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Poojya Swamiji continues to explain in depth the dialogue between King Janaka and Sage Ashtavakra – a dialogue that gives us a glimpse of the intelligence and magnificence of both minds. King Janaka’s questions on knowledge, moksha and dispassion, and Sage Ashtavakra’s profound revelation about the subject, are the essence of this dialogue. Who enjoys whom? Do we enjoy our senses or do our senses exhaust us? This thought-provoking question posed by Swamiji sets the tone for this talk. A clear distinction between the subject ‘I’ and the objects of the world is made, and Poojya Swamiji encourages us to imbibe and live the qualities of a devotee, follow the principles of Sadhana Chatustaya and worship the 5 inner virtues expounded by Ashtavakra.

Slokas chanted in the track:

(Timestamp: 00:20:20)
कथं ज्ञानमवाप्नोति कथं मुक्तिर्भविष्यति ।
वैराग्यं च कथं प्राप्तमेतद् ब्रूहि मम प्रभो ॥
kathaṃ jñānamavāpnoti kathaṃ muktirbhaviṣyati ।
vairāgyaṃ ca kathaṃ prāptametad brūhi mama prabho ॥
(Ashtavakra Samhita 1.1)

(Timestamp: 00:00:21, 00:03:24, 00:21:03)
मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान् विषवत्त्यज ।
क्षमार्जवदयातोषसत्यं पीयूषवद् भज ॥
muktimicchasi cettāta viṣayān viṣavattyaja ।
kṣamārjavadayātoṣasatyaṃ pīyūṣavad bhaja ॥
(Ashtavakra Samhita 1.2)

(Timestamp: 00:08:48, 00:16:46, 00:46:01)
न पृथ्वी न जलं नाग्निर्न वायुर्द्यौर्न वा भवान् ।
एषां साक्षिणमात्मानं चिद्रूपं विद्धि मुक्तये ॥
na pṛthvī na jalaṃ nāgnirna vāyurdyaurna vā bhavān ।
eṣāṃ sākṣiṇamātmānaṃ cidrūpaṃ viddhi muktaye ॥
(Ashtavakra Samhita 1.3)

(Timestamp: 00:04:18)
श्वोभावा मर्त्यस्य यदन्तकैतत्
सर्वेंद्रियाणां जरयन्ति तेजः ।
अपि सर्वं जीवितमल्पमेव
तवैव वाहास्तव नृत्यगीते ॥
śvobhāvā martyasya yadantakaitat
sarveṃdriyāṇāṃ jarayanti tejaḥ ।
api sarvaṃ jīvitamalpameva
tavaiva vāhāstava nṛtyagīte ॥
(Kathopanishad 1.1.26)

(Timestamp: 00:04:42)
भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः
तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः ।
कालो न यातो वयमेव याता-
स्तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥
bhogā na bhuktā vayameva bhuktāḥ
tapo na taptaṃ vayameva taptāḥ ।
kālo na yāto vayameva yātā-
stṛṣṇā na jīrṇā vayameva jīrṇāḥ ॥
(Vairagya Shatakam 7)

(Timestamp: 00:27:44)
सहनं सर्वदुःखानामप्रतीकारपूर्वकम् ।
चिन्ताविलापरहितं सा तितिक्षा निगद्यते ॥
sahanaṃ sarvaduḥkhānāmapratīkārapūrvakam ।
cintāvilāparahitaṃ sā titikṣā nigadyate ॥
(Vivekachudamani 24)

Timestamp: 00:42:36)
अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।
एतं सामासिकं धर्मं चातुर्वर्ण्येऽब्रवीन् मनुः ॥
ahiṃsā satyamasteyaṃ śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ ।
etaṃ sāmāsikaṃ dharmaṃ cāturvarṇye’bravīn manuḥ ॥
(Manu Smriti 10.63)