The Annotated Ashtavakra Gita – a Vedic Wisdom

In Ashtavakra Gita, the student is King Janaka, one of the most revered kings who rules his kingdom efficiently, is himself an awakened human being, enjoys all the luxuries and pleasures of life, and still, he remains unattached to everything as if he possesses nothing. He often engages with spiritual discourses and is always interested in both teachings, the wisdom of life to those who want to learn from him and those he thinks are worth learning from.

Ashtavakra literally means someone whose eight limbs are bent or handicapped. He had an in-depth understanding of the Self and summarized the Advait (nondual) philosophy beautifully in a small text called Ashtavakra Gita. Ashtavakra is simple, bold, clear, and to the point. He teaches that you instantly transform yourself once you go beyond fear and doubt. He bluntly makes us aware of awareness: “Yesterday I lived bewildered, in illusion. But now I am awake, flawless and serene, beyond the world.”