This spiritual scripture contains words of wisdom that can be contemplated over and over again, leading to a deeper and deeper understanding of the Self.
The Ashtavakra Gita, or the Ashtavakra Samhita as it is sometimes called, is an ancient Sanskrit text. Nothing seems to be known about the author, though tradition ascribes it to the Sage Ashtavakra - hence the name.
There is little doubt though that it is very old, probably dating back to the days of the classic Vedanta period. The Sanskrit style and the doctrine expressed would seem to warrant this assessment.
It is not really necessary to know a lot about the origin of this insightful scripture. Is it essential to know much about the origin of the refreshing trade wind of Hawaii? The importance is its enlivening and stimulating influence.
The work was known, appreciated and quoted by Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda, as well as by Ramana Maharshi, while Radhakrishnan always refers to it with great respect. Apart from that, the work speaks for itself. It presents the traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta with a clarity and power very rarely matched.
