The Self Beyond Duality
The Avadhuta Gita, attributed to the sage Dattatreya, is a crown jewel of Advaita Vedanta—a radical expression of nonduality (Advaita). Chapter 2, Verses 31–40 strip away all ritualistic, mental, and conceptual coverings to reveal the pure Self (Ātman) — eternal, indivisible, and formless.
Each verse here asserts that realization is not dependent on scriptures, practices, initiations, or states of discipline. The Self is beyond.
📖 Verse 31
🕉️ Sanskrit
निरामयं निष्प्रतिमं निराकृतिं
निराश्रयं निर्वपुषं निराशिषम् ।
निर्द्वन्द्वनिर्मोहमलुप्तशक्तिकं
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३१॥
📜 English
He attains the supreme Self, who is eternal, pure, formless, supportless, desireless, beyond dualities, and undiminished in power.
📚 Hindi
जो शुद्ध, निराकार, निराधार, इच्छारहित, द्वंद्वों से परे, मोह से मुक्त और अक्षय शक्ति से युक्त है — ऐसा शाश्वत आत्मा प्राप्त होता है।
💡 Insight
The Self cannot be limited by form, qualities, or polarities. Realization frees us from all illusion.
🔥 Example
Ramana Maharshi realized the Self without any initiation, rituals, or scriptures—through sheer self-inquiry.
📖 Verse 32
🕉️ Sanskrit
वेदो न दीक्षा न च मुण्डनक्रिया
गुरुर्न शिष्यो न च यन्त्रसम्पदः ।
मुद्रादिकं चापि न यत्र भासते
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३२॥
📜 English
The supreme Self is beyond Vedas, initiations, shaving rites, teachers, disciples, yantras, or mudras.
📚 Hindi
जहाँ वेद, दीक्षा, मुण्डन, गुरु, शिष्य, यंत्र, मुद्रा आदि कुछ भी नहीं है — ऐसा शाश्वत आत्मा प्राप्त होता है।
💡 Insight
Spiritual freedom is not achieved through rituals but through direct realization.
🔥 Example
Jiddu Krishnamurti renounced all institutional teachings and said: “Truth is a pathless land.”
📖 Verse 33
🕉️ Sanskrit
न शाम्भवं शाक्तिकमानवं न वा
पिण्डं च रूपं च पदादिकं न वा ।
आरम्भनिष्पत्तिघटादिकं च नो
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३३॥
📜 English
No Shaiva, Shakta, Vaishnava initiation, no image, form, or symbolic object leads to the eternal Self.
📚 Hindi
न शाम्भवी, न शाक्तिक, न मानव दीक्षा; न पिण्ड, न रूप, न पद आदि — ऐसा शाश्वत आत्मा प्राप्त होता है।
💡 Insight
Initiations are tools, not truths. The Self needs none of these.
🔥 Example
Kabir rejected all sects, insisting on the nirguna (formless) God within.
📖 Verse 34
🕉️ Sanskrit
यस्य स्वरूपात्सचराचरं जगदुत्पद्यते
तिष्ठति लीयतेऽपि वा ।
पयोविकारादिव फेनबुद्बुदास्तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३४॥
📜 English
The universe arises from, exists in, and dissolves into the Self — like bubbles in water.
📚 Hindi
जिससे जगत उत्पन्न होता है, स्थिर रहता है, और अंततः लीन हो जाता है — वह शाश्वत आत्मा है।
💡 Insight
The universe is a fleeting appearance; the Self is the constant source.
🔥 Example
Swami Vivekananda taught that all existence is a manifestation of Brahman.
📖 Verse 35
🕉️ Sanskrit
नासानिरोधो न च दृष्टिरासनं
बोधोऽप्यबोधोऽपि न यत्र भासते ।
नाडीप्रचारोऽपि न यत्र किञ्चित्
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३५॥
📜 English
In the Self, there is no pranayama, no gaze, no posture, no knowledge or ignorance.
📚 Hindi
जहाँ न प्राणायाम, न दृष्टि, न आसन, न ज्ञान, न अज्ञान — वह शाश्वत आत्मा है।
💡 Insight
Techniques are ladders; the Self is the sky. Let go.
🔥 Example
Lao Tzu’s Taoist wisdom mirrors this: "The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao."
