Customer Reviews

Astavakra Samhita

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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.

If I have to recommend someone to read just one book or one scripture, it would be Ashtavakra Gita.

This is a wonderful translation, commentary and word by word explanation of one of the greatest wisdom texts in existence.

I ordered twelve copies.

Highly recommended.