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### **Chapter 8 - बंधमोक्ष (Bondage and Liberation)**
1. **धर्माधर्मौ सुखं दुःखं मानसानि न ते विभो।**
**न कर्तासि न भोक्तासि मुक्त एवासि सर्वदा॥1॥**
**dharmādharmau sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ mānasāni na te vibho |**
**na kartāsi na bhoktāsi mukta evāsi sarvadā ||1||**
**Phonetic:**
*dharmādharmau sukham duḥkham mānasāni na te vibho |*
*na kartāsi na bhoktāsi mukta evāsi sarvadā ||1||*
**Relevance:** The concepts of dharma (righteousness), adharma (unrighteousness), happiness, and suffering are all products of the mind and do not belong to you, O Lord. You are neither the doer nor the enjoyer; you are ever free.
This verse serves as a reminder that we are not bound by worldly actions or their outcomes, but rather by our identification with them. In today’s world, where many are burdened by expectations and responsibilities, this teaching encourages inner freedom and detachment from external roles.
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2. **एकः शुद्धोऽसि बुद्धस्त्वं प्रेक्षकः सर्वकर्मणाम्।**
**अकर्ताऽसि न कर्तासि मुक्त एवासि सर्वदा॥2॥**
**ekaḥ śuddho'si buddhastvaṁ prekṣakaḥ sarvakarmaṇām |**
**akartā'si na kartā'si mukta evāsi sarvadā ||2||**
**Phonetic:**
*ekaḥ śuddho'si buddhastvam prekṣakaḥ sarvakarmaṇām |*
*akartā'si na kartā'si mukta evāsi sarvadā ||2||*
**Relevance:** You are one, pure, and aware, witnessing all actions. You are not the doer, nor do you perform any actions. You are always free.
This shloka emphasizes self-awareness and the understanding that one is the pure witness of all actions, not the doer. It is relevant today for those who feel overwhelmed by the need to control everything. It teaches surrender and trust in the flow of life.
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3. **सर्वमात्ममयं दृष्ट्वा न तु द्वैतं कदाचन।**
**अन्तः शुद्धः बहिः शुद्धः शुद्धोऽसि न संशयः॥3॥**
**sarvamātma-mayaṁ dṛṣṭvā na tu dvaitaṁ kadācana |**
**antaḥ śuddhaḥ bahiḥ śuddhaḥ śuddho'si na saṁśayaḥ ||3||**
**Phonetic:**
*sarvam ātma-mayaṁ dṛṣṭvā na tu dvaitaṁ kadācana |*
*antaḥ śuddhaḥ bahiḥ śuddhaḥ śuddho'si na saṁśayaḥ ||3||*
**Relevance:** Seeing everything as pervaded by the Self, never perceive duality. You are pure within and without, there is no doubt about your purity.
This shloka highlights the non-dual nature of reality, encouraging us to see unity rather than separation. In today’s world, where divisions based on identity are rampant, this verse reminds us of our shared essence, promoting peace and harmony.
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4. **बुद्धमेव निराक्रुश्य निद्रामात्रं विशन्ति ते।**
**यस्त्वं जानाति स मुक्तः शेषास्तु विगतास्तमाः॥4॥**
**buddhameva nirākṛśya nidrāmātraṁ viśanti te |**
**yastvaṁ jānāti sa muktaḥ śeṣāstu vigatāstamāḥ ||4||**
**Phonetic:**
*buddhameva nirākṛśya nidrāmātram viśanti te |*
*yastvaṁ jānāti sa muktaḥ śeṣāstu vigatāstamāḥ ||4||*
**Relevance:** People reject awareness and fall into sleep. But the one who knows you (the Self) is free, while the rest remain in darkness.
This verse speaks to the importance of awareness and self-realization. In today’s world, where distractions abound, it serves as a call to awaken to the truth of the Self and move beyond ignorance and confusion.
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### **Relevance of Chapter 8 Today:**
Chapter 8 of the **Ashtavakra Gita** emphasizes the distinction between bondage and liberation, highlighting that liberation comes through self-realization and the understanding that one is not the doer but the eternal witness. In a world where people are often entangled in the dualities of success and failure, happiness and sorrow, the teachings of this chapter remind us of the freedom that comes with detachment and the recognition of our true nature as the ever-free, pure consciousness.
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