📖 Verse 36
🕉️ Sanskrit
नानात्वमेकत्वमुभत्वमन्यता
अणुत्वदीर्घत्वमहत्त्वशून्यता ।
मानत्वमेयत्वसमत्ववर्जितं
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३६॥
📜 English
Self has no multiplicity, no unity, no size, no comparison, no attributes.
📚 Hindi
न अनेकता, न एकता, न माप, न तुलना — वह शाश्वत आत्मा है।
💡 Insight
Realization demands transcending all categories, labels, and definitions.
🔥 Example
Nisargadatta Maharaj: "You are not what you believe yourself to be."
📖 Verse 37
🕉️ Sanskrit
सुसंयमी वा यदि वा न संयमी
सुसंग्रही वा यदि वा न संग्रही ।
निष्कर्मको वा यदि वा सकर्मकः
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३७॥
📜 English
Whether disciplined or not, active or inactive — one may still attain the Self.
📚 Hindi
संयमी हो या असंयमी, कर्मी हो या अकर्मी — वह आत्मा को प्राप्त कर सकता है।
💡 Insight
Self-realization isn’t merit-based. Grace flows unconditionally.
🔥 Example
Lalla (Lal Ded) attained liberation despite living outside norms of religion and culture.
📖 Verse 38
🕉️ Sanskrit
मनो न बुद्धिर्न शरीरमिन्द्रियं
तन्मात्रभूतानि न भूतपञ्चकम् ।
अहंकृतिश्चापि...
तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ॥ ३८॥
📜 English
The Self is not mind, intellect, body, senses, elements, or ego.
📚 Hindi
आत्मा न मन है, न बुद्धि, न शरीर, न पंचभूत, न अहंकार।
💡 Insight
The real “I” is not a part of the body-mind system — it is the timeless observer.
🔥 Example
Sri Ramakrishna often transcended body-mind awareness in Samadhi.
📖 Verse 39
🕉️ Sanskrit
विधौ निरोधे परमात्मतां गते
...
सर्वं विधेयं यदि वा निषिध्यते ॥ ३९॥
📜 English
Beyond all scriptural injunctions, the Self remains untouched by do's and don'ts.
📚 Hindi
जब योगी परमात्मा में स्थित होता है, तब न विधि रहती है, न निषेध।
💡 Insight
True freedom begins when you go beyond morality and identity.
🔥 Example
Bhagavan Nityananda lived in complete abandon, yet radiated divine purity.
📖 Verse 40
🕉️ Sanskrit
मनो वचो यत्र न शक्तमीरितुं
...
तत्त्वं हि समं प्रकाशते ॥ ४०॥
📜 English
Where mind and words fail, Truth alone shines — taught only in silence.
📚 Hindi
जहाँ मन और वाणी असमर्थ हैं, वहाँ केवल मौन में ही सत्य प्रकट होता है।
💡 Insight
Silence is the final guru.
🔥 Example
Ramakrishna would often answer deep questions with tears or silence.
| Shloka | Focus | Modern Insight |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Nature of the Self | Transcends dualities and forms |
| 32 | Beyond Rituals | Self-realization beyond formal practices |
| 33 | Transcending Initiations | Liberation beyond sectarian methods |
| 34 | Source of the Universe | Self as the origin and dissolution point |
| 35 | Beyond Yogic Practices | Self not confined to physical disciplines |
| 36 | Beyond Attributes | Self beyond all conceptual categories |
| 37 | Accessibility | Realization not limited by practices |
| 38 | Beyond Constituents | Self transcends body, mind, and elements |
| 39 | Freedom from Prescriptions | Enlightenment beyond purity and impurity |
| 40 | Ineffability of Truth | Ultimate reality beyond words and mind |
✨ English Summary
-
The Self is formless, timeless, and beyond dualities.
-
Realization is not dependent on rituals, gurus, or scriptures.
-
The universe is a projection and dissolution of the Self.
-
No technique, no attribute, no sect can define the Absolute.
-
The final teaching is silence; the teacher is experience itself.
✨ हिंदी सारांश
-
आत्मा निराकार, शाश्वत और द्वंद्वों से रहित है।
-
न वेद, न गुरु, न कर्म — आत्मबोध का आधार नहीं।
-
जगत आत्मा से उत्पन्न होकर उसमें लीन होता है।
-
आत्मा को किसी प्रक्रिया या प्रतीक से नहीं जाना जा सकता।
-
अंतिम सत्य मौन में ही प्रकट होता है।