Transcription
King Janak said: [Music] How is knowledge attained? How will liberation happen? How is detachment achieved? Tell me, my Lord.
Ashtavakra said: Liberation is from consciousness, not from worldly poisons. Compassion, contentment, truth are the medicines. You are not earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air. You are the witness soul, of pure consciousness. [Music] If you consider the body separate, and your mind wanders, you will be happy, free from bondage. You are not a Brahmin, nor a householder, nor a man of senses. You are unattached, formless, the witness of the universe, be happy. Joy and sorrow, good and bad, are not yours. You are not the doer, nor the enjoyer. You are always liberated. [Music]
We embark on a unique journey. Humanity has many scriptures. But there is no scripture like the Ashtavakra Gita. The Vedas are pale. The Upanishads speak in a very low voice. Even the Gita does not have such glory. As in Ashtavakra's Samhita, there is something unique. The biggest thing is that neither society, nor politics, nor any other system of life has any influence on Ashtavakra's words. It is such a pure, transcendental statement. There is no other statement beyond time and space. Perhaps that is why Ashtavakra's Gita, Ashtavakra's Samhita, did not have much influence. Krishna's Gita had a great influence. The first reason is that Krishna's Gita is about synthesis. It is not as concerned with truth as it is with synthesis. The insistence on synthesis is so deep that if truth is even slightly lost, Krishna is content. Krishna's Gita is like a mixed dish. Therefore, everyone likes it because everyone has something in it. It is difficult to find a sect that does not find its voice in the Gita. It is difficult to find a person who does not find some support for themselves in the Gita. For all these, Ashtavakra's Gita would be very difficult. Ashtavakra is not a synthesiser; he is a truth-teller. He has spoken the truth as it is, without any embellishment. He is not concerned about the listener. He is not concerned whether the listener understands or not. It is such a purest statement of truth, which has never happened before, nor could it ever happen again. Krishna's Gita is dear to people because it is very easy to derive one's own meaning from it. Krishna's Gita is poetic. Two plus two can be five. Two plus three can also be. There is no room for play with Ashtavakra. There, two plus two is only four. Ashtavakra's statement is a statement of pure mathematics. There is no room for poetry at all. There is no leeway for poetry. It is stated as it is, without any compromise. If you read Krishna's Gita, the devotee derives his own meaning because Krishna has also spoken of devotion. The karma yogi derives his own meaning because Krishna has also spoken of karma yoga. The wise man derives his own meaning because Krishna has also spoken of knowledge. Krishna sometimes calls devotion supreme, sometimes knowledge supreme, sometimes action supreme. Krishna's statement is very political. He was a politician. He was a skilled politician. It is not appropriate to say he was just a politician. He was a cunning politician. A diplomat. Many things were taken into account in his statement. Therefore, everyone likes the Gita. That is why there are thousands of commentaries on the Gita. No one worries about Ashtavakra. Because to agree with Ashtavakra, you have to leave yourself behind. Only if you can't take yourself along, will you be able to go. You will be left behind. You can take yourself along with Krishna. You don't need to change anything with Krishna. You can be present with Krishna. That is why all sects have written commentaries on Krishna's Gita. Shankar, Ramanuj, Nimbark, Vallabh, all of them derived their own meanings. Krishna has said something that is multi-layered. That is why I say it is poetic. Any meaning can be derived from poetry. Krishna's statement is like clouds gathering in the rain. See whatever you want. Some see an elephant's trunk, some see Lord Ganesha. Some see nothing at all. They say, what nonsense are you talking? It's just clouds. What shapes are you seeing in this smoke? In the West, scientists drop ink blots on blotting paper for testing, and ask the person to see what they see. The person looks closely and sees something. There is nothing there. Just ink blots scattered randomly on the blotting paper. They are not even thrown thoughtfully. It's like a bottle has been emptied. But the viewer finds something. What the viewer finds is in their mind. They project it. You must have seen it too. When rainwater falls on a wall, lines are drawn. Sometimes a human face appears, sometimes a horse's face appears. You project what you want to see. In the darkness of the night, a cloth is hanging. Ghosts and spirits appear. Krishna's Gita is like this; whatever is in your mind will appear. So Shankar sees knowledge. Ramanuj sees devotion. Tilak sees action. And everyone returns home happy, thinking that Krishna says exactly what our belief is. Emerson wrote that once a neighbor borrowed Plato's books from him. Now Plato lived 2000 years ago and was one of the world's few unique thinkers. After a few days, Emerson said, if you want to read the books, return them. The neighbor returned. Emerson asked, how did you like them? The man said, this man Plato's thoughts are very similar to mine. Many times, I felt like this man knew my thoughts. First of all, he lived 2000 years ago. He suspected that this man had stolen his thoughts. Such suspicion often arises with Krishna. That is why centuries have passed, and commentaries on Krishna continue. Every century finds its own meaning. Every person finds their own meaning. Krishna's Gita is like ink blots, the statement of a skilled politician. You will not find any meaning in Ashtavakra's Gita. Only if you leave yourself behind will Ashtavakra's Gita become clear. Ashtavakra's message is crystal clear. You cannot insert even a little of your interpretation into it. That is why people have not written commentaries. There is no room for writing commentaries. There is no way to twist or turn it. There is no convenience for your mind to insert something. Ashtavakra has given his statement in such a way that centuries have passed, and no one has been able to add or subtract anything from that statement. It is very difficult to give such a statement. Such skill with words is very difficult. That is why I say you are starting a unique journey. Ashtavakra has no interest in politics. Not of Tilak, not of Arvind, not of Gandhi, not of Vinoba, no interest of anyone, because you cannot play your own game. Tilak wants to incite patriotism, to raise the tide of action. Krishna's Gita becomes a collaborator. Krishna is ready to give a shoulder to everyone. Anyone can fire a bullet, keeping it on his shoulder, he is willing. You have the convenience of hiding behind him, and if you fire from behind him, even the bullet seems precious. Ashtavakra does not even let anyone put a hand on his shoulder. That is why Gandhi has no interest, Tilak has no interest. Arvind and Vinoba have nothing to do with it. Because you cannot impose anything. There is no convenience for politics. Ashtavakra is not a political man. This is the first thing that must be kept in mind. Such a clear statement, like an open sky, in which there are no clouds. You will not be able to see any shape. You will leave all shapes. You will become formless. Only by connecting with the formless will you understand Ashtavakra. If you want to understand Ashtavakra, you have to descend into the depths of meditation. No interpretation will work. And for meditation too, Ashtavakra does not say to sit and chant "Ram, Ram." Ashtavakra says that whatever you do, it will not be meditation. Where