The Art of Enlightening

Epic Mahabharata explains how a deformed young boy showed his ability to release many knowledgeable imprisoned old sages from Janaka's kingdom.

There was a Sage named Uddalaka was running a hermitage for teaching Vedic Upanishad knowledge. The sage had many disciples but particularly a disciple who highly impressed with sage Uddalaka named Kahoda was one of his best disciple. All the time sage Uddalaka was so happy with him and so he got his daughter named Sujata married to him. Within a short period Sujata, got pregnant and she wished her child to be ingenious than all the sages of that time. So, she used to attend all the classes taught by her father and her husband Kahoda, every day listening to their chanting the baby acquired full knowledge of all vedas, Upanishats and it became a great intelligent . One day in a class Kahoda was teaching veda but the pronunciation occurred mistake, but the baby from ti's mother's womb corrected him. Kahoda felt insulted in front of the disciples in the class, not only one time this happened on eight occasions, intolerably he cursed as "He will be born deformed."

The baby was aware of the correct pronunciation of every syllable since its mother used to attend classes and the baby totally absorbed all hymns with out mistakes, yet to evident of the curse the child born with eight deformities of the body. ( the two feet, the two knees, the two hands, the chest and the head). He was named Ashtavakra, which means "one having eight bends".

In the mean time Mithilapuri King Janaka's court there was a sastras recital and explanation program was going on during the recital there was a place said that "A man can become enlightened (Brahma gyanam) in between the time it takes for one foot to be placed in his horse stirrup of the saddle which guarantee him to enlightened Self-Knowledge between the time he lifted himself to place the other foot on the other stirrup.” Janaka asked the sage to stop it on that place then inquired the sages that “ it is possible”? The sages said to him that” Yes your majesty it is possible” The king replied “yes if it is true can you do it right now” can I ask to bring a horse? “no your majesty”the king asked them “It is untrue” Then the sages told “Your majesty perhaps we are enable to explain but the Sastras can not be false, it is true” the king said “My respectful saint I am very sorry it is not possible perhaps it may be exaggeration or untrue”. The sage told to the king “No your majesty Sastras will not give mere truth certainly that word is true.” The king said very angrily”O sages until it prove I put you in jail” saying this he put all the sages in jail. This act was going on many years whoever fail to prove they be in the jail, like this many learned sages are in jail. Around that time there was an another debate program was held with the King Janaka's court by instructor and philosopher Bandin so for that program Kahola participated but somehow he defeated by bandin and he drowned in the river. 

Many years passed Ashtavakra grown and he was ten year old so he heard that his father punished by Bandin and plenty of sages in Janaka's kingdom jail. He decided to rescue all the sages and his father, so he went to King Janaka's palace but the gatekeepers refused to allow him, Ashtavakra enraged with angry and said “O men of gate controllers don't see the body, realize the knowledge go and inform your king that I have come to participate with the debate program and also I will revive your king's confused mind”. Hearing Ashtavakras angry words one of the gate keeper went in and informed about Ashtavakra's arrival. As soon the king heard the name from gatekeeper he ran and came out and invited him respectfully took him to debating council-chamber and offered him a nice seat, then Janaka tested Ashtavakra with deep difficult questions which Ashtavakra he answered with ease. Janaka decided to let Ashtavakra face Bandin. Bandin Inform to Ashtavakra that he will compose six offhanded verses, then Ashtavakra should complete If Bandin defeated by Ashtavakra he would grant any wish of his winner. Bandin composed the first half of a verse,then Ashtavakra completed the verse by composing the second half and thus won the argument against Bandin. Ashtavakra demanded that Bandin be drowned into water just as he forced his beat out opponents to do. On Bandin's request, Varuna happily sent out the sages and Brahmains and brought them to surface. Ashtavakra then he turned to King Janaka and said that I come for your doubtful mind. then Janaka explained his doubt. Ashtavakra said “I will clear your doubt yet first you release all sages pandits from your jail”. The king released all from the jail all became free.

In this place I wish to tell that Epic Mahabharatham revealed Ashtavakra Gita. It is consisting 298 stanzas and 20 chapters has adequate strait forward messages to learn easy way to have a knowledge for ultimate realization. It is purely advtha siddhantham. According to Ashtaaavakra if one has basic spiritual knowledge can easily understand well the supreme truth (Braman)

Ashtavakra Gita is a dialogue between Ashtavakra and Janaka on the nature of soul, reality and bondage. The Gita insists on complete unreality of external world and absolute oneness of existence.

