Resources

Swamiji sets the tone for the series “Realise the self – here and now” with a passionate exposition of the dialogue between King Janaka and the Sage Ashtavakra. Swamiji begins the talks by revealing the true glory of the imperishable spirit that we are. Dismissing plurality, Swamiji puts every experience in context of the ‘I’, the subject, and therefore every object, every idea, every sense and every thought is nothing but an experience alone. There is no doer, no experiencer, no one desireful for liberation, no yogi – all are ideas in the mind alone, and Swamiji dismisses them all. Only the Self is. Bondage is untrue and liberation is unnecessary! These are powerful words that take us deeper into introspection. Everything other than the Self is in the realm of change. Therefore we must focus and contemplate on that magnificent Self.

Slokas chanted in the talk:

(Timestamp: 00:00:00)

यं शैवास्समुपासते शिव इति ब्रह्मेति वेदान्तिनो
बौद्धा बुद्ध इति प्रमाणपटवः कर्तेति नैयायिकाः ।
अर्हन्नित्यथ जैनशासनरताः कर्मेति मीमांसकाः
सोऽयं वो विदधातु वाञ्छितफलं त्रैलोक्यनाथो हरिः ॥

yaṃ śaivāssamupāsate śiva iti brahmeti vedāntino
bauddhā buddha iti pramāṇapaṭavaḥ karteti naiyāyikāḥ ।
arhannityatha jainaśāsanaratāḥ karmeti mīmāṃsakāḥ
so’yaṃ vo vidadhātu vāñchitaphalaṃ trailokyanātho hariḥ ॥
(Sri Vishnu Stutih)

(Timestamp: 00:46:12)
कथं ज्ञानमवाप्नोति कथं मुक्तिर्भविष्यति ।
वैराग्यं च कथं प्राप्तमेतद् ब्रूहि मम प्रभो ॥
kathaṃ jñānam-avāpnoti kathaṃ muktir-bhaviṣyati ।
vairāgyaṃ ca kathaṃ prāptam-etad brūhi mama prabho ॥
(Ashtavakra Samhita 1.1)

(Timestamp: 00:48:53)
मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान् विषवत्त्यज ।
क्षमार्जवदयातोषसत्यं पीयूषवद् भज ॥
muktim-icchasi cet-tāta viṣayān viṣavat-tyaja ।
kṣam-ārjava-dayā-toṣa-satyaṃ pīyūṣavad bhaja ॥
(Ashtavakra Samhita 1.2)