there is a doer, how can there be meditation? As long as there is doing, there is delusion. As long as the doer exists, ego exists. Ashtavakra says, become a witness. Meditation is where the doer is left behind. You remain only the seer. In becoming only the seer lies the vision. In becoming only the seer lies meditation. In becoming only the seer lies knowledge. Before we delve into the sutras, it is necessary to understand a few things about Ashtavakra. Not much is known because he was neither a social man nor a political man, so there is no mention of him in history. Only a few incidents are known, and they are also very strange and unreliable. But if you understand, very deep meanings will unfold. The first incident is from before Ashtavakra was born. Nothing is known about his past. The incident in the womb. His father was a great scholar. Ashtavakra was in his mother's womb. His father recited the Vedas daily, and Ashtavakra heard them in the womb. One day, suddenly, a voice came from the womb, "Stop! All this is nonsense. There is nothing in it. It is just a collection of words. Where is knowledge in the scriptures? Knowledge is within oneself. Where is truth in words? Truth is within oneself." Naturally, the father was angry. Firstly, he was a father, then a scholar. And his hidden son in the womb said such a thing. He hadn't even been born yet. He became angry. He became furious. The father's ego was hurt. Then the scholar's ego was hurt. He was a great scholar, a great debater, a logician. In anger, he cursed him, saying, "When he is born, he will be crooked in eight limbs." That is why his name is Ashtavakra. He was born with deformities in eight places. He was born crooked like a camel in eight places. The father, in anger, distorted his body. There are other stories too. They say that when Buddha was born, he was born standing. His mother was standing under a tree, and he was born standing. He did not fall on the ground; he walked. He took seven steps. At the eighth step, he stopped and announced the Four Noble Truths: that life is suffering, that there is a possibility of liberation from suffering, that there is a way to liberation from suffering, and that it is the state of liberation, the state of Nirvana. There is a story about Lao Tzu that Lao Tzu was born old, born at 80 years of age. He remained in the womb for 80 years. He had no desire to do anything, so he had no desire to come out of the womb. He had no desires, so he had no desire to come into the world. When he was born, he had white hair. He was an 80-year-old man. There is a story about Zarathustra that when Zarathustra was born, he laughed heartily from the moment of his birth. But he surpassed all these. Ashtavakra gave his entire discourse before he was born. These stories are important. In these stories lies the entire essence of the lives of these individuals. The essence. What Buddha said in his entire life is condensed here. Buddha preached the Eightfold Path, took seven steps, and stopped at the eighth. There are a total of eight limbs, the final state of attainment is Samyak Samadhi. In that state of Samadhi, the entire truth of life is revealed. It proclaims the Four Noble Truths. Lao Tzu was born old. People take 80 years, and still, they don't get such understanding. Even when old, how do people become wise? Being old and being wise are not synonyms. Hair can be whitened by the sun. Lao Tzu's story simply says that if there is speed, intensity in life, then what happens in 80 years can happen in a moment. If there is intensity of wisdom, it can happen in a moment. If the intellect is clouded, it doesn't happen even in 80 years. Zarathustra laughed from birth. Zarathustra's religion is the only religion in the world that can be called a laughing religion. It is a religion of the earthly. That is why Parsis do not seem religious to other religious people. Dancing and singing, the happy religion of Zarathustra is a laughing religion, a religion of acceptance of life. There is no negation. There is no renunciation. Have you ever seen a Parsi sadhu? Standing naked, leaving himself, standing in the sun, sitting comfortably. No, in the Parsi religion, there is no system of tormenting or hurting life. Zarathustra's entire message is that if the laughing God can be found, why find the crying one? If we can reach that temple while dancing, why sow thorns unnecessarily? If we can go with flowers, why this pessimism? So, it is right that the symbol is right, that Zarathustra was born laughing. Do not search for history in these stories; it did not happen like this. But there is a very deep meaning in these stories. You have a seed. When you see a seed, you get no news of the flower that will grow from it. What can this be? You don't even get a hint. It will become a lotus, it will bloom. It will remain in the water and be untouched by the water. It will dance in the sun's rays, and the sun itself will be envious of its beauty, its tenderness, its unparalleled majesty, its grace. Its fragrance will spread in the sky. Looking at the seed, you cannot even know this. You cannot imagine, cannot guess from looking at the seed. But one day, it happens. So we can think in two ways. Either we hold the seed tightly and say, what is not visible in the seed cannot happen in the flower. This is an illusion. This is a deception. This is a lie. This is the basis of those whom we call rational, skeptical. They say, what is not visible in the seed cannot be in the flower. There is some delusion. That is why the skeptical person cannot accept Buddha. Cannot accept Mahavir. Cannot accept Jesus. Because they say, we knew them. Jesus came to his village, and was very surprised. The villagers did not care at all. Jesus's statement is that a prophet is not honored in his own village. What could be the reason? Why is the prophet not honored in the village? The villagers had seen him from childhood, seen him as Joseph's son, carrying wood, working with a saw, splitting wood, drenched in sweat, playing in the streets, fighting. The villagers have known him since childhood. They saw him like a seed. How can it suddenly happen today that he is the son of God? No. Those who have seen the seed cannot believe in the flower. They say it must be a deception. There must be dishonesty. This man is a hypocrite. When Buddha returned to his home, his father did not see what the whole world was seeing. The whole world was experiencing. A light was spreading far and wide. People from distant lands had started coming. But when Buddha returned home after 12 years, his father said, "I can still forgive you. Although you have done wrong, you have troubled us, you have committed a sin, but I have a father's heart, I will forgive you. The doors are open for you, but remove this begging bowl, this monk's attire, all this will not do. So, return. This kingdom is yours. I have grown old. Who will manage it? Enough of this childishness. Stop all these games now." Buddha said, "Kindly look at me. The one who went has not returned. This is someone else who has come. The one who was born in your house has not returned. This is someone else who has come. The seed has come as a flower. Look closely." The father said, "You are trying to teach me. From the first day you were born, I have known you. You can deceive others, convince others, confuse them. You cannot confuse me. I tell you again. I know you very well. Do not try to teach me anything. I am willing to forgive." Buddha said, "You know me and yourself. I did not even know myself. Rays have just descended, and know yourself. Forgive me. But I must say this, that the one you saw is not me. And as far as you saw, that is not me. You saw externally, you did not see internally. I was born from you, but you did not create me. I came from