Sri Sri Ravishankar - Ashtavakra Gita

Title

Astvakra Gt

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Publications Trust, India

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ISBN: 978-93-85898-00-6

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Chapter 1 Introduction

Thousands of years ago, there reigned a king called Janaka, who had attained the highest knowledge. However, he was curious and wanted to know more despite being fully engaged in the regular duties of a king.

One evening he was holding court where his subjects were talking about their problems. Reports were being read from different parts of his kingdom (so it must have been a little boring). While listening to the reports, Janaka dozed off. In his sleep he saw a dream. He dreamt that his whole kingdom was flooded. There was a famine and loss of grains, fields and cattle. Everything was lost! He became a pauper and found himself roaming from street to street as hungry as ever! He wanted a piece of bread to eat. He asked everybody but nobody had it. Finally, somebody gave him a piece of dry bread.

There was a law or rule [dharma] for householders in those days. If someone else was present, they could not have food by themselves. First, they had to feed the person and then eat themselves. Since he had only one piece of bread, he was worried that he would have to share it if he met someone.

So he hid it under his robe. He found a place where there was nobody and, as he was about to eat it, an eagle flew down and snatched it out of his hand. At that moment he could not tolerate it and shouted, Haaaah! When he shouted, he woke up and realized that he was in the court which was full of people! He could still feel the hunger. Maybe it was dinner time. But then he got confused. Which was real? He wondered if he was dreaming. Was the dream real or was the court real? He became concerned about this. What is reality?

He was one who could never let go of questions very easily. So, he assembled all the scholars of the kingdom and asked them for a solution to his problem. Their solution did not satisfy him, and he was troubled by it for several days. Then someone told him that there was a man called Astvakra who could be approached for a resolution of his problem.

Astvakras body was bent in eight places, i.e. he had eight deformities. His legs were unevenone was long and the other was short. There were eight knots in his body. That was why he was named Astvakra. It meant, a man with eight knots or eight bends in his body.

Astvakra was a Brhama jani knower of the Brhama . He was invited to the court of King Janaka.

A conversation took place between Janaka and Astvakra. This is the most unique conversation that has ever taken place on this planet. This discussion between them is a unique phenomenon! On one side was King Janaka, enjoying the peak of life, wanting to know about the Self and reality, and on the other side was Astvakra who had risen to the pinnacle of existence, telling what reality is. This is called the Astvakra Gt. Gt means a song and Astvakra Gt is the song of Astvakra. Krishna gave the Gt to Arjuna in the battlefield amidst all the chaos. King Janaka was given the knowledge in his royal residence in a very peaceful environment.

Astvakra was brought to the palace with all honours. Many people were skeptical about him and his appearance. They wondered how he was going to reveal the highest knowledge to the king. But Janaka was a perceptive person. He could recognize the glow in Astvakra; the light. It is very difficult for people to recognize truth and reality.

They recognize pomp and splendour because they can just see the outer shine. They are unable to see the light or life which is beyond; which is beneath; which is deep inside. So, the Astvakra Gt is not for someone who has not yet started on the spiritual path. It is for those who have already started on the path, and it opens up many avenues for them.

The Qualifications

In order to receive anything, you need to qualify for it. If you receive a dress, the dress should fit you. Otherwise, it is of no use having such a dress. If you receive food, the food should be edible. Otherwise what is the use of having such food? Similarly, with something to drink; you should be able to drink it and hold it in your system. Otherwise, however wonderful it is, it will be of no use to you.

Knowledge and relevance. An event or instance has reference. And wherever there is life, there is reverence. Without these three principlesknowledge, relevance & reverence, life cannot evolve. So also with Astvakra Gt. Certain qualifications are required to acquire this knowledge. If you go to medical school, you should at least know the alphabets. Imagine if you had never gone to school and learnt the alphabets, and then had to go to medical school. What could you do there?

It is the same with Brhama Jan , the biggest and the Ultimate Knowledge. We require certain things. To begin with, only a disciplined person can be given this knowledgesomeone who has reverence for life, and a discipline of the body. Usually, when we hear of discipline, we think only of the body- e.g. having food and going to bed at the proper time; taking a bath regularly and keeping our body healthy. This is what we think.

Discipline is listening to our body and not listening to our fantasies. After eating, your stomach is full but if something delicious is givena sweet treat or a mango milkshake! Now you have a bit of that. Then a little more. And the next day you are unwell. This is because you did not listen to your body. You were carried away by your tongue. The body has its own discipline. It is enough if you just listen to your body. Some of us are so obsessed with our eating habits that we are at either of the extremes. You are spoiling your system. Your system has much adaptability. But if you train your system by giving it a specific food all the time, later it will not accept any other food. Dont think you have disciplined your body!

Introduction

A gentleman said he had been eating only raw vegetables for many, many months. Eating only raw vegetables! Then, his body could not accept anything else. If someone has only been drinking milk all the time, his body is used to that only. It cannot have anything else. They have restricted the bodys digestive ability i.e. its elasticity and the ability to accommodate itself is gone.

It is the same thing with sanas . If you are not used to sitting cross-legged, your joints become very stiff after some time. You cannot do it at all! Start sitting cross-legged graduallynot for hours at a time. A certain amount of discipline is essential for the body.