Essence of Ashtavakra Gita ( World-dependence to God-dependence to Self-dependence) by Swami Paramarthananda.

 

Essence of Ashtavakra Gita

Ashtavakra Gita is a dialog between Sage Ashtavakra and his student - King Janaka. It is an advanced Vedantic text best studied after learning the principal Upanishads. King Janaka, being a great Jnani himself, instantly grasps the teachings and the latter section of Ashtavakra Gita becomes a discussion between peers.

There is a story in the Mahabharata that mentions Ashtavakra and Janaka. Sage Kahola was reciting the Vedas when his unborn son Ashtavakra, still in his mother's womb, corrected his father eight times. In anger, Sage Kahola cursed his son to be born deformed in eight places, so he was born with a crooked body (Ashtavakra literally means eight crooked). This story illustrates the fact that while Ashtavakra's body may have been crooked, his words were direct and straight to the point.

The language of the Upanishads is imprecise and leaves room for multiple interpretations by different Vedantic schools. Ashtavakra Gita is clear and precise with absolutely no room for doubt. When everything is fine, I have plenty of confidence. But when the situation becomes challenging, I blame the world and seek help from outside. In that state, I am a karmi or samsari, depending on the world for happiness.

The Karma Kanda of the Vedas teaches one method to handle difficult situations: depend on Isvara's help. This allows me to go from world dependence to God dependence. From a Karmi, I become a Karma Yogi.

On further analysis, I realize that what I get from Isvara is not actual help, but rather a psychological boost that increases my own confidence and allows me to handle the situation myself. Vedanta takes this one step further - instead of saying I need Isvara's help, why don't I say that I don't really need help; let me discover the fact that I already have the strength to handle any situation. This allows me to go from God-dependence to Self-dependence, and become a Jnana Yogi. This is the message of Ashtavakra Gita, in a nutshell: develop this thought pattern that I am independent and have the resources to handle anything.

We typically see our life in a triangular format consisting of Jiva Jagat Isvara. This view must be transformed into a binary format of Atma and Anatma or Consciousness and Matter. Once we reach the binary stage, it is easy to understand that the mithya-Anatma relative reality can never affect me, the Satya-Atma Absolute Reality.

This process of using the Vedantic teachings to change my thought pattern is called Nididhyasanam. The day should start and end with reflection upon the knowledge that I don t depend on the Universe, but the Universe rests in me. Jeevan-mukti is the lifelong practice of nididhyasanam.

To purify the mind. As an example consider the process of purifying gold. 22 karat gold is 92.67% pure gold; 24 karat gold is 99.99% gold. We can continue to purify gold but it is practically impossible to get 100% pure gold! Similarly, the process of jeevan mukti continues forever.

While jeevan-mukti is very important for the quality of life, we must understand that jeevan-mukti is only a secondary mukti. Why? Jeevan-mukti deals with purifying the mind, which is Anatma, and therefore not the real Me. What is primary mukti? Remembering the fact that I am the Atma. When will I get primary mukti? The Atma is eternally free, and never in bondage, so I am ever a mukta from the Atma point of view!

In the 3rd chapter, Ashtavakra criticizes Janaka for being a householder instead of a sanyasi: If you are a Jnani, why are you holding on to your family and the world? Janaka responds that mukti is based only on Jnana, not on ashrama. A Jnani has no fear of losing anything and can be detached whether he is a grihastha or sanyasi. It is important to note that while a Jnani may internally have the binary viewpoint, he has to outwardly act in the triangular format transactional reality. All my troubles belong to the different roles I have to play in life - father, husband, wife, daughter, etc. Just like an actor slips out of his role off camera, I need to be detached from the parts I have to play and constantly stay aware of my Atma nature. Mind alone is the cause of samsara; mind alone is the cause of jeevan-mukti. A samsari mind is a turbulent mind. An enlightened mind is a lightened mind.

It is bondage when the mind is attached to any sense experience. It is liberation when the mind is detached from all sense experiences. Jeevan-mukti is nothing but a pure, quiet, tranquil mind free from negative thoughts.

You are the one seer of all and are really ever free. Verily this alone is your bondage that you see yourself not as the seer but as something other.

 

Om Tat Sat.

 

Excerpts of teaching from -Swami Paramarthananda.

Transcripted from the youtube

channel TatTwamAsi

https://youtu.be/1uMwfWSRmQw?si=7f2wc34Ws72VIbbl