Avadhuta Gita- the Song of the Avadhuta Read online

  The scriptures have said in many ways – the world and heaven are like water in a mirage. When there is only one eternal Reality, why do you grieve in your heart? You are equanimous to everything. ||5-31||

  Where there is no knowing even upon knowing, there are no scriptures or diverse knowledge. Deeply immersed in equanimity, purified and in the highest spiritual state, I, the Avadhuta, thus speak of the Absolute Reality! ||5-32||

  In this Song of the Avadhuta composed by Shri Dattatreya, this is the fifth chapter on the teaching of the wisdom of the Self.

  Chapter 6

  The scriptures have told us in many ways – the world and heaven are like water in a mirage. If there is only one limitless Shiva (Self) who is everything, then how can it be compared, and to what? ||6-1||

  The Supreme is free of division or non-division, the Supreme is free of action or inaction. If there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, what is the need for sacrificial fires or austerities? ||6-2||

  The One mind is infinite and all-pervading. It is supreme, beyond vastness or smallness. The One mind is limitless Shiva. How then, can it be found in thought or speech? ||6-3||

  The difference between night and day does not exist. The difference between sunrise and sunset does not exist. When there is only one, infinite Shiva who is everything, how can it be the sun and the moon which are shining? ||6-4||

  It has transcended both desire and desirelessness. It has transcended both craving and non-craving. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be thoughts of divisions such as without or within? ||6-5||

  If it is beyond both conclusions and non-conclusions, if it is beyond both emptiness and fullness, if there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be a ‘first’ or a ‘last’? ||6-6||

  If division and non-division do not exist, if the knower and the known do not exist, if there is only one limitless Shiva, how can there be a ‘third’ (mental state) or a ‘fourth’ (mental state)? ||6-7||

  What can be understood by speech is not the truth. What cannot be understood by speech is also not the truth. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can objects, senses, intellect or mind exist? ||6-8||

  Neither space nor air is the truth. Neither earth nor fire is the truth. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can the ocean exist and how can water? ||6-9||

  When the concept of the world does not exist, when the concept of heaven does not exist, when there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be concepts such as the ‘gunas’ and their faults? ||6-10||

  Death or life do not exist. Cause or effect do not exist. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can one speak of going or coming? ||6-11||

  There is no difference between matter (Prakriti) and consciousness (Purusha). When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can one speak of Self or not-Self? ||6-12||

  There is no third ‘guna’ (rajas) which brings one to misery. There is no second ‘guna’ (tamas) which brings one to misery. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be old age, youth or childhood? ||6-13||

  The supreme is beyond stages of life, the supreme is beyond cause and effect. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be concepts such as perishable or imperishable? ||6-14||

  Both the destroyer and the destroyed are false concepts. Both the knowable and unknowable are false concepts. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can the perishable or the imperishable exist? ||6-15||

  Concepts such as male or non-male are destroyed. Concepts such as female or non-female are destroyed. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can amusement or boredom exist? ||6-16||

  When the Supreme is beyond infatuation and lamentation, when the Supreme is beyond doubt and sorrow, when there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, what is this sense of “I” and “mine”? ||6-17||

  There is no righteousness or non-righteousness – these are destroyed. There is no bondage or liberation – these are destroyed. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be concepts such as sorrow or happiness here? ||6-18||

  There is no distinction between the performer of the sacrificial rite, and the sacrificial rite itself. There is no distinction between the object of the sacrifice or the sacrificial fire. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, tell me how can rewards for one’s actions exist? ||6-19||

  Indeed, it is free of joy and sorrow. Indeed, it is free of pride and humility. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, indeed, how can there be concepts such as passion or dispassion? ||6-20||

  There are no distortions such as delusion or non-delusion. There are no distortions such as greed or non-greed. When there is only one limitless Shiva who is everything, how can there be concepts such as discrimination or non-discrimination? ||6-21||

  Indeed! You and I have never ever existed! Concepts such as caste or creed are false. I, myself, am Shiva, the supreme Reality! To whom here then, should I offer my devotion? ||6-22||

  Concepts of guru and disciple are shattered. Concepts of teachings are shattered. I, myself, am Shiva, the supreme Reality! To whom here then, should I offer my devotion? ||6-23||

  There are no concepts of separate bodies. There are no concepts of separate worlds. I, myself, am Shiva, the supreme Reality! To whom here then, should I offer my devotion? ||6-24||

  There is no such thing as clean or unclean. Indeed, there is no stainlessness, changelessness or purity. I, myself, am Shiva, the supreme Reality! To whom here then, should I offer my devotion? ||6-25||

  There are no concepts of body or bodilessness. Uncertainty or certainty both are false. I, myself, am Shiva, the supreme Reality! To whom here then, should I offer my devotion? ||6-26||

  Where there is no knowing even upon knowing, there are no scriptures or diverse knowledge. Deeply immersed in equanimity, purified and in the highest spiritual state, I, the Avadhuta, thus speak of the Absolute Reality! ||6-27||

  In this Song of the Avadhuta composed by Shri Dattatreya, this is the sixth chapter on the teaching of the wisdom of the Self.

