havi ng l ost hi s i denty i n Atman, free from the l i mi taons of
maya, free al so from the perfecons of yoga, thus wal ks the Avadhut. He
argues wi th no one, he i s not concerned wi th any object or person.
26. Free from the snares of expectaons and hopes, he has cast o
the worn-out garments of puri ty, ri ghteousness, and al l i deal s. Hi s path
i s free from any such consi deraon. I t can onl y be sai d about hi m that he
i s puri ty absol ute, and i s far, far above the cl ouds of maya and
i gnorance.
27. He has no such thoughts as "I am not i n the body," or "I am not the
body." He has no aversi on, aachment or i nfatuaon towards any object
or person. Pure as space he wal ks, i mmersed i n the i mmacul ate bl i ss of
hi s natural state.
28. The Avadhut may be compared to i mmeasurabl e space. He i s
eterni ty. I n hi m i s nei ther puri ty nor i mpuri ty. There i s no vari ety nor uni ty
i n hi m; no bondage nor absence of bondage.
29. Free from separaon and uni on, free from enjoyment or absence of
enjoyment, he moves cal m and unhurri ed through the worl d. Havi ng
gi ven up al l acvi ty of the mi nd, he i s i n hi s normal state of
i ndescri babl e bl i ss.
30. Atman, wi th whi ch the Avadhut has found natural uni ty, i s l i mi tl ess
and i nconcei vabl e. I t i s unknowabl e by the mi nd. I t i s nei ther a part nor
i s I t di vi ded. I t cannot be sai d, "So far i s i ts provi nce and no farther."
Veri l y, i t i s hard to descri be and hard to obtai n.
31. The Avadhut i s not concerned wi th the thi ngs of the worl d,
because the natural state of Sel f-real i zaon renders al l el se
i nsi gni cant. Death and bi rth have no meani ng; he medi tates not,
nei ther does he worshi p.
32. Al l thi s worl d i s a magi c show, l i ke a mi rage i n the desert.
Concentrated bl i ss, al one and secondl ess, i s Shi va and that i s the
Avadhut.
33. The wi se man does not stri ve for anythi ng, not even for Dharma
[good conduct and ri ghteousness, etc.] or l i beraon. He i s free from al l
acons and movements, and al so from desi re and renunci aon.
34. What do they, the pundi ts, know of hi m? Even the Vedas cannot
speak of hi m perfectl y. That bl i ss absol ute, ever i ndestrucbl e, but a
source of bl i ss to al l , i s the Avadhut.
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Chapter 7
1. When as a pi l gri m, I began to journey towards You, then my l i l e
noons of al l -pervasi veness of Atman di ed.
2. When my mi nd began to medi tate on You, i t l ost al l i nterest i n
objects. When my tongue began to prai se You i t l ost the power of
prai si ng others. I forgot my three great si ns.
3. He whose buddhi i s no l onger aracted towards desi res and
pl easures, whose nature has become joyful and compassi onate, he
who, even i n hi s heart, has no i dea of possessi ons, who i s ever peaceful
and most temperate i n al l thi ngs and i s not moved by any happeni ngs
and events - that muni [a Vedi c maestro] takes refuge i n Atman. Ever
watchful , sol emn as the ocean and ful l of paence.
4. He who has conquered the feel i ngs of pl easure, wrath, avari ce,
aachment, vani ty and aversi on, thi s one i s peace i tsel f, and free from
al l pri de.
5. Eci ent i n hi s undertaki ngs, ful l of compassi on i s the sadhu; he
gi ves pi ty to [many, not] al l , has enmi ty towards no one.
6. He bears paentl y heat and col d, seei ng the one Sel f enl i ghteni ng
al l bodi es. He wal ks sol i tary as a rhi noceros [here: a symbol of
detachment, sol emni ty and peace]. He has become an ocean of Truth
and i s ever engaged i n the work of mercy. Such i s the Avadhut, free from
bi rth and death.
7. The knowers of God wi l l know the meani ng of the word AVADHUT by
the four l eers whi ch form i t, A, V, Dh, T.
8. A stands for freedom from the snares of hopes and expectaons, pure
i n the begi nni ng, i n the mi ddl e and the end, merged i n Sel f-bl i ss.
9. V stands for the roong out of al l desi res aer pl easure, subtl e or
materi al , and for l i fe i n the present as al l -suci ent, the present bei ng
eterni ty.
10. Dh i s the physi cal body, covered wi th di rt and dust, but wi th the
mi nd ever pure, and the heart ever sl l , above contempl aon and
medi taon.
11. T i s the unceasi ng contempl aon of the eternal Truth, and
i ndi erence to the acvi es of the mi nd and senses. I t al so bespeaks
21 de 23 21/08/14 15:19
freedom from egoi sm and pri de.
12. Woe to them that gi ve up thi s knowl edge of the wi sdom of Atman,
whi ch i n i tsel f constutes eternal freedom and joy throughout al l
worl ds, and turn to the real ms of l i mi ted pl easure and of i gnorance.
13. Those who desi re to acqui re thi s eternal bl i ss and of
communi cang i t to others through thei r teachi ng, must gi ve up al l
sensuous pl easures, more especi al l y those whi ch ari se from sex uni on.
14. The body i s made up of i mpure el ements, of bl ood, esh, bones and
the l i ke. Woe to those who are aached to i t, and i ndi erent to the ever
bl i ssful Atman.
15. There are three ki nds of wi ne, produced from syrup, grai n and honey.
But there i s a fourth, the darkest of al l , the wi ne of sex, whi ch has
i ntoxi cated the whol e worl d.
16. When the mi nd i s uncontrol l ed, then the body, whi ch i s the object of
aecon to the i gnorant, al so suers, and when the mi nd i s control l ed,
then the body al so remai ns i n good estate.
17. So, al l you l overs of wi sdom, protect your mi nds from feel i ngs of
pl easure, and engage them i n spi ri tual wi sdom.
18. Thi s i s the song of the great Daatreya Avadhut. Those who read i t
and hear i t wi th respecul aenon [al l i n Sanskri t, then?], they are not
reborn here on earth.
"Bl essed am I ; i n freedom am I .
I am the i nni te i n my soul ;
I can nd no begi nni ng, no end.
Al l i s my Sel f . . "
Note to: "I can nd ... no end": See i f you can nd one
ri ght here, where the song ends.
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Avaduta Gita

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Avaduta Gita

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CHAPTERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Avadhut Gita by Daatreya

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