you, just as a traveler comes from a road, but what does the road have to do with the traveler? Yesterday, the road started saying, 'I know you, you came through me.' Similarly, you are saying, I existed before you. My journey has been going on for lifetimes. I passed through you, yes, I have passed through others like this, I had other fathers, I had other mothers, but my existence is very separate, very difficult, very difficult. If you saw the seed, you don't trust the flower. One way is of the unbeliever, the rationalist, the skeptic, who says, 'We recognize the seed, so the flower cannot be.' We know the mud, how can a lotus grow from that mud? It must be a false dream. It must be an illusion. You must have fallen into some illusion. Someone has deceived you. Some magic, some spell.' This is one way. Another way is of the believer, the lover, the devotee, the one with a sympathetic heart. He sees the flower. And he travels backward from the flower. He says, 'When there was such fragrance in the flower, when such radiance appeared in the flower, when such brilliance, when such purity, when such virginity was seen in the flower, then it must have been in the seed too. Because what is in the flower must have been in the seed.' All these stories have happened, not like this. Those who have seen Ashtavakra's flower have realized that what has happened today must have existed yesterday too. It was hidden, veiled, lying behind a curtain. What is today, at the end, must have been at the beginning too. What is visible at the moment of death must have been present at the moment of birth. Otherwise, how would it be born? So, one way is to look backward from the flower, and another is to look forward from the seed. Look closely, and the common thread is the same in both. The foundation is the same. But how different the sky becomes. The one who is from the seed is also saying, 'What is not in the seed cannot be in the flower?' This is his logic. The one from the flower is also saying the same. He is saying, 'What is in the flower must also be in the seed.' The logic of both is the same, but their way of looking is different. I have a great difficulty. Someone used to ask me, 'Many people must have studied with you in childhood, in school, in college. They are not visible. How can they be visible? They have great difficulty. They cannot believe.' Just yesterday, someone from Raipur sent me a newspaper. Shri Harishankar Parsai wrote an article against me. He knows me. He has known me since college days. He is a prominent Hindi satirist. I admire his works. In the article, he wrote that there is something wrong with the air of Jabalpur. Deceivers and cunning people are born here, like Rajneesh, Mahesh Yogi, Mundra. He listed three names. Thank him, at least he counted me among the first. He remembered me. He did not completely forget me. But the argument is natural, straightforward. I can understand his point. It is impossible. If you saw the seed, you don't trust the flower. Then, for those who saw the flower, trusting the seed becomes difficult. So, the life stories of all great men are written in two ways. Those who are against them start their journey from childhood. Those who are in their favor start from the end and go towards childhood. Both are correct in a sense. But those who travel from childhood to the end remain deprived. Their correctness is suicidal for them. Those who travel from the end go backward. They are blessed. Because they get many things spontaneously that the rationalists did not get earlier. Now, not only do I seem wrong, but because of me, even the air of Jabalpur seems wrong to them. There must be some fault in the air and water. If I have to say to them, Jabalpur has no right to determine whether the air and water are good or bad in my regard. I have no connection with Jabalpur.
There is not much connection. I was there for a few days. Mahesh Yogi was also there for a few days. He also has no connection. Our connection is from somewhere else. The people of that place are so asleep that they are not even aware of it yet. Mahesh Yogi and I were born close to each other. Both were born around Gadarwara. He was born in Chichli. I was born in Kuwade. If the air and water are bad, it must be from there. Gadarwara should feel sad about this. It will happen someday, or Sukha Jabalpur should not come in between. But how the mind creates logic. Now, whoever looks at the story of Ashtavakra will immediately say it is wrong. Impossible. Even those who wrote this story know that if someone proudly says something, they are only saying that what finally manifested must have been present in the womb, and the speech that finally bloomed must have been present at some deep level in the womb, otherwise where would it have bloomed from? Where would it have come from? Does anything come from just hearing? There is a reason behind everything. We may not have seen it, but it was present. All these stories indicate this. The second thing known about Ashtavakra is that he was 12 years old. Only two things are known. The third is his Ashtavakra Gita, or some people say Ashtavakra Samhita. When he was 12 years old, Janak organized a very grand debate. Janak was an emperor, and he invited scholars from all over the country. He lined up 1000 cows at the palace gate. Gold was melted and applied to the horns of those cows, and jewels were hung from them, and he said that whoever wins will take these cows away. There was a great dispute. Ashtavakra's father also went to that dispute. By evening, news came that the father was losing. He had already won against everyone else. He was losing to a scholar named Vandin. Hearing this news, Ashtavakra also reached the palace. The assembly was convened. The debate was at its peak. The decisive moment was approaching. The situation of the father losing was completely certain. It was a matter of when he would lose. Ashtavakra went inside the court. The scholars saw him. Great scholars were gathered. His body was crooked in eight places. He walked. Even then, people laughed seeing him. His walk was also very comical. The entire assembly started laughing. Ashtavakra also laughed heartily. Janak asked, "I understand why everyone else is laughing. But son, why are you laughing?" Ashtavakra said, "I am laughing because in this assembly of cobblers, a decision of truth is being made. A great man must have been unique. What are these cobblers doing here?" Silence fell. The cobbler emperor asked, "What do you mean?" He said, "It's a simple matter. They only see the skin; they don't see me. It's hard to find a straightforward person like me. They don't see me at all. They see a crooked body. These are cobblers; they are connoisseurs of skin. O King, does the sky become crooked because the temple is crooked? Does the sky break because the pot is broken? The sky is unaffected. My body is crooked, but I am not. Look at what resides within. You will not find anything more straightforward than this." This was a very shocking announcement. There must have been silence. Janak was impressed. He was jolted. He realized where he was sitting with a crowd of cobblers. He also felt remorse and guilt that he too had laughed. He couldn't say anything that day. But the next morning, when the emperor went for a walk, Ashtavakra appeared on the road. He got off his horse and fell at his feet. He couldn't gather the courage in front of everyone. The day before, he had said, "Son, why are you laughing?" He was a 12-year-old boy. He had judged his age. Today, he did not judge his age. Today, he got off his horse. He fell at his feet. A full prostration. And said, "Please come to the palace and resolve my curiosities. O Lord, come to my home. I understood your words. I couldn't sleep all night. You spoke correctly. Those