AVG 15.1

Chapter 15 (A Celebration of the Seekers Native Self): Verse 1
अष्टावक्र उवाच ॥
यथातथोपदेशेन कृतार्थः सत्त्वबुद्धिमान् ।
आजीवमपि जिज्ञासुः परस्तत्र विमुह्यति ॥ १५-१॥

PURPORT:
A seeker demonstrating a choiceness
outlook to life gains clarity in awareness
even with guidance that is casually imparted
and instructed in the simplest of ways.
The other (who relies on conceptual
knowledge and rote formalities) may
remain perplexed and confused despite
an earnest willingness to learn
and enquire throughout their lives.

TRANSLITERATION:
अष्टावक्र उवाच ॥
aṣṭāvakra uvāca ॥
यथातथा उपदेशेन कृतार्थः सत्त्वबुद्धिमान् ।
yathātathā upadeśena kṛtārthaḥ sattvabuddhimān ।
आजीवम् अपि जिज्ञासुः परः तत्र विमुह्यति ॥ १५-१॥
ājīvam api jijñāsuḥ paraḥ tatra vimuhyati ॥ 15-1॥

MEANING (concordance as numbered):
1. aṣṭāvakra (अष्टावक्र) = Aṣṭāvakra
2. uvāca (उवाच) = said ॥
4. yathātathā (यथातथा) = in whatever manner (compound of yathā (यथा) meaning ‘however it might be’ and tathā (तथा) meaning ‘it is so’)
5. upadeśena (उपदेशेन) = by guidance/by instruction
6. kṛtārthaḥ (कृतार्थः) = attains their goal/objective
3. sattvabuddhimān (सत्त्वबुद्धिमान्) = one whose intellect is pure and unsullied (compound of sattva (सत्त्व) meaning ‘pure/transperent’ and buddhimān (बुद्धिमान्) meaning ‘one who is intelligent by way of awareness’). As in someone who demonstrates a choiceness attitude to the vicissitudes in life।
8. ājīvam (आजीवम्) = throughout life
10. api (अपि) = even
9. jijñāsuḥ (जिज्ञासुः) = desirous to enquire/curious to search and understand
7. paraḥ (परः) = the other/the one not so (as in the one not a jijñāsuḥ (जिज्ञासुः))
11. tatra (तत्र) = there
12. vimuhyati (विमुह्यति) = is perplexed/is bewildered॥ 15-1॥

COMMENT:
This chapter is a celebration of the self that we innately possess and the various ways by which we find joy within the self as well as find stillness in ourselves. The verse reminds us that finding solace within oneself can be undertaken via multiple paths so long as the path does not strike the seeker as being unreasonable in its demands on their frame of reference nor incoherent in its approach. The simplest form of the message being that the path to stillness starts with the fondness and respect that one feels for their own selves. Anytime the seekers get angry, frustrated, jealous or undervalued, understand forthwith that the seekers ego has climbed back on the drivers seat. Gently work to unseat that driver - not by force (for nothing truly enduring and tranquil is achieved by force) - but, by understanding the deeper reasons (the Sanskrit word for this is vichara*) for such emotions like anger or frustration or jealousy to arise within themselves. In most cases, after the process of introspection (vichara), the underlying cause is found for such an arising, the drivers seat becomes suddenly empty and one feels a distinct measure of liberation enveloping oneself. The verse itself cautions the seeker against those who overly rely on the amassing of conceptual knowledge and the practicing of rote doctrinal procedures handed down and followed without the application of reason nor rationality. For such seekers, the danger remains in them remaining within a state of perplexity and confusion despite demonstrating a sincere eagerness and enthusiasm to ascertain and enquire all through their seeking lives.


*Vichāra or the deliberative reasoning about cause and effect and the process of arriving at clarity in awareness. The process of vichara is antithetical to faith, doctrine or religion (which are more involved with the essence of something rather than rational reasoning). Vichara is rational reasoning that clearly allows the seeker to discriminate the conventional nature of things as opposed to their ultimate natures and thus helps dissipate biases that are rooted within irrationality, preconceptions and personally conditioned tendencies to scrutinizing the truth.