AVG 1.15

Chapter 1 (Guidance on self-realization): Verse 15
निःसंगो निष्क्रियोऽसि त्वं स्वप्रकाशो निरञ्जनः ।
अयमेव हि ते बन्धः समाधिमनुतिष्ठति ॥ १-१५॥

PURPORT:

You are beyond attachment and of stillness,
self-luminous and unblemished.
Indeed, the handicap lies in your
persistence to ritualistic ideations.

TRANSLITERATION:

निःसंगः निष्क्रियः असि त्वम् स्वप्रकाशः निरञ्जनः ।
niḥsaṃgaḥ niṣkriyaḥ asi tvam svaprakāśaḥ nirañjanaḥ ।
अयम् एव हि ते बन्धः समाधिम् अनुतिष्ठति ॥ १-१५॥
ayam eva hi te bandhaḥ samādhim anutiṣṭhati ॥ 1-15॥

MEANING:

niḥsaṃgaḥ (निःसंगः) = passionless (as in not passionately attached to any one thing)/unattached
niṣkriyaḥ (निष्क्रियः) = actionless/as in a stilling demeanor of mind and body
asi (असि) = are/to be
tvam (त्वम्) = you
svaprakāśaḥ (स्वप्रकाशः) = self-luminous/clear or evident by itself/self-effulgent
nirañjanaḥ (निरञ्जनः) = spotless/pure/sans blemish ।
ayam (अयम्) = this
eva (एव) = indeed
hi (हि) = surely
te (ते) = your
bandhaḥ (बन्धः) = bound/fettered
samādhim (समाधिम्) = ritual ideation/state of meditation or devotion
anutiṣṭhati (अनुतिष्ठति) = to put into effect/execute/to execute on a task ॥ 1-15॥

COMMENTS:

One of my favorite lines from the poem. This is clear, straightforward and lucid. The message is direct and can be parsed as follows – given that our original natures are free of any (purported) sin, blemishes or attachments of any kind, the only obstacle that we seem to be caught up is an encumbrance of our own making – our somewhat blinkered adherence to scripture, theology, religiosity and all of the ritualistic actions that comes to bear with dogma within our thoughts. I find that theism and associated rituals assert their power over individuals by engaging in one or a combination of the following: governing a significant portion of the adherents life via unequivocal diktats or demanding blind adherence to superstitious tenets or emphatic assertions of imaginary powers beyond rational evidence or by the imperious prophesizing of infernal purgatory. Ashtavakra asks a simple question here – why resort to ritualistic ideations when your true self is inherently impeccable?

“When you are born a lotus flower, be a beautiful lotus flower, don’t try to be a magnolia flower”~ Thich Nhat Hahn