Seven shlokas from Chapter 5 of the **Ashtavakra Gita** in Sanskrit with phonetic transliteration, followed by their relevance in today’s world:
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### **Chapter 5 - लयः (Dissolution into the Self)**
1. **न त्वं देहो न ते देहो भोक्ता कर्तासि नाभवः।**
**चित्साक्षी साक्षिणं विद्धि निरपेक्षं निरंजनम्॥1॥**
**na tvaṁ deho na te deho bhoktā kartāsi nābhavaḥ |**
**citsākṣī sākṣiṇaṁ viddhi nirapekṣaṁ nirañjanam ||1||**
**Relevance:** You are not the body, nor does the body belong to you. You are not the doer or experiencer. You are the pure witness, independent and unstained. In today's world, this verse reminds us to disassociate from material identification and ego, allowing us to view life from the perspective of an impartial observer, leading to inner peace and detachment.
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2. **रागद्वेषौ मनोधर्मौ न मनस्ते कदाचन।**
**निर्विकारः शुभाशुभयोर्भोक्ता बक्ता सुखं चर॥2॥**
**rāgadveṣau manodharmau na manaste kadācana |**
**nirvikāraḥ śubhāśubhayor bhoktā bhoktā sukhaṁ cara ||2||**
**Relevance:** Attachment and aversion are characteristics of the mind, not of you. You are beyond these, and therefore indifferent to good and bad. In modern times, where emotional swings often dictate our happiness, this verse teaches the importance of staying unaffected by dualities and remaining balanced.
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3. **सर्वं आत्मवशं पश्य जगद्व्यक्तं न किंचन।**
**दृष्टं मृगतृष्णिकेवं सदसत्तत्त्ववर्जितम्॥3॥**
**sarvaṁ ātmavaśaṁ paśya jagadvyaktaṁ na kiṁcana |**
**dṛṣṭaṁ mṛgatṛṣṇikevaṁ sadasattattvavarjitam ||3||**
**Relevance:** See everything as under the control of the Self. The world is like a mirage, appearing real but lacking true substance. In today's materialistic society, this verse encourages us to view the world as an illusion and focus on the Self, the only true reality.
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4. **आत्मा सर्वगतोऽप्येकः कः कर्ता कस्य किं कुतः।**
**दृष्ट्वा निःस्पृहया शान्तः सर्वं त्यक्त्वा सुखी भव॥4॥**
**ātmā sarvagato'pyekaḥ kaḥ kartā kasya kiṁ kutaḥ |**
**dṛṣṭvā niḥspṛhayā śāntaḥ sarvaṁ tyaktvā sukhī bhava ||4||**
**Relevance:** The Self is all-pervading and One. Who is the doer, and what is done by whom? Seeing this truth with dispassion, abandon all attachments and be happy. In today's fast-paced life filled with personal responsibilities and stress, this verse reminds us that true happiness lies in non-attachment and the realization that we are not the doer.
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5. **अद्वितीयोऽसि बोद्धव्यो ह्रियमाणं प्रमेहि तत्।**
**सङ्गताकर्षसंघर्षवर्जं शुद्धं समाधिना॥5॥**
**advitīyo'si boddhavyo hriyamāṇaṁ pramehi tat |**
**saṅgatākarṣasaṅgharṣavarjaṁ śuddhaṁ samādhinā ||5||**
**Relevance:** You are the non-dual, pure consciousness. Meditate on this truth, free from attraction, conflict, and disturbance. In today's world of constant distractions and competition, this verse guides us to remain focused on inner purity and unity, transcending external chaos.
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6. **किंचित्परिहरेद्घोरेयं संसारवसन्तिका।**
**योऽयमेवात्मनः प्राप्तो न तस्य त्वमसाधनम्॥6॥**
**kiṁcit parihared ghoreyaṁ saṁsāravasantikā |**
**yo'yamevātmanah prāpto na tasya tvam asādhanam ||6||**
**Relevance:** Once you have attained the Self, this terrifying worldly existence is nothing. There are no means or effort required for the one who has reached Self-realization. Today, when people are constantly seeking external means for fulfillment, this verse highlights that true peace and liberation come from within, requiring no external effort.
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7. **नासंशयं महत्तत्त्वं विषमस्थे चित्तवर्तते।**
**अत्रानायासेनैव सिद्धिर्भवति सङ्गमः॥7॥**
**nāsaṁśayaṁ mahat tattvaṁ viṣamasthé cittavartate |**
**atrānāyāsenaiva siddhirbhavati saṅgamaḥ ||7||**
**Relevance:** Without a doubt, the supreme truth remains even when the mind appears to waver. Even in this state, realization can happen effortlessly when there is no attachment. In today's era, where people's minds are always busy and distracted, this verse reassures that realization can still happen with ease when the mind is free from attachments.
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### **Relevance of Chapter 5 Today:**
Chapter 5 of the **Ashtavakra Gita** focuses on the dissolution of ignorance and realizing the Self as pure consciousness, untouched by duality, desires, and suffering. This chapter holds great relevance in today’s world for several reasons:
1. **Overcoming Stress and Anxiety:** Many of us are deeply attached to the outcomes of our actions, leading to stress. This chapter teaches that we are not the doer and should dissolve into the Self to find peace and freedom from anxiety.
2. **Detachment from Materialism:** The Gita's emphasis on seeing the world as a mirage reminds us not to overly identify with material gains, status, or possessions. In an era of consumerism, detachment from worldly distractions can lead to true happiness.
3. **Balancing Life’s Dualities:** Modern life often involves extreme emotional swings, from joy to sorrow, success to failure. The teachings from this chapter advise equanimity, seeing oneself as the witness of life’s events without becoming attached to them.
4. **Spiritual Practice for Inner Peace:** The importance of realizing the Self beyond body and mind offers an antidote to the modern condition of constant mental agitation. By practicing meditation and Self-inquiry, as suggested, one can find deep and lasting peace.
The dissolution of ego and worldly illusions emphasized in this chapter provides a path to liberation, even in today’s fast-paced, complex world.
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