Guest guest Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 Dear all: Here is an interesting story about King Janaka I copied from another group I belong to and we can always learn from it. Rg Veda tell us "aa no bhadra katavo yantu vishvato" Let knowledge come from all sides ..... Dr. Yadu ========================== Once King Janaka was sitting on the bank of a river , peating '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 ing witH each other in this 'mantra recitation'.... now, king janaka got really annoyed and asked asthavakra what the sage wa 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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