A question on 'I am that'-story of the week

[Guest guest]

Rahulji writes ....

 

He is the breath inside the breath.

Nice thought to meditate on!

 

YES!!!!

 

may i please share an interesting story with you pntjis contemplation

of "i am that" ?

 

 

Dear all:

 

 

Once King Janaka was sitting on the bank of a river

repeating 'SOHAM'mantra at the top of his voice.

 

Sage ASHTAVAKRA was passing by. the sage was a knower of truth and an

enlightened being. He was surprised why king janaka was chanting the

mantra in this loud fashion.

 

ASHTAVAKRA WANTED TO INSTRUCT KING JANAKA the proper way of chanting

a mantra. SO, HE SAT DOWN NEAR KING JANAKA and chanting loudly, :

THIS IS MY WATER BOWL, THIS IS MY YOGA STICK."

 

So much so that ASTHAVAKRA'S MANTRA DROWNED KING JANAKA'S

MANTRA.

 

NOW, KING JANAKA , not to be left behind starting chanting

his 'soham' mantra even louder --- this went on for some time -both

vying witH each other in this 'mantra recitation'....

 

now, king janaka got really annoyed and asked asthavakra what the sage

was doing- the sage replied " i am repeating - this is my water bowl,

this is my yoga stick. "

 

king janaka replied, " have you lost your brains? who told you that

the water bowl and the stick do not belong to you ? why do you have

to keep shouting about it.?"

 

SAGE ASTHAVAKRA REPLIED, " O MIGHTY KING! it seems to me you are the

one who lacks understanding. who told you that you are not THAT ? WHY

DO YOU HAVE TO GO ON SHOUTING THAT 'I AM THAT' -'SO HAM' ? TATWAMASI?

 

when king janaka heard this, he suddenly realized the truth- he

understood that he need not go on repeating 'so ham' mantra , he only

needed to understand it and practice 'living' it!!!!!!!!

 

we are all 'divine' - the realized souls know it -we are all striving

to know it

 

STORY-COURTESY- swami muktananda's "i am that" book!

 

Tat Twam ASI