who only recognize the body, how deep is their understanding? They are debating about the soul, and still, attraction and repulsion arise in the body. Hatred and attraction arise. They are seeing death and discussing immortality. Blessed am I that you came and surprised me, broke my sleep. Now, please come to the palace." He had made great arrangements. He seated this 12-year-old Ashtavakra on a golden throne and asked his questions. Janak's curiosity is the first principle. Ashtavakra explained. Nothing more is known about Ashtavakra, nor is there any need to know more. It is enough. This is more than enough. Diamonds are not abundant. Pebbles and stones are abundant. Even one diamond is enough. These are two small incidents. One is the voice and declaration from the womb before birth: "What madness are you caught up in? You are entangled in scriptures, entangled in words. Wake up! This is not knowledge. This is all borrowed. This is all a web of intellect. It is not experience. There is not even a trace of essence in it. How long will you deceive yourselves?" And the second incident is the laughter in the palace of the scholars and Ashtavakra's statement: "There are two ways of seeing in life. One is the inner vision, and the other is the outer vision. A cobbler sees the skin; a wise person sees the soul. Did you notice? Cobblers don't look at your face; they only look at your shoes. Actually, by looking at the shoes, a cobbler recognizes everything about you: what your financial situation is, whether you are succeeding or failing, how your luck is running. Everything is written in the shoes. The creases of the shoes tell the story, the condition of the shoes tells the story. Your life story is written in the shoes, and the cobbler can read it. The shine of the shoes, the newness of the shoes, makes the cobbler meet you with pleasure. The shoe is the proof of your soul for him. A tailor sees clothes. Your coat, seeing the fabric, understands your situation. Everyone has their own fixed perspectives. Only the self-possessed sees the self. They have no perspective; they have vision. One more small incident, which is not related to Ashtavakra's life, but to the lives of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. However, it has a connection with Ashtavakra. Then we will enter the sutras. Vivekananda came to Ramakrishna when his name was Narendra Nath. Vivekananda was called later by Ramakrishna. When he came to Ramakrishna, he was very argumentative, an atheist, and a rationalist. He wanted proof for everything. There are some things for which there is no proof. It is a compulsion. There is no proof for God. It exists, but there is no proof. There is no proof for love, and there is no proof. If I say, "Look, how beautiful this date palm tree is," and you say, "I don't see any beauty." It would be difficult to prove the tree as beautiful. How can it be proven beautiful? It requires the perception of beauty, and there is no other way. It requires eyes, and there is no other way. It is said that Majnu said, "If you want to know Laila, you need Majnu's eyes." He spoke correctly. There is no other way to see Laila. The king of his village had called Majnu and said, "You are mad. I know your Laila. She is an ordinary girl, dark and not special. I pity you. These 12 girls from my palace, the most beautiful women in this country, choose any one of them. My heart aches seeing you cry." He looked and said, "None of these is Laila. They are not even dust from Laila's feet, let alone comparable to Laila." The emperor said, "Majnu, you are mad." Majnu said, "It may be so. But I want to tell you one thing. If you want to see Laila, you need Majnu's eyes." Majnu spoke correctly. If you want to see the beauty of trees, you need the eyes of art, and there is no other proof. If you want to recognize someone's love, you need the heart of a lover, and there is no other proof. And God is the collective name of all the beauty, all the love, and all the truth in this world. For that, such an unaffected mind is needed. Such a witness consciousness is needed where no word remains, no thought arises, no ripple occurs, where no dust remains, and the mirror of the mind and consciousness is perfectly pure. Where is the proof? Ramakrishna said to Vivekananda, "I need proof." God exists, and there is proof. Ramakrishna saw Vivekananda. The potential of this young man was great. His future journey was vast. Much was to happen. He carried a great treasure within him, of which he was unaware. Ramakrishna looked into the previous lives of this young man. He was bringing a great wealth, a wealth of great merit. He should not remain suppressed by mere logic. Ramakrishna's heart must have been filled with pain and compassion. He said, "Leave the proofs, we will think about them later. I have become a bit old. I have difficulty reading. You are young, your eyes are still sharp. Read this book. It is Ashtavakra Gita. Please read it to me." It is said that Vivekananda had no difficulty with this. He was not asking for anything special. He read a few sutras and became agitated, his body trembling. Vivekananda said, "I cannot read this." Ramakrishna said, "Read it. What harm will it do? You are young, your eyes are fresh, and I am old and have difficulty reading. I need to read this book. So, you read it aloud." It is said that while reciting that book, Vivekananda was immersed. Ramakrishna saw that there was great potential within this person. Great pure potential. Like that of a Bodhisattva, who is destined to become a Buddha sooner or later. No matter how much he wanders today or tomorrow, Buddhahood is coming to him. Why did Ramakrishna ask Vivekananda to read Ashtavakra Gita? Because there is no purer statement than this. Even these words, if they reach within you, will awaken your sleeping soul. These words will make you ripple. These words will exhilarate you. These words will shake you. A revolution can happen with these words. I have not chosen Ashtavakra Gita just like that. And I have not chosen it hastily. I spoke on Krishna's Gita during days of crowds. Because there were crowds with me, Ashtavakra Gita had no meaning for the crowds. I made a great effort to get rid of the crowds. Now there are a few Vivekanandas here. Now I have to talk to them, those with great potential. I have to work with those few people with whom hard work can yield results. Now, I will not waste this chisel on pebbles. That is why I have chosen Ashtavakra Gita. You have become ready, that is why I have chosen it. The first sutra. Janak said, "O Lord, how does a person attain knowledge, and how will liberation be attained, and how will detachment be attained? Please tell me, O Lord, explain to me, O Lord." Emperor Janak speaking to a 12-year-old boy. "O Lord, God, explain to me. Grant some understanding to this ignorant one, awaken this unknowing one." Three questions were asked. "Katham Jnanam" (How is knowledge?). Ordinarily, we would think, "Is this even a question to ask? It's filled in books." Janak also knew it was filled in books. That is not knowledge; it is merely the dust of knowledge. When the flame of knowledge burns, ash is left behind. Ash keeps accumulating and becomes scripture. The Vedas are ash; they were once burning embers. Sages burned them in their souls. Then they remained as ash. Then the ash was collected, preserved, and organized. Just as when a person dies, we collect their ashes and call them flowers. They are very funny people. They never called the person a flower in life. They collect his bones and call them flowers. Then they keep them carefully, make urns. The person they never honored as a flower in life, whom they never saw as a flower in life, when he dies, they call his bones, his ashes, flowers. It's madness. Similarly, when