Introduction

CHAPTER TITBITS:

The Avadhut Gita, or Avadhuta Gita, may be called an ancient non-dual text. Several errors in Hari Prasad Shastri's English translation (1st edition, 1934) have been corrected here; some words and phrases are updated; and a few notes have been added. The source of the introduction is Hari Prasad Shastri's preface. Various titbits from the ancient text's seven chapters are given. The rest of the text may be found in Avadhut Gita translations. - T. Kinnes

Introduction

The word Avadhuta refers to a mystic who has done away with worldly concerns and standard social etiquette, at least in his or her heart. Such personalities are considered to be free to 'roam the earth like a child'. An avadhuta does not identify with their body or mind. Such a person is said to be pure consciousness in human form. Avadhuts play a significant role in many Yoga, Vedanta and Bhakti traditions.

Some are born free, and may appear in any class of society. Others wear next to nothing, and meditate a lot. And then there are others who may not be recognised for what they are, as they do not show off. They may live like ordinary people.

The Avadhut(a) Gita is a mystical text which tells how the avadhut(a) is.

Dattatreya, the Author

It has been mentioned that Dattatreya was the teacher of the sage Patanjali. Be that as it may: The main work attributed to Dattatreya is the Avhadhuta Upanishad. It describes the wherabouts of a free (liberated) soul, one who is much uninterested in the dogmas of others, or habits, rituals, and surface morality too at times.

According to Dattatreya, the free man need not have any particular appearance, lifestyle, religion or social role. He (or she) may walk about naked or be dressed up as a prince. He may appear pious or blasphemous, ascetic or hedonistic. The important thing is that. Also, a liberated soul will not wilfully harm or destroy others, it is pointed out, even if there occasionally are good sides to breaking rigid taboos before they do us harm.

Dattatreya is often pictured naked, sitting in embrace with a lovely female, eating hog's flesh, drinking wine . . . He is further described as Madman and Child and so on.

The Avadhut Gita

The Avadhut Gita is . . . meant for the use of those advanced students of Indian metaphysics who have learned self-control to an applicable extent . . . [Mod.]

It is a well known classic in its way.

The lower form of prayer consists of singing hymns and repeating mantrams [words or sounds] in which the ultimate Reality, the secondless, all-transcending Brahman [God] is conceived in terms of duality.

A mantra(m) is a Vedic formula, the repetition of which, according to approved rules, induces spiritual consciousness, and also psychic powers.

Added: It is perhaps poetically declared in the Manu Samhita "An offering, consisting of muttered prayers, is ten times more efficacious than a sacrifice performed according to the rules (of the Veda); a (prayer) which is inaudible (to others) surpasses it a hundred times, and the mental (recitation of sacred texts) a thousand times." [Chap 2, v 85]. Add a pinch of salt, allowing leeway too. Depending on the required skills and the conditions, effects may vary.]

'Brahman' comes from the root 'brih', expand - also called Sat, Chit and Ananda, i.e., (Absolute) Existence, Intelligence and Bliss (joy).)

The higher form of prayer consists of feelingly singing of Brahman in terms of non-duality, [for example,]" I am Brahman," and [it may] bring before us the great vision of Truth [it is held] . . .

The Avadhut Gita contains this knowledge . . . The word Avadhut means a high renunciate, a Mahatma ['great soul', perfected in some way or ways], one who has found unity with God . . .

Who was this Mahatma Dattatreya . . .? To some Yogis and devotees he is an immortal, and they still see him . . .

He was a historical person . . . From the fact that most of his devotees live in the Bombay presidency we can infer that he lived in Western India . . .

There is a mention of the Avadhut in the Eleventh Book of the Shrimad Bhagavata [which is attributed to Vyasa, written in a highly poetic style . . . The following is an extract from this book:

His many gurus

"Salutations to you, Sage, Kindly tell us what guru has given you the great knowledge which has made you perfect in wisdom, full of peace, and devoted to the good of all living beings."

The Avadhut anwered:

"One's own Self is one's chief Guru. By knowledge of Self [in] communion one gets the great bliss."

The Avadhut did not learn from one particular source, but from many teachers, or gurus. He then mentioned twenty-four of them, including Water, the earth, the wind, space, the moon, the sun, the sea, and the arrow-maker.

1. From water he learned purity and the taste of tastelessness. "As water is sweet and pure, so is Atman [the divine Self]. Man should manifest sweetness and purity in his conduct. I have therefore taken water as one of my Gurus," he said.
2. "Patience, forgiveness, supporting others without expectation of gratitude I have learned from my Guru, the earth."
3. "The wind blows everywhere, over the flower-beds, deserts, marshes, palaces and prisons, without being attached to any of them, without preference or dislike. So, I, an Avadhut, go everywhere, scattering my blessings of peace, without being attached to anyone. My Guru, the wind, has taught me this lesson."
4. "In the all-pervading space there exist clouds, stars, planets, dust-storms, and so on, but it is not touched by any of them. So is Atman, which, pervading all bodies of men and animals, of saints, sages, kings, madmen, sinners, and paupers, is untainted by any of them. So do I feel, having learned this lesson from space, my Guru."
5. "As the moon is perfect, in spite of its waning and waxing, which do not exist in it, so is Atman ever perfect, in spite of its seeming imperfections. This is what the moon, my Guru, has taught me."
6. "As the sun through its rays absorbs water from the earth, only to give it back in a cool and pure form, so ought a Mahatma to take the things of the world, not for his own sake, but in order to give them back in a richer and better form. This is what my Guru, the sun, has taught me."
7. "Though thousands of rivers empty themselves into the sea, yet it remains within its limits; so remains undisturbed the mind of the knower of God, though objects of all kinds pour themselves into it. Thus, the sea, my Guru, has instructed me."
8. "From the arrow-maker I have learned the value of concentration. In a certain town there lived an arrow-maker, who devoted his full attention to his occupation. Once he was beating the point of an arrow, when the king and his procession went by the street. He was so attentive to his work that he knew nothing of the king's passing, and when they asked him how he liked the music of the procession he said, 'What procession? When did it pass?' So ought we to concentrate on the Truth that no external object or event should disturb us."

The teachings of Rishi Dattatreya are similar to those of Vasishtha . . . There are still many paramahansas . . . and yogis who follow the path of spiritual solitude . . .

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