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Astavakta Gita, Chapter 12 -- Of Ignorance

King Janaka

12.1
First of all I was averse to physical activity,
then to lengthy speech, and finally to thinking itself,
which is why I am now established.

12.2
In the absence of delight in sound and the other senses,
and by the fact that I am myself not an object of the senses,
my mind is focused and free from distraction -
which is why I am now established.

12.3
Owing to the distraction of such things as wrong identification,
one is driven to strive for mental stillness.
Recognising this pattern I am now established.

12.4
By relinquishing the sense of rejection and acceptance,
and with pleasure and disappointment ceasing today,
in Brahmin, I am now established.

12.5
Life in a community, then going beyond such a state,
meditation and the elimination of mind-made objects -
by means of these I have seen my error,
and I am now established.

12.6
Just as the performance of actions is due to ignorance,
so their abandonment is too.
By fully recognising this truth,
I am now established.

12.7
Trying to think the unthinkable,
is doing something unnatural to thought.
Abandoning such a practice therefore,
I am now established.

12.8
He who has achieved this has achieved the goal of life.
He who is of such a nature has done what has to be done.