Ashtavakra Samhita

This is one of the Advaita Vedanta books you must read. Not the first book you should read :)

A real gem. Says it as it is. No frills no compromise.

Of the dozen or so translations of Ashtavakra available in English, this one has a lot going for it. This review relates to the 1953 edition. Bart Marshall, the author of another excellent rendition, stated that his was not a new translation as such: he read all the available versions he could find, and chose the particular translation of each verse that 'spoke' to him most profoundly - an excellent strategy! This version is different. The author is not only a Sanskrit scholar with an excellent command of English, but he exhibits a profound understanding of the Ashtavakra itself. His 13 page introduction is a real gem! The format of the book is as follows: each verse is presented in the original Sanskrit. This is followed by a word-for-word literal translation - each Sanskrit word being followed by an English equivalent.. Then comes the author's actual translation into colloquial English. The author highlights one or two words in each verse, expanding the meaning of the chosen English word in order to render the Sanskrit intention more precisely. Finally, he adds a short commentary on each verse. Obviously, the only drawback is that it doesn't 'read' quite so fluently as, for example, Bart Marshall's, simply because the latter is unencumbered with explanatory notes. There can never be a definitive translation of Astavakra, but I feel that this version which was one of the first available in English, provides an essential benchmark.. Returning to this review after several weeks, during which I have compared this translation verse by verse with several others, I must re-iterate my conviction that this translation is a must-have. If I could only choose one, this would be it - and once again, the introduction is a masterly summary of Advaita.

If you are new to advaita philosophy or are looking for a poetic, refreshing/uplifting message paralleling say more popular Hindu texts such as Bhagavad Gita, Astavakra Samhita is not for you. This text is the purest expression of the truth and one's personal biases and motivations can't take advantage of this text. A more popular text like the Bhagavad Gita allows for multiple commentaries and perspectives. Gandhi can make use of it for encouraging people to take action. Jnana yogis can use Bhagavad Gita for their purposes and so can proponents of Bhakti. But, Astavakra's message has little to no commentaries because it is one the purest expressions of the truth. It tells you to realize that you are free....that you are immortal, blissful here and now. Where will your mind go after reading such a message.... one, you will either read it and then forget about it because the message of this text is too pure and powerful for your mind (and 99% of people's minds) to grasp, and you cannot use this message to meet your poetic, doctrinal, orthopraxy needs. two, you will psychologically/intellectually think you are free and/or continue you're life untransformed in which case this text will serve no practical purpose for you. Certainly though, you can have good understanding of advaita philosophy. three, you will be actually transformed just like Janaka was upon hearing Astavakra's text. This text is pure expression of truth which in theory is realized, as according to Astavakra, but very few can realize it the way Janaka realizes it by simply hearing it by Astavakra. Perhaps one in hundreds of millions of people can the way Janaka does. The key for most of us that fall under the "two" category is to integrate this philosophy into our meditation and spiritual practices to slowly establish "being free", that is to be established in pure consciousness. If you can or atleast try to integrate this message of this text into your life practically/existentially, there is immense potential.

One of the most important and deep hindu books for advaita vedanta students.

Great book, thanks!

Arrived in time, in excellent shape. Very good print and paper quality. The book contains the original Sanskrit verses and has been translated very well, with both word-by-word translation, as well verse synopsis and also includes topical notes per verse. And the English translation is flawless and polished, with no jarring grammatical or typographical errors (a far as I've got in the book) to detract from the very ethereal concepts discussed - a testament to proofreading. Perfect for seekers and students of Sanskrit alike. Sashtang pranams to Swami Nityaswarupananda for sharing his perception through this labour of love.

Buch einwandfrei aus Indien angekommen. Gutes Aussehen der gedruckten Worte, gute Übersicht der veschiedenen Sprachen und Erläuterungen, gutes Papier. Der Preis ist unglaublich.