I, the witness, neither do anything, not cause anything to be done.’ (v.28) The Turiyatita Avadhuta Upanishad contains a description of the avadhuta who has reached the state of consciousness beyond TURIA. In this state, a person is pure, the embodiment of dispassion, and totally free. An avadhuta who has reached this level, does not chant mantras or practice rituals, wears no caste marks, and has terminated all religious and secular duties. He wears no clothes, and eats anything that comes his way. He wanders alone, observing silence, and is totally absorbed in non-duality. The AVADHUTA GITA has similar descriptions.
The UDDHAVA GITA, forming part of the BHAGAVATA PURANA, describes an avadhuta who learnt from all aspects of life and who was at home anywhere in the world.
The term avadhuta can apply to any liberated person, but also specifically refers to a sannyasi sect.
AVADHOOTA UPANISHAD
Avadhoota Upanishad is a small Upanishad consisting of around 32 mantras. It falls under the category of Sanyasa Upanishads and is a part of Krishna Yajurveda. Avadhoota Upanishad takes the form of a dialog between Dattatreya and Rishi Samkriti.
One day Rishi Samkriti asks Dattatreya the following questions:
Who is an Avadhoota?
What is his state?
What are the signs of Avadhoota?
How does he lives?
The part that follows is the answers given by compassionate Dattatreya.
WHO IS AN AVADHOOTA?
Avadhoota is called so because he is beyond any decay, he lives freely as per his will, he destroys the bondage of worldly desires and his only goal is Tat Twam Asi i.e. you are that.
Avadhoota goes far beyond all the casts (such as bramhin, vaishya, kshtriya and sudra) and ashramas (such as bramhacharya, grihastha, vanaprasta and sanyasa). He is the higest Yogi who establishes himself in the constant state of self-realization.
WHAT IS HIS STATE?
An Avadhoota always enjoys the supreme bliss. The divine joy represents his head, happiness is his right wing, ecstasy represents his left wing and bliss is his very nature. A life of an Avadhoota shows extreme detachment.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AVADHOOTA? HOW DOES HE LIVES?
An Avadhoota lives as per his own will. He may wear cloths or he may live naked. There is no difference between Dharma or Adharma, sacrifice or non sacrifice for him because he is beyond these aspects. He performs inner sacrifice and that forms their Ashvamedha Yagna. He is a great Yogi who remains unaffected even when he engages in worldly objects. He remains pure.
Ocean accepts water from all the rivers but still remains unchanged. Similarly, an Avadhoota is unaffected by worldly objects. He is always at peace and (like the ocean) all the desires are absorbed in this supreme peace.
For an Avadhoota there is no birth or death, bondage or liberation. He might have performed various actions for the sake of liberation but they become history once he becomes an Avadhoota. He is ever satisfied. Others wander with the intention of fulfilling their desires. But an Avadhoota being already satisfied doesn’t run after any desire. Others do various rituals for the sake of heaven but an Avadhoota is already established in the omnipresent state and hence needs no rituals.
Other qualified teachers spend time in teaching scriptures (Vedas) but Avadhoota goes beyond any such activities for he is actionless. He doesn’t have any desire for sleep, begging (bhiksha), bathing or cleaning.
An Avadhoota is ever free from doubts and since he is always in union with the supreme reality he need not even meditate. Meditation is for the people who are not yet one with God but an Avadhoota is always in the state of union and hence needs no meditation.
Those who are behind Karmas (actions) get plastered with Vasanas. These Vasanas haunt them even when they finish their Prarabdha Karma. Ordinary men meditate because they wish to fulfill their desires. However, an Avadhoota always stays away from such trap. His mind is beyond mental destructions and Samadhi. Mental destructions as well as Samadhi are possibly modifications of the mind.
The UDDHAVA GITA, forming part of the BHAGAVATA PURANA, describes an avadhuta who learnt from all aspects of life and who was at home anywhere in the world.
The term avadhuta can apply to any liberated person, but also specifically refers to a sannyasi sect.
AVADHOOTA UPANISHAD
Avadhoota Upanishad is a small Upanishad consisting of around 32 mantras. It falls under the category of Sanyasa Upanishads and is a part of Krishna Yajurveda. Avadhoota Upanishad takes the form of a dialog between Dattatreya and Rishi Samkriti.
One day Rishi Samkriti asks Dattatreya the following questions:
Who is an Avadhoota?
What is his state?
What are the signs of Avadhoota?
How does he lives?
The part that follows is the answers given by compassionate Dattatreya.
WHO IS AN AVADHOOTA?
Avadhoota is called so because he is beyond any decay, he lives freely as per his will, he destroys the bondage of worldly desires and his only goal is Tat Twam Asi i.e. you are that.
Avadhoota goes far beyond all the casts (such as bramhin, vaishya, kshtriya and sudra) and ashramas (such as bramhacharya, grihastha, vanaprasta and sanyasa). He is the higest Yogi who establishes himself in the constant state of self-realization.
WHAT IS HIS STATE?
An Avadhoota always enjoys the supreme bliss. The divine joy represents his head, happiness is his right wing, ecstasy represents his left wing and bliss is his very nature. A life of an Avadhoota shows extreme detachment.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF AVADHOOTA? HOW DOES HE LIVES?
An Avadhoota lives as per his own will. He may wear cloths or he may live naked. There is no difference between Dharma or Adharma, sacrifice or non sacrifice for him because he is beyond these aspects. He performs inner sacrifice and that forms their Ashvamedha Yagna. He is a great Yogi who remains unaffected even when he engages in worldly objects. He remains pure.
Ocean accepts water from all the rivers but still remains unchanged. Similarly, an Avadhoota is unaffected by worldly objects. He is always at peace and (like the ocean) all the desires are absorbed in this supreme peace.
For an Avadhoota there is no birth or death, bondage or liberation. He might have performed various actions for the sake of liberation but they become history once he becomes an Avadhoota. He is ever satisfied. Others wander with the intention of fulfilling their desires. But an Avadhoota being already satisfied doesn’t run after any desire. Others do various rituals for the sake of heaven but an Avadhoota is already established in the omnipresent state and hence needs no rituals.
Other qualified teachers spend time in teaching scriptures (Vedas) but Avadhoota goes beyond any such activities for he is actionless. He doesn’t have any desire for sleep, begging (bhiksha), bathing or cleaning.
An Avadhoota is ever free from doubts and since he is always in union with the supreme reality he need not even meditate. Meditation is for the people who are not yet one with God but an Avadhoota is always in the state of union and hence needs no meditation.
Those who are behind Karmas (actions) get plastered with Vasanas. These Vasanas haunt them even when they finish their Prarabdha Karma. Ordinary men meditate because they wish to fulfill their desires. However, an Avadhoota always stays away from such trap. His mind is beyond mental destructions and Samadhi. Mental destructions as well as Samadhi are possibly modifications of the mind.