a Buddha is alive, you don't listen. When a Mahavira passes through you, you get angry. You feel this person is breaking your dreams or disturbing your sleep. Is this the time to awaken? The dream had just begun. You had just started winning in life. The arrows were just hitting the right spot. And this gentleman arrived. He says, "All this is impermanent." You had just won the election. The path to reaching the position was being made. And this great soul arrived. He says, "This is all a dream; there is no essence in it. Death will come and snatch everything away. Leave it. We will see when death comes. Don't bring up such things in the meantime." But when Mahavira dies, when Buddhas die, then we collect their ashes. Then we create Dhammapada, Vedas. Then we offer flowers for worship. Janak also knew that scriptures are full of information, but he asked, "Katham Jnanam" (How is knowledge attained?). Because no matter how much you know, knowledge is not attained. Keep knowing, keep knowing. Memorize scriptures, become parrots. Know every sutra by heart. Let the entire Vedas be imprinted in your memory. Still, knowledge is not attained. "Katham Jnanam" (How is knowledge attained?). "Katham Mukti" (How is liberation attained?). Because what you call knowledge binds you; it doesn't liberate you. Knowledge is that which liberates. Jesus said, "Truth is that which liberates." Knowledge is that which liberates. This is the criterion of knowledge. Scholars do not appear liberated; they appear bound. They talk of liberation but do not appear liberated. They seem bound by a thousand bonds. Have you ever noticed that your so-called saints seem even more bound than you? You might be a little bit free. Your saints are more bound than you. They are slaves to tradition. They can neither stand nor sit nor live with freedom. A few days ago, I received news from some Jain nuns that they wanted to meet, but the lay followers would not allow it. This is also very funny. The meaning of a monk is one who has shed worldly worries, who has set out on a journey into the wilderness, who has said, "I neither need your respect nor your honor." But monks and nuns say lay followers do not allow them. They say, "Don't go there even by mistake. If you go there, this door will be closed." Is this monasticism? This is dependence, slavery. This is a very strange thing. It's like the monk is changing the lay follower, the lay follower is changing the monk. A friend came and told me that a Jain nun reads your books but also wants to listen to your tapes secretly, and if she ever mentions your name in front of someone, she acts as if she has never heard your name. Is this liberation? Janak asked, "Katham Mukti" (How is liberation attained?). What is liberation? Explain to me that knowledge which liberates. Freedom is man's most important aspiration. You can achieve everything, but if slavery remains, it is painful. If you get everything but not freedom, you have gained nothing. Man wants an open sky, no boundaries. That is man's innermost, deepest aspiration. Where there are no boundaries, no obstacles. Call this the aspiration to be God, the aspiration for Moksha. We have chosen the right word: Moksha. There is no such beautiful word in any language in the world. Heaven, paradise, these are such words. But those words do not have the melody of Moksha. The music of Moksha is unique. Its meaning is simply this: supreme freedom, which has no obstacles. Freedom so pure that it has no boundaries. Janak asked, "How will liberation be attained?" And "How will detachment be attained? O Lord, explain to me." Ashtavakra must have looked closely at Janak, because the first task of a guru is to look closely when someone asks a question. From what source does the curiosity arise? Why did the questioner ask? The answer can only be meaningful if the reason for the question is understood and clarified. Remember, a person who has attained true knowledge, a true guru, does not answer your question; he answers you. He is less concerned with what you are asking and more concerned with why you are asking. What is the hidden web in your subconscious behind your asking? What aspiration is truly hidden behind all your questions? There are four types of people in the world: the knowledgeable, the seeker of liberation, the ignorant, and the deluded. And there are only four types of curiosity in the world. The curiosity of the knowledgeable is silent. It should be said that the knowledgeable person does not have curiosity at all. They have known what is to be known. Nothing is left to be known. They have reached their destination. Their consciousness has become pure and calm. They have returned home, come to rest. So, the knowledgeable person does not have curiosity like curiosity. This does not mean that the knowledgeable person is not ready to learn. The knowledgeable person becomes like a simple small child, always ready to learn. The more you learn, the more your readiness to learn increases. The simpler and more guileless you become, the more open you become to learning. Winds come, finding your doors open. The sun comes, knocking at your door. God finds you always ready. The knowledgeable person does not accumulate knowledge. The knowledgeable person simply attains the capacity for knowledge. Understand this well, because it will be useful later. The knowledgeable person simply means one who is completely open to knowing, who has no bias, no veil for knowing, no preconceived plan or structure for knowing. The knowledgeable person means the meditative, who is full of meditation. So, Ashtavakra must have looked closely at Janak. This person is not knowledgeable; he has not attained meditation, otherwise his curiosity would have been silent, without words. In the life of Buddha, it is mentioned that a fakir came to meet him, a sage, a wandering ascetic. He came to Buddha and said, "I have no words worth asking. I don't have the skill to bind what I want to ask into words. You know everything. Understand what is necessary for me." This is the curiosity of the knowledgeable. Buddha sat silently. He said nothing. After an hour, as if something happened. The man who was sitting silently, looking at Buddha, tears started flowing from his eyes. He bowed at his feet, offered salutations, and said, "Thank you. I am very fortunate. You have given me what I came for." He got up and left. There was an extraordinary radiance on his face. He went dancing. The disciples around Buddha were very surprised. Ananda asked, "Lord, this is a puzzle. First, he said he didn't know how to ask, didn't know in what words to ask, didn't even know what he wanted to ask. Then you know everything. Look at me, tell me what is necessary for me. First, this man himself was a puzzle. What kind of way is this to ask? And if you don't even know what to ask, then why ask? What to ask? It was quite a situation. Then this didn't end. You sat silently, and remained silent. We have never seen you so silent. If someone asked, you would answer. Sometimes, even if no one asked, you would answer. Your compassion always flowed. What happened suddenly that you became silent and closed your eyes? And then what mysteriously happened that the man began to transform? We saw him changing. We saw him immersed in a different color. We saw him filled with ecstasy. He went dancing, full of tears, overwhelmed, exhilarated. He bowed at your feet. His fragrance touched us too. What happened? You didn't say anything. He heard. How? And we have been with you for years. Is our grace less? Why don't we receive the same offering that he received? But remember, you receive only as much as you can take." Buddha said, "Listen," he spoke to Ananda, who was a Kshatriya, Buddha's cousin, and had a great fondness for horses since childhood.
