Ashtavakra !!

[Guest guest]

Dear shantnu,

 

I dont know where i should start from regarding Janak &

Ashtavakra. in short Janak saw a dream in which he saw himself as a

begger, with torn clothes, hungry and thirsty. He saw that he was

in a very pitiable condition and was about to die out of thirst..in

dream he cried Water-Water-water..

 

Suddenly he woke up and saw himself on the golden bed, with dozens

of servants who ran to him listening that the king had asked for

water, because he had cried water in reality while seeing the

dream. the servants came with different wines, fragranced water,

juices etc. Janak was surprised....he went into thoughts and amazed

that may be the dream was his real life, and this kingdom may be a

dream... he was perplexed.

 

In the morning he went to his court and called all the learned, wise

and saints and asked them - You are all learned..tell me that was

Truth or this is Truth !

 

No one understood what he wished to ask as they could not understand

the question well. then Ashtavakra entered the court. Ashtavakra

was black, deformed from eight places, with ugly eyes and ugly

face. As he entered all people in the court started laughing seeing

his ugly body.

 

Ashtavakra told Janak - I had heard your court is full of Brahmins,

saints and wise...but they are all Chamaars (cobblers who work with

animal skins). all the court stopped laughing, Janak asked - sir

why you say so ? They are all brahmins and wise.

 

No " ,Said Ashtavakra, " They all laughed seeing my skin and my

deformities. Those who care for the skins are Chamaars, not wise

people. Wise see the beauty of the soul, not the uglyness of body.

 

Janka at once knew, this time an enlightened soul had come to his

court, so he respectfully asked Ashtavakra - This is Truth or that

was Truth?

 

Ashtavakra understood that Janak was talking of his dream. He said -

Hey noble king, neither this is Truth, nor that was Truth. Then

Ashtavakra gave him wisdom of the Soul. His speech is found in

sacred book of hindus called Ashtavakra Geeta.

 

So After some days passed, Ashtavakra was about to go after

completing his sermons, when Janak came to see him off till the

border and turned to ride his horse, but suddenly asked - Revered

Guru, how much time it would take to get enlightenment.

 

Ashtavakra said - for you even a moment is sufficient.

 

Janak- Can i put my one foot on the peddle of saddle, and before i

ride the horse, can i be enlightened ?

 

Ashtavakra - Sure..

 

So Jana put his one foot in peddle when Ashtavakra asked him - OK

king i taught you now what guru dakshnia will you give me ?

 

Janak said - you can take all my kingdom dear Guru

 

Ashtavakra - Is the kingdom really yoours?

 

Janak thought for a moment and said - no it was given to me by my

father and i will leave it for my son..it is not mine. Ok I give

you my body as slave

 

Ashtavakra - Is the body you ?

Janaka - No

Ashtavakra - your body is not you, your mind is not you, what you

are then ? Think and tell me who you are actually ?

 

Janak went into thoughts...and suddenly light flashed before him and

he got down from horse...and fell on the feet of his guru crying

with bliss and saying - sir i have known me ...and it happened in a

moment...

 

Ashtavakra smiled and went on... Janak came back and ruled his

kingdom fully enlightened. He was named Videha after that...videha

is the one who is in a body, but is not attached to the body...and

is ever free..even enlightened.

 

Hari aum

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Babaji for these delightful stories of Ashtavakra and

King Janaka .

 

Here is one more story

 

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 Alms Bowl and 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

vyeing 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 Alms bowl,

this is my yoga stick. "

 

King Janaka replied, " Have you lost your MIND? Who told you that the

Alms bowl and the stick do not belong to you ? Why do you have to

keep shouting about it.? "

 

Sage ASHTAVAKRA 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 to go on shouting THAT 'i AM tHAT' ? 'SO

HAM' ?

 

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!!!!!!!!

 

'You are really unbound and actionless, self-illuminating and

spotless already. The cause of your bondage is that you are still

resorting to stilling the mind.'

 

Ashtavakra Gita 1.15

 

 

enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In , " Aum " <beirut_ka_baba wrote:

>

> Dear shantnu,

>

> I dont know where i should start from regarding Janak &

> Ashtavakra.

[Guest guest]

, urvashii_mohan <no_reply wrote:

 

Thanks Urvashiji for the deep meaning story. These simple stories

have very deep meaning and guide and encourage a sadhaka on the path

of truth

 

pls continue sharing if you remember something similar

 

Aum