  Chapter 7

  An old rag crushed beneath chariots may serve as the garment of the one who walks on the path beyond virtue and sin. He lives naked in an empty hut - pure, stainless, immersed in equanimity. ||7-1||

  His aim is beyond aim and aimlessness. His wisdom is beyond sensibility and insensibility. He is established only in stainless and pure Reality. How then, can the Avadhuta get into speeches and discussions? ||7-2||

  He is free of bondage from the rope of hope. He is free from the harness of acceptable conduct. Thus free from everything, he is pure and stainless - the very essence of peace. ||7-3||

  Where is the thought of body or bodilessness? Where is the thought of passion or passionlessness? Pure and unchanging like the sky, he himself is truth in its natural form. ||7-4||

  Where there is the Absolute Reality, how can there be knowledge or the presence or absence of forms? Where there is the Supreme, infinite as the sky, how can there be perception of sense objects? ||7-5||

  The Self is infinite like the sky, the Self is pure, stainless Reality. How then, can there be division or non-division, bondage or liberation, distortions or divisions? ||7-6||

  There is only one limitless Reality everywhere. Where then, is union or separation or pride here? That One is supreme, never-ending and everything there is! How can that Supreme One have substance or non-substance here? ||7-7||

  Everything is only one stainless Reality. It is pure and limitless like the sky. How then, can it be together or separate? How can this truth be colourful or colourless? ||7-8||

  He is a yogi who is beyond union or separation. He is an enjoyer who is beyond enjoyment or non-enjoyment. He walks slowly and leisurely, while his mind experiences natural b
liss. ||7-9||

  How can the one who is constantly obsessed with knowledge and ignorance, duality and non-duality, be considered liberated? How can a yogi be considered simple or passion-free? Isn’t he an avid enjoyer of One, pure, stainless equanimity? ||7-10||

  He is the divider who is beyond division and non-division. He is the unifier who is beyond union and separation. How then, can he who is equanimous and all-pervading like the sky, be subject to principles or non-principles here? ||7-11||

  He is constantly one with, yet beyond everything! He is one Reality, beyond everything, and free. How can there be life or death for him? How can there be meditation or non-meditation for him? ||7-12||

  All this everywhere is a web of illusion, like the water of a mirage. Reality is only Shiva, unbroken, formless. ||7-13||

  We are transcendental to righteousness and liberation, indifferent to everything! How then, could we wise ones ever even imagine passion or passionlessness? ||7-14||

  Where there is no knowing even upon knowing, there are no scriptures or diverse knowledge. Deeply immersed in equanimity, purified and in the highest spiritual state, I, the Avadhuta, thus speak of the Absolute Reality! ||7-15||

  In this Song of the Avadhuta composed by Shri Dattatreya, this is the seventh chapter on the teaching of the wisdom of the Self.

  Chapter 8

  In my journey towards you, your all-pervasiveness has been destroyed! Through my meditation, the sense of the superiority of your consciousness has been destroyed! By singing hymns unto you, the sense of your superiority of speech has been destroyed! Please always forgive these threefold tendencies in me. ||8-1||

  Free of lust, wise, restrained, gentle, always pure, indifferent, calm, steady, and with all hungers vanished, is the sage who has taken refuge in me. ||8-2||

  The profoundly wise soul is deeply intelligent and aware, has triumphed over the six ‘gunas’ (five senses and the mind), is not arrogant but respectful to others, is deeply insightful, friendly and compassionate towards all. ||8-3||

  He is merciful, non-violent, compassionate and soft towards all embodied beings. He is the essence of truth, an innocent soul, equanimous and the benefactor of all. ||8-4||

  The qualities of the Avadhuta and the meaning of the syllables are known by the blessed ones who know the meaning of the syllables of the Vedas and their essence, who know and talk about the Vedas and Vedanta. ||8-5||

  The quality pertaining to the sound ‘A’ in ‘Avadhuta’ is – one who is free from the bondage of hope (asha pasha vinirmukta), who is free of beginning, middle and end (adimadhyanta nirmala), and who always stays in the state of happiness (ananda). ||8-6||

  The quality pertaining to the sound ‘Va’ in ‘Avadhuta’ is – one who is free of lust (vasana varjita), whose speech (vaktavya) is free of negativity, and who always stays in the present (vartamana). ||8-7||

  The quality pertaining to the sound ‘Dha’ in ‘Avadhuta’ is – one whose limbs are covered in dust (dhulidha), whose mind is devoid of all negativity (dhutachitta), and who is free from all efforts towards concentration and meditation (dharana, dhyana). ||8-8||

  The quality pertaining to the sound ‘Ta’ in ‘Avadhuta’ is – one who deeply contemplates on the truth (tattvachinta dhruta), who is free of worries and desires (chinta, cheshta), and who is free of ignorance and ego (tamoahankara). ||8-9||

  This song of the Avadhuta has been composed in joy by Dattatreya. Whoever reads this or hears this never has to undergo rebirth. ||8-10||

  In this Song of the Avadhuta composed by Shri Dattatreya, this is the eighth chapter on the teaching of the wisdom of the Self.

  The End.

 

 

  Janki Parikh, Avadhuta Gita- the Song of the Avadhuta

 

 

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