He was a horseman, a famous horseman, a competitor, a great one. He said, "Listen, Ananda, there are four types of horses. One type, even if you strike it, doesn't budge. The worst of horses, the more you strike it, the more stubborn it becomes. It stands there with absolute obstinacy. If you strike it, it makes a challenge, as if to see who wins.
Then there are the second type of horses. If you strike them, they move; if you don't strike them, they don't move. At least better than the first. Then there are the third type of horses. You crack the whip. Striking isn't really necessary. Just cracking the whip, the sound is enough, and it's even more noble, better than the second. Then, Ananda, you must surely know, there are also horses that run away just by seeing the shadow of a whip. You don't even have to strike them. This was such a horse; the shadow was enough.
Ashtavakra must have observed closely. When you come and ask me something, you are more important than your question. Sometimes you might feel that I have answered what you did not ask. And sometimes you might feel that perhaps I have evaded your question, defended it, or given some other answer. But your inner need is always more important. What you ask is not as important because you yourself do not know exactly what you are asking or why you are asking it. The answer given is what you needed. Your asking does not determine anything.
Have you seen? Janaka is not a wise man, he is ignorant. Then he is not ignorant either, because an ignorant person is arrogant, full of pride. An ignorant person does not know how to bow. This one bowed at the feet of this 12-year-old boy. He prostrated himself. This is impossible for an ignorant person. An ignorant person thinks, "I already know. Who will teach me?" If an ignorant person ever asks, it is to prove you wrong, because an ignorant person assumes, "I know it anyway. Let's see if they know it too." An ignorant person asks for a test.
No, Janaka's eyes are very pure. Even though he is an emperor, he said to this unknown 12-year-old boy, "My Lord, O Lord, explain to me." He did not say this out of humility. He is not ignorant. Is he foolish? Then fools don't ask. Fools don't even know that there is a problem in life. There is one similarity between fools and enlightened men. For enlightened men, no problem remains. For fools, the problem has not yet arisen. Enlightened men have gone beyond problems. Fools are still outside the problem. Fools were so deluded. What questions would they have? A fool would ask, "How is knowledge?" A fool would ask, "How is liberation?" A fool would ask, "How is detachment?" A fool would ask, "Impossible." If a fool asks anything, he asks, "How can I succeed in attachment?" If a fool asks anything, he asks, "How can I live a little longer in the world?" Not liberation. A fool asks, "How can I make my bonds of gold? How can I adorn my bonds with diamonds and jewels?" If a fool asks anything, he asks such things.
A fool does not even believe that knowledge is possible. He does not accept possibilities. He says, "What knowledge?" A fool lives like an animal. No, this Janaka is not a fool. He is a *mumukshu*. The word *mumukshu* needs to be understood. The aspiration for liberation is *mumuksha*. He has not yet reached liberation. He is not wise. He is not standing with his back to liberation. He is not a fool. He is not holding onto any notions about liberation. He is not ignorant either. He is a *mumukshu*. The meaning of *mumukshu* is simple: his curiosity is not defiled by foolishness, nor distorted by ignorant notions. His curiosity is pure. He asked with a simple heart.
Ashtavakra said, "O dear, if you desire liberation, then abandon sense objects like poison and consume forgiveness, straightforwardness, compassion, contentment, and truth like nectar." Liberation means abandoning sense objects like poison. The word 'sense object' is very valuable; it is made from 'poison'. Poison means something that, if eaten, causes death. Sense object means something that causes us to die repeatedly. Repeated enjoyment, repeated eating, repeated ambition, envy, anger, jealousy. We have died repeatedly by eating these. We have died repeatedly because of these.
Until now, what have we known of life in life? We have only known death. Where is the burning flame of our life until now? It is only the smoke of death. From birth to death, we only die. When do we truly live? We die every day. What we call life is a continuous process of dying. We don't even know what life is yet, so how can we live? This body deteriorates every day. This strength is lost every day. These enjoyments and sense objects drain us every day. They wear us down. These sense objects and desires are like holes; our energy and soul flow out through them every day. In the end, the pot becomes empty. We call that death. Have you ever seen? If you put a leaky pot in a well, it seems full as long as it is submerged in water. Lift it out of the water, pull the rope, and it starts to empty. There is a great commotion. That is what you call life. Water streams fall. That is what you call life. And as the pot comes closer to your hand, it keeps emptying. When it comes into your hand, it is an empty pot, not even a drop of water.
Our life is like this. A child is not yet born. It seems full. It is born, and it begins to empty. The first day of birth is the first day of death. It begins to empty. One day dies, two days die, three days die. What you call birthdays. It would be better to call them death days, as that would be more truthful. You die for one year, and you call it a birthday. You die for 50 years and call it a golden jubilee. You have died for 50 years; death is approaching, life is moving away. The pot is emptying. Do you think of life based on what is moving away, or on what is approaching? What kind of reverse logic is this? We die every day; death draws closer.
Ashtavakra says, sense objects are like poison because by consuming them, we only die; they never give life. If you desire liberation, O father, O dear, then abandon sense objects like poison and consume forgiveness, straightforwardness, compassion, contentment, and truth like nectar. Nectar means that which gives life, that which gives immortality, that which reveals that which will never die. So, forgiveness is nectar for anger, which is a sense object. Straightforwardness is nectar for crookedness, which is a sense object. Compassion is nectar for harshness and cruelty, which are sense objects. Contentment is nectar for discontent. The worm of discontent eats away. The worm of discontent spreads like cancer in the heart. It spreads poison. Contentment means not aspiring for what is not there. What is there is more than enough. It is always more than enough. Open your eyes and see. Contentment is not something imposed from outside. Look at life carefully. What you have received is always more than your need. What you need has always been given to you. What you have wanted has always been received. If you wanted sorrow, you received sorrow. If you wanted happiness, you received happiness. If you wanted wrong, you received wrong. Your desire has created your life. Desire is the seed, and life is its fruit. Whatever you have desired over lifetimes, you have received. Many times you think you are desiring something else, and when it is received, something else is received. So, there was no mistake in your desiring. You simply chose the wrong word for desiring. For example, you desire success, but you receive failure. You say, "Failure is being received; I wanted success." But the one who desired success has already accepted failure. They are already afraid of failure within. They are desiring success precisely because of failure. And every time you desire success, the thought of failure will come. The thought of failure will keep strengthening. Success may never come, but the journey will be spent in failure, failure. The feeling of failure will accumulate so much that it will manifest one day. Then you say, "We wanted success." But in desiring success, you desired failure. Lao Tzu said, "If you desire success, you will receive failure. If you truly want success, then do not desire success at all. Then no one can defeat you."
