Ashtavakra Gita

Came across Ashtavakra Gita. It's supposed to be the conversation between Rishi Ashtavakra (Yes, he is the one who listened to Vedas from his mom's womb as per mythology) and King Janaka - containing some of the core teachings of Vedanta in a lucid manner. A bit abstract, but really short and sweet. Some seems too Impractical and Instructional, but still worth giving it a try since some of them are truly Insightful. Don't ask me more about it - Like you, I am pretty new to these.

Some excerpts from the poetic translation:

To be free,
shun the experiences of the senses
like poison.
Turn your attention to
forgiveness, sincerity, kindness, simplicity, truth.

A single understanding:
'I am the One Awareness,'
consumes all suffering
in the fire of an instant.
Be happy.
You are unbounded Awareness'
Bliss, Supreme Bliss

He who is unattached,
untouched by opposites,
free of desire,
experiences neither pleasure nor pain
as events pass through.

When there is no 'I'
there is only liberation.
When 'I' appears
bondage appears with it.
Knowing this,
it is effortless to refrain
from accepting and rejecting.

Realize Self in All and All in Self.
Be free of personal identity
and the sense of 'mine.'
Be happy.

One who abhors sense objects avoids them.
One who desires them becomes ensnared.
One who neither abhors nor desires
is neither detached nor attached.

The great soul
remains poised and undisturbed,
whether in the presence
of a passionate woman
or observing the approach of his death.
He is truly free.

One who knows Self,
whose mind is serene and spotless,
does not desire to give up anything,
nor does he miss what is not there.

Having had enough
of the endless workings of the mind,
the wise one comes to rest.
He neither thinks, nor knows,
nor hears, nor sees.

The mind of the liberated one
is neither troubled nor pleased.
It is actionless, motionless, desireless
and free of doubt.

The liberated one
does not exert effort
to meditate or act.
Action and meditation just happen.

Depending on nothing,
one finds happiness.
Depending on nothing,
one attains the Supreme.
Depending on nothing,
one passes through tranquility
to One Self.

When one realizes
he is neither the actor
nor the one who watches,
the mind-storm is stilled.

In short, the great soul
who has realized Truth
is free of desire, enjoyment and liberation.
In all of space and time
he is attached to nothing.