Chapter XI: Wisdom

#	Sanskrit Original	Translation by Bart Marshall	Translation by John Richards	Translation by Swami Nityaswarupananda
11.1	अष्टावक्र उवाच। भावाभावविकारश्च स्वभावादिति निश्चयी। निर्विकारो गतक्लेशः सुखेनैवोपशाम्यति॥	Ashtavakra said: Existence, non-existence, change - this is the nature of things. Realizing this, stillness, serenity and bliss naturally follow.	Ashtavakra: Unmoved and undistressed, realising that being, non-being and change are of the very nature of things, one easily finds peace.	Ashtavakra said: One who has realized that existence, destruction and change are in the nature of things, easily finds repose, being unperturbed and free from pain.
11.2	ईश्वरः सर्वनिर्माता नेहान्य इति निश्चयी। अन्तर्गलितसर्वाशः शान्तः क्वापि न सज्जते॥	One who knows for certain that "Self creates All and is alone" becomes still, desireless, unattached.	At peace, having shed all desires within, and realising that nothing exists here but the Lord, the Creator of all things, one is no longer attached to anything.	Knowing for certain that Ishwara is the creator of all and that there is none else here, one becomes peaceful with all his desires set at rest within and is not attached to anything whatsoever.
11.3	आपदः सम्पदः काले दैवादेवेति निश्चयी। तृप्तः स्वस्थेन्द्रियो नित्यं न वाञ्छति न शोचति॥	One who knows for certain that adversity and success come and go in obedience to destiny becomes content. He neither desires nor grieves.	Realising that misfortune and fortune come in their turn from fate, one is contented, one's senses under control, and does not like or dislike.	Knowing for certain that adversity and prosperity come in (their own) time through fate, one is ever contented, has all his senses in control and does not desire or grieve.
11.4	सुखदुःखे जन्ममृत्यू दैवादेवेति निश्चयी। साध्यादर्शी निरायासः कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते॥	One who knows for certain that birth and death, happiness and misery, come and go in obedience to destiny sees nothing to accomplish. He engages in non-action, and in action remains unattached.	Realising that pleasure and pain, birth and death are from fate, and that one's desires cannot be achieved, one remains inactive, and even when acting does not get attached.	Knowing for certain that happiness and misery, birth and death are due to one's fate, one comes to see that it is not possible to accomplish the desired things and thus becomes inactive and is not attached even though engaged in action.
11.5	चिन्तया जायते दुःखं नान्यथेहेति निश्चयी। तया हीनः सुखी शान्तः सर्वत्र गलितस्पृहः॥	One who has realized that only by caring is misery caused in the world becomes free, happy, serene, desireless.	Realising that suffering arises from nothing other than thinking, dropping all desires one rids oneself of it, and is happy and at peace everywhere.	One who has realized that care (alone) breeds misery in this world and nothing else, becomes free from it, and is happy, peaceful and rid of desires everywhere.
11.6	नाहं देहो न मे देहो बोधोऽहमिति निश्चयी। कैवल्यमिव संप्राप्तो न स्मरत्यकृतं कृतम्॥	"I am not the body, nor is the body my possession - I am Awareness itself." One who realizes this for certain has no memory of things done or left undone. There is only the Absolute.	Realising, "I am not the body, nor is the body mine. I am awareness", one attains the supreme state and no longer remembers things done or undone.	"I am not the body nor is the body mine. I am Intelligence itself" - one who has realized this for certain, does not remember what he has done or not done as if he has attained the state of Absoluteness.
11.7	आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तमहमेवेति निश्चयी। निर्विकल्पः शुचिः शान्तः प्राप्ताप्राप्तविनिर्वृतः॥	"From Brahma to the last blade of grass - I alone exist." One who knows this for certain becomes immaculate, serene, unconflicted. Attainment has no meaning.	Realising, "I alone exist, from Brahma down to the last clump of grass", one becomes free from uncertainty, pure, at peace and unconcerned about what has been attained or not.	"It is verily I from Brahma down to the clump of grass", - one who knows this for certain, becomes free from the conflict of thought, pure and peaceful and turns away from what is attained and not attained.
11.8	नानाश्चर्यमिदं विश्वं न किञ्चिदिति निश्चयी। निर्वासनः स्फूर्तिमात्रो न किञ्चिदिव शाम्यति॥	One who knows for certain that this manifold and wonderful universe is nothing becomes desireless Awareness and abides in the stillness of No-thing.	Realising that all this varied and wonderful world is nothing, one becomes pure receptivity, free from inclinations, and as if nothing existed, one finds peace.	One who knows for certain that this manifold and wonderful universe is nothing, becomes desireless and Pure Intelligence, and finds peace as if nothing exists.