You say, "We wanted respect, but we are receiving insult." Only a person who has no self-respect desires respect. They are the ones who seek respect from others. The one who is insulted within themselves wants to fill that insult from others, to cover it up. The desire for respect is an indication that you feel insulted within yourself. You feel, "I am nothing. Let others make me something. Let them seat me on a throne. Let them wave flags. Let them raise banners in my name. Let others do something." You are a beggar. You have insulted yourself by desiring respect. And this insult will deepen. Lao Tzu says, "No one can insult me because I do not desire respect." To attain this respect. Lao Tzu says, "No one can defeat me because we have given up the talk of victory." How will you defeat them now? You can only defeat someone who wants to win.
Now, this is a bit complicated. In this world, respect is given to those who did not desire respect. Success is given to those who did not desire success. Because those who did not desire success have already accepted that they are successful. What more is there to desire? The soul already has respect within. What more is there to desire? God has given you respect by creating you. Whose respect do you seek now? God has given you enough glory. He has given you life. He has given you the fortune to open your eyes and see green trees, flowers, birds. He has given you ears to hear music, the murmur of waterfalls. He has given you the intellect to become enlightened. What more do you want? You are already honored. God has given you a certificate. Why are you asking for certificates like a beggar from those who are asking for certificates from you? This is a very interesting situation. Two beggars are standing in front of each other, begging. How will they get alms? Both beggars. From whom are you asking for respect? In front of whom are you standing? You are insulting yourself. And this insult will deepen.
Contentment means: look at what you have. Look with open eyes at what you have received. This is a very valuable key of Ashtavakra. It will become clear to you gradually. Ashtavakra's vision is very revolutionary, very unique, a revolution from the root. Consume contentment and truth like nectar. Because one who lives with untruth will become untruthful. One who speaks untruth, lives untruth, will naturally fall into untruth. Their relationships will be severed. Their roots will be broken. If you want roots in God, those roots can only be through truth. Only through authenticity and truth can you connect with God. To break away from God, create the smoke of untruth. Create clouds of untruth around yourself. The more untruthful you become, the farther you will move away from God.
You are not earth, not water, not air, not sky. For liberation, know the soul as the witness consciousness of all these. These are straightforward things. Not even an introduction yet. Not two words have been spoken. Ashtavakra's thought has come. The talk of samadhi has come. The knower has nothing to convey except samadhi. He spoke those two words too, because if the talk of samadhi came suddenly, you might be startled. You might not understand. But two words, and then the direct talk of samadhi. Ashtavakra does not even take seven steps. Buddha took seven steps. Samadhi is at the eighth step. Ashtavakra takes the very first step of samadhi. "You are not earth, not water, not air, not sky. In this perception, stabilize yourself. For liberation, know the soul as the witness consciousness of all these." This is the witness sutra. There is no more important sutra than this. Become a witness. Let what is happening, happen. There is no need to obstruct it. This body is water, earth, fire, sky. You are the light within it, by which all this water, fire, earth, sky, air are illuminated. You are the seer. Accept this. "Witness is the form of consciousness, know the Self." This is the most valuable sutra in this world. Become a witness. Knowledge will come from this. Detachment will come from this. Liberation will come from this.
There were three questions, the answer is one. "If you separate the body from yourself and rest in consciousness, you will immediately become happy, peaceful, and free from bondage." Therefore, I say, this is a revolution from the root. Patanjali does not say with such courage, "Immediately." Patanjali says, "Practice, observe the yamas and niyamas, do pranayama, pratyahara, asana. Purify yourself. It will take lifetimes, then there will be accomplishment." Mahavira says, "The five great vows, and then it will take lifetimes to achieve nirvana, to cut the net of karma." Listen to Ashtavakra: "If you separate the body from yourself and rest in consciousness, you will immediately become happy, peaceful, and free from bondage." *Adhuna Sukhi Shanto Bandha Mukto Bhavishyasi*. Immediately, right now.
If you separate the body from yourself and rest in consciousness, if you start seeing one thing: this body is not me. I am not the doer and enjoyer. This watcher hidden within me, who sees everything. There was childhood once, so childhood was seen. Then youth came, so youth was seen. Then old age came, so old age was seen. Childhood is gone, so I cannot be childhood. It came and went. I am. Youth is gone, so I cannot be youth. It came and went. I am. Old age is coming and going. So I cannot be old age. Because that which comes and goes, how can I be that? I am eternal. The one on whom childhood came, on whom youth came, on whom old age came, on whom a thousand things came and went, I am that eternal one. Stations keep changing: childhood, youth, old age, birth. The traveler keeps moving. Do you mistake yourself for the station? At Pune station, do you think, "I am Pune"? Then when you reach Manmad, do you think, "I am Manmad"? You know that Pune came and went, Manmad came and went. You are the traveler. You are the seer who saw Pune. Pune came. Who saw Manmad, Manmad came. You are the watcher. So, the first thing is to separate the watcher from what is happening. Separate the body from yourself and rest in consciousness. And there is nothing to be done. Just like Lao Tzu's sutra is surrender, Ashtavakra's sutra is rest. There is nothing to be done.
People come to me, and they say, "How to meditate?" That question itself is wrong. They ask wrongly, so I tell them, "Do it." "What will I do?" Then I tell them, "Do something. You have to do something." You have an itch to do something, so that must be satisfied. If there is an itch, what will you do? It cannot be helped without scratching. But gradually, by making them do it, I tire them out. Then they say, "Now free us from this." "How long will we keep doing this?" I was willing from the beginning. But it took you a little time to understand. Now, rest. The ultimate meaning of meditation is rest. *Chitti Vishramyasi* - one who rests in rest. One who settles in being. There is nothing to do, because what you are searching for is already found. Because what you are searching for has never been lost. It cannot be lost. That is your nature. "You are Brahman." "I am the Truth." Where do you search? Where do you run off to? Where do you run off to search for yourself? Stop. Wait. God is not found by running. Because God is hidden in the runner. God is not found by doing something. Because God is hidden in the doer. To be God, there is no need to do anything. You already are. Therefore, Ashtavakra says, "Rest in consciousness. Rest. Relax yourself. Leave this tension. Where are you going? Nowhere to go, nowhere to reach. And resting in consciousness, you will immediately become happy, peaceful, and free from bondage." These words are unique. No other scripture can compare to them.
