IS INSTANT ENLIGHTENMENT POSSIBLE?

[Guest guest]

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.

 

IS INSTANT ENLIGHTENMENT POSSIBLE?

 

Jed Mckenna author of the book Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest

Thing, concludes: " The truth is that enlightenment is neither remote

nor unattainable. It is closer than your skin and more immediate than

your next breath. " Indians have recognized and appreciated this fact

thousands of years ago. The famous story of king Janaka and

Ashtavakra, narrated by Sri Ramana himself refers to this conclusion.

Sri Ramana was a magnificent actor. He would dramatize the role of

the individuals involved in the story told by him. Once he narrated

in a most dramatic and thrilling manner the story of Janaka and

Ashtavakra. Having read in the scriptures that the Self could be

realized in the interval between a rider putting one foot in the

stirrup and raising the other foot for mounting the horse, the king

summoned all pandits in his kingdom, who having failed to answer the

king satisfactorily, brought the great sage Ashravakra to save

themselves.

The Sage asked the king to follow him alone with a horse outside the

city, where he asked Janaka to place one foot in the stirrup and then

said, " Now comes the supreme condition, you must surrender yourself.

Are you willing? Janaka said, " Yes. " From that moment Janaka stood

transfixed with one foot in the stirrup and the other dangling in the

air, apparently like a statue. ( Here Sri Ramana imitated the posture

of Janaka.) King's people seeing him in that state begged the Sage to

show grace. Then the Sage said, " Janaka, why are you like this? Ride

home on the horse. " He rode home and obeyed the Sage in everything

like a bonded slave.

[The catch here is the high spirituality of king Janaka and the great

guru Ashtavakra involved in the story, which are almost impossible to

find. Then we have the well-known fact of Sri Ramana himself

securing enlightenment instantly in July 1896, when he was a student

a Madurai; and this he got without a guru to guide him.]

(The full story of king Janaka is in Spiritual Stories as told by

Ramana Maharshi published by Sri Ramanasraman. It is available at

the Kendram's bookstore.)

 

The mind when it goes out become dwaita; when you hold on to it, it

is advaita. – Anonymous

 

The nature starts rewarding a pure and peaceful mind immediately. –

Anonymous

 

 

A heart-felt prayer is not a recitation with the lips. It is a

yarning from within which expresses itself in every work, every act,

nay, every thought of man… We have to cultivate illimitable patience

if we will realize the efficacy of prayer. – Mahatma Gandi