Ashtavkra Geeta is also known as Maha(great) geeta by the many people is a conversation between one of the great King Janak and a seer Ashtavkra(a man with 8 curves on his body).
The background of this conversation
King Janak had organised a debate on 'Nature of the truth' in his kingdom and had invited wise men from different parts of India. The winner was supposed to get a great prize in cash and kind. In the final stage of the debate Ashtavakra's father was confronting another wise man. Out of curiosity and desire to support his father Ashtavakra went to the court. Ashtavakra had 8 curves on his body and as he entered the court almost everyone laughed at him as he walked past them in an awkward way. Even after hearing their laughter Ashtavakra remained calmed and when everybody stopped laughing Ashtavakra started laughing back at all the courtiers. King Janaka was taken by surprise after seeing Ashtavakra laughing, the king asked him, 'I can understand why these people are laughing at you but I cannot understand why are you laughing at them?'. Ashtavakra replied to the king Janak, 'Oh! King I am laughing because I can see the assembly of chamars(scavengers) are debating on the nature of truth; look at me I am the 'Unique one, the beautiful one, the majestic one, the magnificent one and all that the courtiers can see is my body' this is what makes me laugh oh! king. 'Jo chamri tak seemit, vahi hai chamar', 'the one who is confined to the skin is the real scavenger'. The king was astounded by the answer of Ashtavakra and accepted him as his guru. Ashtavkra was a teenage boy at that time.
According to most Indian philosophers - 'Ashtavakra Samhita is the zenith of thought', they say that the thought cannot go beyond this to explain the truth of the existence. If truth be the sun then reading other scriptures is like seeing the sun through some filter but reading Ashtavakra Samhita is like seeing the sun directly. Here are some reflections from this great scripture. Hope it will be helpful.
The background of this conversation
King Janak had organised a debate on 'Nature of the truth' in his kingdom and had invited wise men from different parts of India. The winner was supposed to get a great prize in cash and kind. In the final stage of the debate Ashtavakra's father was confronting another wise man. Out of curiosity and desire to support his father Ashtavakra went to the court. Ashtavakra had 8 curves on his body and as he entered the court almost everyone laughed at him as he walked past them in an awkward way. Even after hearing their laughter Ashtavakra remained calmed and when everybody stopped laughing Ashtavakra started laughing back at all the courtiers. King Janaka was taken by surprise after seeing Ashtavakra laughing, the king asked him, 'I can understand why these people are laughing at you but I cannot understand why are you laughing at them?'. Ashtavakra replied to the king Janak, 'Oh! King I am laughing because I can see the assembly of chamars(scavengers) are debating on the nature of truth; look at me I am the 'Unique one, the beautiful one, the majestic one, the magnificent one and all that the courtiers can see is my body' this is what makes me laugh oh! king. 'Jo chamri tak seemit, vahi hai chamar', 'the one who is confined to the skin is the real scavenger'. The king was astounded by the answer of Ashtavakra and accepted him as his guru. Ashtavkra was a teenage boy at that time.
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| King Janak being taught by Ashtavakra |
According to most Indian philosophers - 'Ashtavakra Samhita is the zenith of thought', they say that the thought cannot go beyond this to explain the truth of the existence. If truth be the sun then reading other scriptures is like seeing the sun through some filter but reading Ashtavakra Samhita is like seeing the sun directly. Here are some reflections from this great scripture. Hope it will be helpful.
You are neither earth, not water, nor fire, nor air, nor space. You are the witness of all these.
You do not belong to the Brahmins or any other caste or to any other asrama. You are not perceived by the senses. Unattached, formless, and witness of all are you. Full of bliss and blessedness and happiness.
Virtue or vice, pleasure or pain, are of the mind, not of you, O all pervading one. You are neither doer nor the one who enjoys. Verily, you are free.
He who considers himself free is free indeed, and he who considers himself bound remains bound. 'As one thinks, so one becomes' is a popular saying in this world and it is quite true.
You are unattached, non doer, self effulgent, and without any blemish. This indeed is your bondage that you practice meditation.**The self is really free. Yet we betake ourselves to mediation and other similar practices. Such attempts presuppose that we think ourselves bound, and so long as we continue to think ourselves bound, we remain bound and freedom is impossible. Astavakra wants us to give up this thought altogether. For, as he has said previously, one who considers himself free is free indeed, as surely as one who looks upon himself as bound remains bound.
Just as mirror exists within and without the image reflected in it, so the Supreme Self exists inside and outside the body.**The idea is this: the image in the mirror has no real existence. It is a mere appearance. Only the mirror exists. Similarly, only the self exists. Body and mind have no real existence. It is only by being superimposed on the Self that they appear to exist. Just as the reflection cannot affect the mirror, so body, mind, etc. cannot affect the Self.
