Translation:Avadhuta Gita/Chapter 8

by Dattatreya

[8]	अथ अष्टमोऽध्यायः ।।	atha aṣṭamo'dhyāyaḥ //
	Thus dawns the Eighth Chapter

[8:1]	त्वद्यात्रया व्यापकता हता ते	tvadyātrayā vyāpakatā hatā te
	ध्यानेन चेतःपरता हता ते ।	dhyānena cetaḥparatā hatā te /
	स्तुत्या मया वाक्परता हता ते	stutyā mayā vākparatā hatā te
	क्षमस्व नित्यं त्रिविधापराधान् ।। १।।	kśamasva nityaṁ trividhāparādhān //1//
	By making my pilgrimage to Thee Thy all-pervasiveness has been destroyed by me. With my meditation, Thy transcendence of the mind has been destroyed. Thy transcendence of speech has been destroyed by my singing Thy Praise. Ever forgive me these three sins.

[8:2]	कामैरहतधीर्दान्तो मृदुः शुचिरकिञ्चनः ।	kāmairahatadhīrdānto mṛduḥ śucirakiñcanaḥ /
	अनीहो मितभुक् शान्तः स्थिरो मच्छरणो मुनिः ।। २।।	anīho mitabhuk śāntaḥ sthiro maccharaṇo muniḥ //2//
	A sage is one whose intelligence is unsmitten by lusts - who is self-controlled, gentle and pure - who possesses nothing, who is indifferent - who eats moderately - is quiet and steady and has taken refuge in me.
	"intelligence unmitten by lusts", kāma is a complex term which denotes the feelings of love as well as physical lovemaking, sexplay. The coitus of sexuality as well as penetrative foreplay is a study in nonduality or even the resolution of opposites and difference. I have encountered heresay that this chapter was a later addition to the seven chapter core but have not found a reputable source to cite. This verse does not smack of sexual moralizing to me but requires further investigation.

[8:3]	अप्रमत्तो गभीरात्मा धृतिमान् जितषड्गुणः ।	apramatto gabhīrātmā dhṛtimān jitaṣaḍguṇaḥ /
	अमानी मानदः कल्पो मैत्रः कारुणिकः कविः ।। ३।।	amānī mānadaḥ kalpo maitraḥ kāruṇikaḥ kaviḥ //3//
	The sage is vigilant and resolute - has a profound mind and has conquered the six bondages; he is not proud, but gives honour to others; he is strong, friendly to all compassionate and wise.
	maitraḥ kāruṇikaḥ are also paired in the Buddhadharma where they constitute two of the Brahmavihara, 'loving kindness' () and 'compassion' ().

[8:4]	कृपालुरकृतद्रोहस्तितिक्षुः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।	kṛpālurakṛtadrohastitikśuḥ sarvadehinām /
	सत्यसारोऽनवद्यात्मा समः सर्वोपकारकः ।। ४।।	satyasāro'navadyātmā samaḥ sarvopakārakaḥ //4//
	The sage is merciful, non-violent and enduring of all. He is pure hearted and is the essence of truth; he is the same to all and all-beneficent .

[8:5]	अवधूतलक्षणं वर्णैर्ज्ञातव्यं भगवत्तमैः ।	avadhūtalakśaṇaṁ varṇairjñātavyaṁ bhagavattamaiḥ /
	वेदवर्णार्थतत्त्वज्ञैर्वेदवेदान्तवादिभिः ।। ५।।	vedavarṇārthatattvajñairvedavedāntavādibhiḥ //5//
	The sign of an Avudhuta should be known by the blessed ones, by those who know the truth of the significance of the letters of the Vedas and who teach Veda and Vedanta.

[8:6]	आशापाशविनिर्मुक्त आदिमध्यान्तनिर्मलः ।	āśāpāśavinirmukta ādimadhyāntanirmalaḥ /
	आनन्दे वर्तते नित्यमकारं तस्य लक्षणम् ।। ६।।	ānande vartate nityamakāraṁ tasya lakśaṇam //6//
	The significance of the letter "A" is that the Avadhuta is free from the bondage of hopes is pure in the beginning, middle and end and dwells ever in joy.

[8:7]	वासना वर्जिता येन वक्तव्यं च निरामयम् ।	vāsanā varjitā yena vaktavyaṁ ca nirāmayam /
	वर्तमानेषु वर्तेत वकारं तस्य लक्षणम् ।। ७।।	vartamāneṣu varteta vakāraṁ tasya lakśaṇam //7//
	The syllable "VA" is indicative of him by whom all desires have been renounced whose speech is wholesome and who dwells in the present.

[8:8]	धूलिधूसरगात्राणि धूतचित्तो निरामयः ।	dhūlidhūsaragātrāṇi dhūtacitto nirāmayaḥ /
	धारणाध्याननिर्मुक्तो धूकारस्तस्य लक्षणम् ।। ८।।	dhāraṇādhyānanirmukto dhūkārastasya lakśaṇam //8//
	The syllable "DHU" is a sign of him whose limbs are grey with dust - whose mind is purified - who is free from all diseases - and who is released from the practice of concentration and meditation.

[8:9]	तत्त्वचिन्ता धृता येन चिन्ताचेष्टाविवर्जितः ।	tattvacintā dhṛtā yena cintāceṣṭāvivarjitaḥ /
	तमोऽहंकारनिर्मुक्तस्तकारस्तस्य लक्षणम् ।। ९।।	tamo'haṁkāranirmuktastakārastasya lakśaṇam //9//
	The syllable "TA" is significant of him by whom the thought of Truth has been made steady who is devoid of all thoughts and efforts and who is free from ignorance and egoism.

[8:10]	दत्तात्रेयावधूतेन निर्मितानन्दरूपिणा ।	dattātreyāvadhūtena nirmitānandarūpiṇā /
	ये पठन्ति च शृण्वन्ति तेषां नैव पुनर्भवः ।। १०।।	ye paṭhanti ca śṛṇvanti teṣāṁ naiva punarbhavaḥ //10//
	This Gita or song is composed by Dattatreya Avadhuta who is the embodiment of bliss. Whoever reads or hears it has never any rebirth. One who has realized the Self is never reborn.

	इति अष्टमोऽध्यायः ।। ८।।	iti aṣṭamo'dhyāyaḥ //8//
	Thus ends the Eighth Chapter

	इति अवधूत गीता समाप्ता ।।	iti avadhūtagītā samāptā //
	Thus the Avaduta Gita is completed.