Ashtavakra Gita - 3

 “Ashtavakra Gita teachings for daily life”

Till now in Ashtavakra Gita we have been discussing it in context of everything being said by Muni Ashtavakra to Raja Janaka. But it is now advisable to put yourself in the situation of the king and try to embrace the real meaning behind why spirituality is important.

Muni Ashtavakra says, we are neither the subject (the person who is doing something) nor the object (the person who is receiving the effect). We are just the “Sakshi” (the witness). Whenever a thought comes in our brain, we create the world around us based on that thought. Assume your brain to be a screen which creates an image of the thought and accordingly we create the world around us based on what plays on the screen because we give so much importance to our brain the petty “I” that we discussed earlier. Based on that thought we find ourselves trapped in that specific world that we created around us. Whereas we should be free from our thoughts first to experience the freedom. Whatever the thought may be related to, whether it is fear or greed etc.

The question here is, when the action and reaction loop start? When you see something the mind links it with the memory you already have and then acts accordingly as an effect. You’ve to be a witness of the entire process of cause and effect happening in front of you and be detached with it.

Muni Ashtavakra says we must build a habit of being indifferent to our thoughts and see them passing by. If you are witnessing the change then there must be something in you that is not changing, he says you are that. I’m not doing anything; it is happening and hence nothing is happening to me in return but I’m just observing the process. For example – we behave like a robot that acts in a certain way when its buttons are pressed. So, he says be free from all those thoughts that binds your absolute potential.

So now, it condenses to the fact that we have a habit of saving or trying to relive the memory of the past as we experienced earlier which is not possible. This restricts our thinking and our potential. Lastly, he says you are not associated with anything permanently, so you be the infinite, the absolute reality and leave all that is petty that your brain creates as a cage for you, that is the only reason why spirituality is important.

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