Ch 10

10: Quietude

Ashtavakra said: 

Give up desire, 

which is the enemy. 

Give up prosperity, 

which is born of mischief and good works. 

Be indifferent. 

Look upon 

friends, lands, wealth, houses, wives, gifts-and  

all apparent good fortune-as 

a passing show, 

as a dream lasting three to five days. 

Where there is desire, there is the world. 

Be firm in non-attachment. 

Be free of desire. 

Be happy. 

Bondage and desire are the same. 

Destroy desire and be free. 

Only by detaching from the world 

does one joyfully realize Self. 

You are One

Awareness itself. 

The universe is neither aware 

nor does it exist. 

Even ignorance is unreal. 

What is left to know? 

Attached as you have been to 

kingdoms, sons, wives, bodies, pleasures

life after life

still they are now lost forever. 

Prosperity, pleasure, pious deeds& 

Enough! 

In the dreary forest of the world 

the mind finds no rest. 

For how many lifetimes 

have you done hard and painful labor 

with body, mind and speech? 

It is time to stop.