Ashtavakr Gita
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(Spiritual) liberation
Alka Nigam, July 30, 2019: The Times of India
Truth is one, perceived and expressed differently by different sages. Ashtavakra, the great mystic philosopher, is addressing King Janaka who, at that moment, had one foot in the saddle while mounting his horse, telling him that following his instructions, Janaka could attain liberation by the time he sat on his horse.
Liberation means shattering all chains of bondage and becoming one with the Creator. Ashtavakra and Shankaracharya have both insisted that it is possible to realise this great Truth and become jivanmukta. The other school says that this is possible only when the body perishes, which is in one way, videhmukta. The firm conviction of Ashtavakra about the possibility of attaining freedom from bondage in this body forms the teachings contained in Ashtavakra Gita.
Ashtavakra – so called because his body was deformed at eight places due to his father’s curse – educated by his maternal uncle Uddalak rishi and became a master of yoga vidya at the early age of 12. Ashtavakra Gita is a radical version of non-dualistic Vedantic philosophy. A complex and multi-layered narrative, bubbling with palpable energy, it is pure, forceful, direct and one pointedly aimed at triggering Self-realisation with no mention of a personal god or suggestions for self-improvement.
Ashtavakra Gita opens with three questions posed by Janaka – how pure knowledge can be acquired, is renunciation possible and is liberation attainable? Ashtavakra, in 20 chapters, in different ways, satisfies the wise king who represents all evolved seekers on this journey – till he says “no more can be said” and Ashtavakra ends the song smilingly. The quintessence of the book comprises precious sutras presented as answers to the straightforward questions of Janaka. The prime sutra is to realise that you are the Self. Our identification with body, mind and intellect nurtures our ahamkar, ego, which is the main blocker on the spiritual journey. Ego veils our real nature, that is, our Self. It remains happily engrossed in the sensuous and immediately appealing activities of body, mind and intellect. Mind is like a vortex into which there is a whirling flow of thoughts that are continuously fed by senses. The more food for thought, the more restlessness. With noble discipline the stormy agitating thoughts can be replaced by values like forgiveness, kindness and love which bring in mental tranquility.
The reality is that you are pure consciousness and depend upon nothing. Ashtavakra gives an original example to explain this and says our consciousness is like a mirror that reflects everything that happens in our gross, subtle and causal bodies. It appears that consciousness is dancing to the rhythm of this reflection but the mirror is stable and continues to be there while the reflection of images is fleeting and conditional. Moving reflections cannot disturb the static mirror. The same way Self cannot be affected by any superimposition. Stationed in this pure, blissful consciousness ‘Be happy’.
Ashtavakra prescribes meditation for seekers only at this one place. Meditation means total oblivion of outer happenings. You are neither this nor that – this short phrase captures the essence of Vedantic thought. Let your Self remain untouched by unreal thoughts; let them pass as on screen. If you detach your Self from the body and fix it on your pure consciousness, you will instantly be happy, calm and bondage-free. You are liberated.
