The Avadhuta Gita is attributed to the sage Dattatreya, who spontaneously sang it after purifying himself in meditation and becoming absorbed in the uninterrupted bliss of Reality. It is regarded as one of the greatest treatise on Advaita Vedanta and some scholars date it as far back as 5000 B.C.

The word "avadhut" refers to one who has renounced all worldly attachments and connections and lives in a state beyond body consciousness. He has shaken off all cares and concerns, possessions and positions, along with all concepts and labels that interfere with his direct perception of Reality. He holds out no compromise with illusion, he offers no foothold on separation, he allows no semblance of duality at all to creep into his direct perception. He does not identify with his mind or body or "names and forms" and does not recognise a distinction between himself and the world around him. According to Dattatreya, an avadhut need not have any particular appearance, lifestyle, religion or social role. He may walk about naked or be dressed as a prince. He may appear pious or blasphemous, ascetic or hedonistic. Such a person is held to be pure consciousness in human form. He is the ever-free Reality Brahman.

i. self | ii. reality | iii. immortality | iv. knowledge | v. mind | vi. the avadhut | vii. wisdom

I. SELF

  1. By the Grace of the impersonal, absolute Reality, those seeking liberation are inspired above all men with the disposition to non-duality, which relieves them of the great fear.
  2. How can I salute the Self one's true nature, which is indestructible, which is all bliss, which in Itself and by Itself pervades everything, and which is inseparable from Itself?
  3. I alone am, ever free from all taint. The world exists like a mirage within me. To whom shall I bow? Reader, do you exist?
  4. Verily the one Self is all, free from differentiation and non-differentiation. Neither can it be said, "It is" nor "It is not." What a great mystery.
  5. This is the whole substance of Vedanta; this is the essence of all knowledge, theoretical and intuitional. I am the Self, by nature impersonal and all-pervasive.
  6. That absolute Reality who is the Self in all, impersonal and changeless, like unto space, by nature purity itself, verily, verily, That I am.
  7. I am pure knowledge, imperishable, infinite. I know neither joy nor pain; whom can they touch?
  8. The actions of the mind, good and evil, the actions of the body, good and evil, the actions of the voice, good and evil, exist not within the Self. I am the nectar which is knowledge absolute; beyond the range of the senses I am.
  9. The mind is as space, embracing all. I am beyond mind. In reality, mind has no independent existence.
  10. How can it be said that the Self is manifest? How can it be said that the Self is limited? I alone am existence; all this objective world am I. More subtle than space itself am I.
  11. Know the Self to be infinite consciousness, self-evident, beyond destruction, enlightening all bodies equally, ever shining. In It is neither day nor night.
  12. Know the Self to be one, ever the same, changeless. How can you say: "I am the meditator, and this is the object of meditation?" How can perfection be divided?
  13. You, Self, were never born, nor did you ever die. The body was never yours. The ancient scriptures have repeatedly affirmed: "This is all Brahman Reality."
  14. You are all the absolute Reality, free from all change, the same within and without, absolute bliss. Run not to and fro like a ghost.