Ashtavakra

Two stories inspired by the great sage of the Vedic Age Ashtavakra and his disciple Janaka

It's not what you hold, it's how you hold it

Ashtavakra lived in the forest with his disciples. Janaka, the then king and first disciple of Ashtavakra, often went to visit him and sit near him. Ashtavakra enjoyed Janaka's presence as he could discuss deeply on spiritual matters with his old disciple. 

But the other ascetics were jealous: "But well, we have renounced everything to be here. And the master chooses to spend more time with the king, who lives in glory and riches, every time he comes?" This reached the ears of their master, and he, without saying anything to anyone, sent two envoys: 

The first was a guard, who came in while Ashtavakra was doing satsang with his disciples, including Janaka. He bowed to the king and said: "Your palace is on fire. You must come quickly!". Janaka got up in annoyance and replied, "How dare you interrupt the satsang and without even bowing to the master? Go away now!" The guard left and Janaka sat calmly so that the teacher could continue his talk. 

Ashtavakra's second emissary entered again during satsang, a few days later, in the form of a woman who shouted to the disciples: "The monkeys are taking the clothes you have laid out. Come and save them!" Most of the students jumped up without a second thought, picked up their clothes and went back. Ashtavakra was at that time finishing his speech. He looked at them and said: "Here (pointing to Janaka), we have a king whose entire palace, including his wealth and people, was on fire,  and he chose to stay here, faithful in his search for Truth." You, you gave it up for a piece of cloth!".

The disciples were ashamed and immediately understood their teacher's lesson. In the end, it's not what you hold, but how you hold it... Even if you have a kingdom in your hands... If you grasp onto it with tension and fear, it will fill you with pain... But if you hold it lightly, it will set you free and fill you with life! 

Was that true or is this true?

One night in the Vedic era, the then king Janaka, woke up to his guard shouting, "My king, we are under attack! 

He jumped out of bed and said to him: "Quickly bring me my armor and sword, call the army and let's go fight!". The battle was fought and Janaka lost and was imprisoned for days. To honor him, the new king did not kill him but banished him. Exhausted, wounded and humiliated, Janaka left the palace and like a beggar, began to look for food. But no one would give him any... 

Months later and deeply unhappy he found a soup kitchen and when he reached the front of the line the cook told him: "The food just finished, but I'll give you the little that is left." "Give me anything, I'm desperate!" replied Janaka. But as soon as he took the bowl in his hands, a bird flew up and knocked it down. Janaka collapsed... he fell into the mud and sobbed and cried "Mercy!" 

And suddenly he woke up in his bed! A guard came into the room and said to him, "I heard you crying out in your sleep, my king, are you all right? Janaka immediately understood that it was all a dream, but, being a long-time student of Advaita Vedanta and a loyal disciple of the sage Ashtavakra, he wondered: ¨Was that true or is this true?¨. The guard anxiously called the queen and she called the doctor, and Janaka kept answering to all of them the same thing: ¨Was that true or is that true?" This went on for some time and the kingdom began to paralyze. A rumour spread that the king had gone mad and on hearing this Asthavakra decided to visit his disciple in the palace. 

He found him in a conference room with the queen, the ministers, his generals...all frustrated with the king's lack of cooperation. 

Ashtavakra approached him and asked him ¨What are you doing my king"? 

¨Was that true or is this true?" replied Janaka. Asthavakra understood his disciple immediately and asked:

"That horror, pain, suffering and humiliation that you went through there, is it here now?"

"No" replied Janaka as if slowly awakening from a drunken stupor. 

And what you are living now, your glory and riches, your wife and your generals, were they there then? 

"No" replied Janaka, "That was not there and that is not here". 

"Then, my king, neither was that true, nor is this true" Ashtavakra tells him.

Janaka was horrified... "And then, nothing is true?". 

"Janaka, what happened there was a dream, it was not true, but you experienced it, right? You were there! You, 'the experiencer', were you there?"

"Yes!"

"And what's happening now, you're also experiencing it, right?"

"Yes!" Janaka replied again.

"Then my king, neither was that the truth, nor is this the truth. YOU are the truth."