"You are not a Brahmin or any other caste, nor are you of any ashram, nor are you an object of the senses like eyes. You are unattached and formless, the witness of the entire universe. Knowing this, be happy." Now, how will a Brahmin write a commentary? "You are not a Brahmin or any other caste." How will Hindus hold this scripture to their heads? Because their entire religion stands on caste and ashram. And Ashtavakra is already cutting the roots. He says, "You are not a Brahmin, not a Shudra, not a Kshatriya. All this is nonsense. These are all external impositions. This is all a game of politics and society. You are simply Brahman." Not Brahmin, not Kshatriya, not Shudra. "You are not a Brahmin or any other caste, nor are you of any ashram." And it is not that you are in the Brahmacharya ashram, or Grihastha ashram, or Vanaprastha, or Sanyasa. You are not of any ashram. You are the witness, the observer, passing through all these stages. The Gita of Ashtavakra. Hindus cannot claim it. The Gita of Ashtavakra belongs to everyone. If there were Muslims, Hindus, Christians in Ashtavakra's time, he would have said, "You are not a Hindu, not a Christian, not a Muslim." Now, who will build a temple for such an Ashtavakra? Who will hold his scripture to their heads? Who will claim ownership? Because he negates all of them. But this is a direct declaration of truth. "Unattached and formless, you are the witness of the entire universe. Knowing this, be happy." Ashtavakra does not say, "If you know this, then you will be happy." Listen to the words carefully. Ashtavakra says, "Knowing this, be happy." *Na vipradiko varno na ashrami na aksha gochara. Asango asya nirakaro vishva sakshi sukhi bhava.* Be happy.
Janaka asks, "How will there be happiness? How will there be liberation from bondage? How will there be knowledge?" Ashtavakra says, "It can happen now. There is no need to delay even for a moment. There is no reason to postpone it to tomorrow. This event does not happen in the future. Either it happens now, or it never happens. When it happens, it happens now. Because there is no time other than now. The future, when it comes, comes like the present." So, all knowledge that has arisen, has arisen now. Never postpone it. That is the cleverness of the mind. The mind says, "How can it happen so quickly? Let me prepare." People come to me. They say, "I want to take sanyas." "When will you take it?" "Never." If you postpone it to 'never', you have postponed it forever. 'Never' never comes. If you want to take it, take it now. There is no time other than now. Life is now. Liberation is now. Ignorance is now. Knowledge is now. Sleep is now. Why is awakening difficult for the mind? Because the mind says, "Let me prepare." The mind says, "How does any work happen without preparation?" If a person wants a certificate from a university, it takes years. To do a doctorate, it takes 20-25 years. By working hard, a person becomes a doctor. How can it happen now?
Ashtavakra also knows. If you want to open a shop, it won't open immediately. You have to gather, organize, bring goods, build the shop, find customers, send advertisements. It takes years. In this world, nothing happens immediately; it happens sequentially. Okay? Ashtavakra also knows, I also know. But there is one event here that happens immediately: that is God. It is not your shop. Not your examination hall, not your university. God does not happen sequentially. God has already happened. It's just a matter of opening your eyes. The sun has already risen. The sun has not waited for your eyes. It will rise when you open your eyes. The sun has already risen. Light is filled everywhere. Its resonance is echoing. The sound of Om is echoing everywhere. The continuous, unstruck sound is echoing all around. Open your ears, open your eyes. How much time does it take to open your eyes? It doesn't even take that much time to attain God. It takes a moment. The blink of an eye. A moment means the time it takes to blink an eye. But it doesn't even take a moment to attain God.
"Witness, unattached, formless, be happy." Your religion is not on credit. Ashtavakra's religion is cash.
"How are virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow, the attributes of the mind? They are not for you. You are neither the doer nor the enjoyer. You are always liberation itself. Liberation is our nature. Knowledge is our nature. God is our way of being. Our center. The breath of our life. Our existence."
"Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are of the mind. They are not for you. You are neither the doer nor the enjoyer. You are always liberation itself." You are always free. Liberation is not an event that we have to make happen. Liberation has already happened in our being. This existence is made of liberation. Every particle of it is made of liberation. Liberation is the metal from which all existence is made. Freedom is nature. This is the proclamation. Just understand, and the revolution will happen. There is nothing to do except understand. Let this sink into your mind. So, I will say only this much today. Just try to understand Ashtavakra. There is no human way to do anything in Ashtavakra. So, do not think that some trick will emerge that we will do. Ashtavakra does not ask you to do anything. Listen with rest. There is nothing to be done. Therefore, do not bring notebooks or copies, thinking you will note down some sutras and try them out. There is nothing to do here. Therefore, listen, leaving behind worries about the future. Just listen. Just sit with me and listen with a calm mind. Listen in rest. While listening, you can become free. That is why Mahavira said, "A disciple can become free." Just by listening. A disciple means one who becomes free by listening. A monk, his meaning is only this: one who could not become free by listening. He is of slightly weaker intellect. He had to do something. The shadow of the whip was not enough. The horse was a bit stubborn. He cracked the whip, then it moved a little. Or he struck it, and it moved a little. The shadow is enough. You listen, and the shadow of the horse will appear. So, remember one thing with Ashtavakra: there is nothing to do. Therefore, you can listen with joy. Do not try to extract anything from this to do later. Whatever happens will happen in listening. The sutra of right listening is: "Immediately become happy, peaceful, and free from bondage." Become free now. Become free this very moment. No one is stopping you. No obstacle. No need to even move. Become free where you are. Because you are already free. Wake up and become free. "Unattached, formless, witness of the universe, be happy." Become happy.
There is no need to delay even for a moment. It is a leap, a quantum leap. There are no stairs in Ashtavakra. There is no gradual development. It can happen suddenly, this very moment. Hari Om Tat Sat. That's all for today.