Astavakra Samhita

the astavakra gita is a pinnacle of Sanātana Dharma ineffable and sublime, the truth presented by this exposition is a great and shining jewel. the astavakra gita is also a Nididhyasana text, it is not for someone with a mild curiosity about the topic, but rather, for one who is engaged in a path of transformation and self-inquiry; that is to say, it's not something to read just with eyes and a brain, but, rather, with reflecting upon the entirety of one's being.

If you are new to advaita philosophy or are looking for a poetic, refreshing/uplifting message paralleling say more popular Hindu texts such as Bhagavad Gita, Astavakra Samhita is not for you. This text is the purest expression of the truth and one's personal biases and motivations can't take advantage of this text. A more popular text like the Bhagavad Gita allows for multiple commentaries and perspectives. Gandhi can make use of it for encouraging people to take action. Jnana yogis can use Bhagavad Gita for their purposes and so can proponents of Bhakti. But, Astavakra's message has little to no commentaries because it is one the purest expressions of the truth. It tells you to realize that you are free....that you are immortal, blissful here and now. Where will your mind go after reading such a message.... one, you will either read it and then forget about it because the message of this text is too pure and powerful for your mind (and 99% of people's minds) to grasp, and you cannot use this message to meet your poetic, doctrinal, orthopraxy needs. two, you will psychologically/intellectually think you are free and/or continue you're life untransformed in which case this text will serve no practical purpose for you. Certainly though, you can have good understanding of advaita philosophy. three, you will be actually transformed just like Janaka was upon hearing Astavakra's text. This text is pure expression of truth which in theory is realized, as according to Astavakra, but very few can realize it the way Janaka realizes it by simply hearing it by Astavakra. Perhaps one in hundreds of millions of people can the way Janaka does. The key for most of us that fall under the "two" category is to integrate this philosophy into our meditation and spiritual practices to slowly establish "being free", that is to be established in pure consciousness. If you can or atleast try to integrate this message of this text into your life practically/existentially, there is immense potential.

This is an easy and thoroughly enjoyable read, the best translation available. There is also a parallel with the Sanskrit throughout if you're the scholarly type. It is a very short read, it won't take you more than a few days to finish. When I was trying to explore more Advaita Vedanta philosophy, this text was by far the most recommended next to the Avadhuta Gita. This text will teach you more about the nature of liberation, or moksha rather.

I'm still reading this work, as someone who's been studying Vedanta, Hinduism, and Buddhism for the last few years. It's been my experience not to rush through these texts, but rather, to absorb them and apply them in daily life. And to take good notes, and perhaps check out youtube channels related to the topics. I'm a big fan of Swami Vivekananda and his approach to Vedanta. This particular text is published by Vedanta Press, and they have great teachers online, who can be found on youtube, in particular the Vedanta NY channel, which is produced by the center that Vivekananda founded in 1894. Anyone reading this book can find gems in it, but for the new student of Vedanta, it helps to have a study group or youtube videos to make things plain. Love this stuff! Namaste!

Talking with chatgpt 3 and it is stating the is not the original prose of Swami Nityaswarupananda. ??

If you are a beginner or looking for some basics in vedanta, this book in not for you. However, Astavakra Samhita is a must have for Advaita Vendantin (associated with Adi Shankararcarya). It is written with immense clarity and explains the nature of the Self explicitly. Every chapter is exhilarating and brings the reader to a higher level. If you are looking for a book without any lengthy stories, parables, hard to understand concepts and spiritual gymnasctics which makes you even more confused and frustrated after reading them, then this book is for you. Simply amazing!

This is a recommended piece for anyone interested in non-duality. A good translation. Not quick reading, but a reflective text..

This book is fantastic. I purchased Astavakra after watching one of Swami Sarvapriyananda’s talks on it. Profound truths on every page. Sometimes you have to put the book down because the verses can send one into a meditative state. Quite possibly the best $7 I’ve ever spent. Lifetime of knowledge for 7 dollars.... wow. I do wish there was the Roman transliteration of the verses so those of us that can’t read Devanagari could learn some of the verses. But I’m sure that is online somewhere.