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ЁЯМ║ ASHTAVAKRA GITAЁЯМ║
ЁЯМ┐Chapter - 1ЁЯМ┐
~ Introduction ~
ЁЯМ▒ Day - 6 ЁЯМ▒
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Ashtavakra was received by the king in the palace, and was offered a very high seat. Then Janaka asked the question: Katham jnanamavapnoti katham muktibhavishyati. Vairagyam cha katham praptametad bruhi mama prabho. Janaka addressed Ashtavkra as 'My dear Lord'. Many people can fake this respect and say, 'Oh, you are God. You are the Lord.' A feeling of closeness is essential.
Janaka said that respect and love flow together in a discipline. In the very nature of discipline there should not just be respect, but love, too. Because although respect is there, sometimes there is a distance. When there is a distance, total communication is not there. There is no love, and knowledge cannot flow. It's not the nature of a disciple. A disciple or a devotee has closeness and nearness, as well as respect - all combined in one.
Janaka said that he had listened to knowledge from many people, but it had all appeared to him like a fairy tale! Janaka said that it had all been 'airy-fairy'! How would he get knowledge?
So the whole Gita starts with the question: 'How?
рдХрдеं рдЭाрдирдорд╡ाрдк्рдиोрддि рдХрдеं рдоुрдХ्рддिрд░्рднрд╡िрд╖्рдпрддि ।
рд╡ैрд░ाрдЧ्рдпं рдЪ рдХрдеं рдк्рд░ाрдк्рддрдоेрддрдж् рдм्рд░ूрд╣ि рдордо рдк्рд░рднो ॥
Katham jnanamavapnoti katham muktibhavishyati.
Vairagyam cha katham praptametad bruhi mama prabho.
Katham jnanamavapnoti katham muktibhavishyati. How will the freedom come to me?' Vairagyam cha katham praptametad bruhi mama prabho. If you have a small responsibility, notice how attached you get to it! You have to take a son or daughter to school or get them married , or a small business or job, whatever... We get so involved in small things. A responsibility is given, but we get so totally entangled in it! Think of a king on whom the entire state is depending and looking up to. He has to take care of the whole society, the entire nation's welfare! He is responsible for everything that happens in that country. How can he be detached and be at peace? He may be living in a golden palace, decorated with gold and wearing very valuable jewels; he may have everything at his beck and call but he cannot have a feeling of detachment. This is most beautiful. Someone who does not have any responsibility can feel very detached. But that freedom has no value. If someone who is responsible for the whole society, the whole kingdom can say that he is not doing anything inspite of his responsible job; then that 'not doing something' is great. That is enlightenment.
Janaka didn't run away, but he asked how he could have detachment. He said that he knew that he should be detached, and he knew that he should feel freedom, and he knew he should be Knowledgeable. He had heard about it! But he was not knowledgeable. It was not dawing on him. He wanted to be told about it. And then Ashtavakra begins the discourse...
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji
ASHTAVAKRA GITA
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