Foreword
The
Ashtavakra Gita, or the Ashtavakra Samhita
as it is sometimes called, is a very
ancient Sanskrit text. Nothing seems to be
known about the author, though tradition
ascribes it to the Sage Ashtavakra - hence
the name.
There
is little doubt though that it is very
old, probably dating back to the days of
the classic Vedanta period. The Sanskrit
style and the doctrine expressed would
seem to warrant this assessment.
The
work was known, appreciated and quoted by
Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda,
as well as by Ramana Maharshi, while
Radhakrishnan always refers to it with
great respect. Apart from that the work
speaks for itself. It presents the
traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta
with a clarity and power very rarely
matched.
The
translation here is by John Richards, and
is presented to the public domain with his
affection. The work has been a constant
inspiration in his life for many years.
May it be so for many others.
John
Richards, Stackpole Elidor, UK (jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk)
.
Presented
to the public domain 28.5.94
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by Gene R. Thursday 28.1.98
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