Ashtavakra asked King Janaka to explain the sentence that he had uncertainty about the truth. King Janaka said “O virtues sage if A man can become enlightened(Brahma gyanam) in between the time it takes for one foot to be placed in the horse stirrup of the saddle which guarantee him to enlightened Self-Knowledge between the time he lifted himself to place the other foot on the other stirrup.” is it true?” the sage accepted “Yes true” the King asked Ashtavakra to show him, Ashtavakra told him that not here come along with him so Janaka also went on his horse accompanying with soldiers Ashtavakra followed by palanquin and all they entered a thick forest so Ashtavakra told king that” O your majesty now kindly send all your soldiers back you stay alone “ the King sent of all of the soldiers and said “Guru now I am ready the sage said “well your majesty come down and do as you hear” so he came down and once he did what he listened when he was rising his another leg Astavakra said, "Stop King, Don't you know that you must have a guru to be able to realize God?" yes guru I surrender myself to you and, I give you my body, my mind and every belonging I possess."Upon hearing this, Astavakra left Janaka alone and he went to a nearby cave for several hours. When he returned, he was amazed to see Janaka still in the very same position when he left him, with only one foot in the stirrup.

Astavakra asked, "Oh, King! What happened to you? You haven't moved for hours." Janaka was no movement . He stated, "O Guru , I have given everything to you, and now I can't find anything to do or to think."

Astavakra replied, "This foot in the saddle is ignorant and self knowledge is meant for a high quality aspirant as to a high position, and you are that. Janaka, perceived this, Guru said Janaka you are the ever liberated, pure, divine, eternal, self-illumined. More he said Janaka just I tested you now we can go to your palace l incite rest. This Ashtavakra Gita message is not only to Janaka also to the world.

This story illustrates the perfect relationship between a guru and a devotee. Janaka's dedication to discovering the truth is so strong, Ashtavakra's arrival illustrated to Janaka within that particular time. . Janaka demonstrates ideal devotion to his master through the complete surrender of his mind, body, and all possessions. He gives up everything of himself, and becomes completely enlightened.

Message:

To attain the ultimate knowledge of divine unity, we as seekers, must have the necessary strength and courage to surrender all identities and attachment, , and be completely free. 'which means we may surrender into the ocean of universal soul'. May we all be blessed with the knowledge and experience of our very genuine nature.

The ultimate goal of spiritual practice is enlightenment, or direct realization of the divine unity. The ancient sages knew that this ultimate realization of oneness with the True self or God.; The Ashtavakra Gita illustrates several important aspects of the ideal devotee and his or her relationship to the master and dedication to the subject and value of meditation.

Scientifically also proven the meditations value.

According to a medical report says meditation can generate calmness and clear mind as well as improve concentration and attention. Neurologist report says that meditation increases the brain’s gray matter density, and enhance ones immune system, help to regulate heavy emotions, and relieve stress. Attentive meditation in particular has been proven helpful for people with depression, anxiety, cancer, muscular pain and headaches, chronic pain, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, chronic tiredness

Constant prayer will bring relaxation, calm and mercy which have a positive effect and healthy condition. The concentration on meditation for a family man/woman bring cheer and support in difficult times, a recent study says that clinically depressed adults who believed their prayers were heard by a concerned presence responded much better to treatment than those who did not believe. This is the reason why our ancestors, Gurus and all puranas Vedas, Upanishats and epics instructions “do prayer and meditation and completely surrender your self to almighty of God he will make you to aware that “who are you' or “Who am I”

Burn down the forest of ignorance with the fire of the understanding that "I am the one pure awareness," and be happy and free from distress. 1.9 (Ashtavakra Gita)

All this, which has originated out of me, is resolved back into me too, like a jug back into clay, a wave into water, and a bracelet into gold. 2.10 (Ashtavakra gita)

Truly dualism is the root of suffering. There is no other remedy for it than the realisation that all this that we see is unreal, and that I am the one stainless reality, consisting of consciousness. 2.16 (Ashtavkra Gita)                          

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