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Childlike Simplicity of the Knower

यदा यत्कर्तुमायाति तदा तत्कुरुते ऋजुः ।
शुभं वाप्यशुभं वापि तस्य चेष्टा हि बालवत् ॥
– अष्टावक्र-संहिता १८.४९

yadā yat kartumāyāti tadā tatkurute ṛju: |
śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ vāpi tasya ceṣṭā hi bālavat ||
– Aṣṭāvakra-samhitā: 18.49

Translation:

(The Wise) straight-forward person does whatever is required to be done, be it auspicious or not. All his actions are like those of a child.

Points for Introspection:

A great and noble Soul who has realized the Self, moves about in this world, unaffected by the circumstances. Like the vast ocean, he remains stable and un-agitated in the midst of huge waves of fortune or adversity. Anchored ever in the Self, a Knower does everything with equanimity.

How does he remain like that? Why is it that ordinary people of the world are not able to do so? Everybody wants to be happy and peaceful in life, but why is it that he fails miserably? What is there in a realized soul which keeps him peaceful and poised always?

This śloka describes the attitude of a Self-knower. A Knower of Self does freely any action that comes his way. Having a mind which has transcended all desires, likes and dislikes, preference and prejudice towards any work, he does everything that has to be done spontaneously, perfectly and joyfully. He derives happiness from his own Self, as happiness is his real nature.

The behaviour of a Self-realized person is often compared with that of a child. A child has no constriction of dharma-adharma, and hence is absolutely free in his mind. He moves about joyfully without any anxiety about future or consequences. He may be playing at one time, but suddenly would leave everything and run to the window hearing some sound from the road. Then again he may remember something else and run to the mother. At one time, he may take a liking for a particular toy or a person, but having no attachment to anything, would become completely indifferent to those at the very next moment. In all the activities a child does, he always has a cheerful and a carefree mind, because he has no sense of good or bad.

Although a Self-realized person is ever seated in the Self, he still remains active in his day-to-day living. He does not take up any desire-motivated activity, but performs various trifling as well as herculean deeds that need to be done, with ease. