Astavakra Gita

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The Astavakra Gita was first published month by The month in the Prabuddha Bharata from January, 1929 to December, 1931. It has since been slightly revised and is now published in book form. Previous to this two editions of this work with the text in Canarese script and the English rendering only of the present translator were brought out from the palace of the Maharaja of Mysore. We are deeply indebted to Mr. V. Subramanya lyer, B.Α., ex-Registrar of the Mysore University, for his keen interest in the present work and for going through the whole of it and making valuable suggestions for its improvement. Our profound gratitude is also due to Dr. Satkari Mookerjee, M.A., Ph.D., Lecturer in Sanskrit, Philosophy and Pali in the Calcutta University for thoroughly revising the previous Introduction. It is hoped that the book will prove useful the interested readers in acquainting them with the cardinal principles of Advaita Vedanta.

The Astavakra Gita, or Astavakra Samhita as it is The sometimes called, is a short treatise on Advaita Vedanta, ascribed to the great sage Astavakra. Very little is definitely known about Astavakra. His work does not in any way enlighten us or give any clue to his identity. It is presented as a dialogue between him and Janaka. But is this Janaka the same as is met with in the Ramayana of Valmiki and the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad? Nor is it certain that our author is the same Astavakra as that of the Mahabharata. But most probably they are identical; for they all exhibit the same profound knowledge of Brahman.