Chapter IX: Detachment

#	Sanskrit Original	Translation by Bart Marshall	Translation by John Richards	Translation by Swami Nityaswarupananda
9.1	अष्टावक्र उवाच। कृताकृते च द्वन्द्वानि कदा शान्तानि कस्य वा। एवं ज्ञात्वेह निर्वेदाद्भव त्यागपरोऽव्रती॥	Ashtavakra said: Opposing forces, duties done and left undone - when does it end and for whom? Considering this, be ever desireless, let go of all things, and to the world turn an indifferent eye.	Ashtavakra: Knowing when the dualism of things done and undone has been put to rest, or the person for whom they occur has, then you can here and now go beyond renunciation and obligations by indifference to such things.	Ashtavakra said: Duties done and not done as well as the pairs of opposites - when do they cease and for whom? Knowing thus, be intent on renunciation and desireless through complete indifference to the world.
9.2	कस्यापि तात धन्यस्य लोकचेष्टावलोकनात्। जीवितेच्छा बुभुक्षा च बुभुत्सोपशमं गताः॥	Rare and blessed is one whose desire to live, to enjoy and to know, has been extinguished by observing the ways of men.	Rare indeed, my son, is the lucky man whose observation of the world's behaviour has led to the extinction of his thirst for living, thirst for pleasure and thirst for knowledge.	Rare indeed, my child, is that blessed person whose desire for life, enjoyment and learning have been extinguished by observing the ways of men.
9.3	अनित्यं सर्वमेवेदं तापत्रितयदूषितम्। असारं निन्दितं हेयमिति निश्चित्य शाम्यति॥	Seeing all things as threefold suffering, the sage becomes still. Insubstantial, transient, contemptible - the world is fit only for rejection.	All this is impermanent and spoilt by the three sorts of pain. Recognising it to be insubstantial, comtemptible and only fit for rejection, one attains peace.	A wise man becomes quiet by realizing that all this is vitiated by the threefold misery and is transient, unsubstantial, contemptible and worthy to be rejected.
9.4	कोऽसौ कालो वयः किं वा यत्र द्वन्द्वानि नो नृणाम्। तान्युपेक्ष्य यथाप्राप्तवर्ती सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्॥	Was there an age or time men existed without opposites? Leave the opposites behind. Be content with what comes. Perfection.	When was that age or time of life when the dualism of extremes did not exist for men? Abandoning them, a person who is happy to take whatever comes attains perfection.	What is that time or that age in which the pairs of opposites do not exist for men? One who quitting those is content with what comes of itself attains perfection.
9.5	नाना मतं महर्षीणां साधूनां योगिनां तथा। दृष्ट्वा निर्वेदमापन्नः को न शाम्यति मानवः॥	The greatest seers, saints and yogis agree on very little. Seeing this, who could not be indifferent to knowledge and become still?	Who does not end up with indifference to such things and attain peace when he has seen the differences of opinions among the great sages, saints and yogis?	What man is there, who having observed the diversity of opinions among the great seers, saints and Yogis, and become completely indifferent (to learning) does not attain quietude?
9.6	कृत्वा मूर्तिपरिज्ञानं चैतन्यस्य न किं गुरुः। निर्वेदसमतायुक्त्या यस्तारयति संसृतेः॥	One who through worldly indifference, through serenity and reason, sees his true nature and escapes illusion - is he not a true teacher?	Is he not a guru who, endowed with dispassion and equanimity, achieves full knowledge of the nature of consciousness, and leads others out of samsara?	He who gains a knowledge of the true nature of Pure Consciousness by means of complete indifference to the world, equanimity and reasoning, and saves others from the world, - is he not really the spiritual guide?
9.7	पश्य भूतविकारांस्त्वं भूतमात्रान् यथार्थतः। तत्क्षणाद्बन्धनिर्मुक्तः स्वरूपस्थो भविष्यसि॥	In the myriad forms of the universe see the primal element alone. You will be instantly free, and abide in Self.	If you would just see the transformations of the elements as nothing more than the elements, then you would immediately be freed from all bonds and established in your own nature.	Look upon the modifications of the elements as nothing in reality but the primary elements themselves and you will at once be free from bondage and abide in your true self.
9.8	वासना एव संसार इति सर्वा विमुञ्च ताः। तत्त्यागो वासनात्यागात्स्थितिरद्य यथा तथा॥	Desire creates the world - renounce it. Renounce desires and you renounce the world. Now you may live as you are.	One's inclinations are samsara. Knowing this, abandon them. The renunciation of them is the renunciation of it. Now you can remain as you are.	Desire alone is the world. Do you, therefore, renounce all those. The renunciation of that (i.e. the world) follows the renunciation of desire. Now you may live wherever you are.