Sai Baba Gita - Janaka achieves Self-Realization

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Sai Baba GitaJuly 28, 2004

King Janaka's Challenge to Gain Self-Knowledge

Astavakra told Janaka to dismount from his horse and leave it by the side, and

then he told the king to sit down in the middle of the path. Astavakra walked

further into the forest and sat quietly under a tree. Outside the forest, the

soldiers waited for a long time. Neither the king nor Astavakra showed up,

although it was long after the customary time when the king would have his

repast. Both the officers and the soldiers who loved their king and were very

faithful to him, became anxious to find out what had happened to him. So, one

by one, they stole into the forest to look for King Janaka and the little boy

who was with him, suspecting some foul play.

When they went along the path leading into the forest, they were relieved to

find the king seated there, in the middle of the path. His horse was standing

next to him. The king had his eyes closed and he sat motionless. The boy,

Astavakra, was not to be seen. The officers addressed the king, but he did not

answer. They feared that Astavakra might have exercised some magic spell over

the king and had made him lose consciousness. They went to look for the prime

minister.

The prime minister came and addressed Janaka, "O king! O king! O king!" But

Janaka did not open his eyes. He did not move at all. The prime minister became

very frightened. Not only the prime minister but all the other officials from

the palace who had come, were now getting thoroughly concerned. The king had

always kept to a rigorous schedule. He took his supper at the same time every

day. Now that time had long since passed but the king still had not stirred. In

this way, the day went on and evening came, but the king did not move from his

position, sitting there immobile on the ground.

Left with no alternative, the prime minister sent the chariot back to the city

to bring the queens, thinking that if the queens spoke to the king he would

surely respond. The queens came and addressed the king, "Maharajah! Maharajah!"

The king did not stir; there was absolutely no response from the king. Meanwhile

the soldiers searched throughout the whole forest for Astavakra. At last, they

found him under a tree. Astavakra was immersed in divine ecstasy.

The soldiers called out to him and exhorted him to answer their queries.

Astavakra came out of his self-absorbed blissful state. They implored him to

come to the place where the king was. Astavakra asked them, "Why are you all so

worried? The king is safe and everything is all right." But they insisted that

Astavakra come along with them and brought him before the king seated in the

middle of the path. The king had his eyes closed. His body was completely

still. The soldiers said, "Here, look for yourself! See what has happened to

the king!" Until that time, whether the prime minister, or the other ministers,

or the queens, or any of the court officials or soldiers or common people, had

called out and addressed the king, he neither opened his mouth in answer nor

opened his eyes in acknowledgment. But now, Astavakra came and spoke to the

king. King Janaka immediately opened his eyes and replied, "Master!"

Astavakra questioned the king, "Well, the ministers have come and the soldiers

have come, and also many others have come. Why did you not reply to their

entreaties?" Janaka answered, "Thoughts, words and deeds are associated with

the mind, and I offered my mind entirely to you. Therefore, before I can use

this mind for anything, I need your permission. What authority do I have to

speak to anyone or use this mind in any way? Without your permission and

command, I am not going to do anything." Astavakra told Janaka to put one foot

in the stirrup and get up on the horse. By the time he had climbed up and

seated himself on the horse and put his other foot in the stirrup, he had

attained the direct experience of the atma. Then Astavakra said to him, "You

have attained the state of God-realization."

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Sai Baba Gita, Compiled and edited by Al Drucker - Published by Atma Press -

http://www.atmapress.com - ISBN: 0963844903Online Edition:

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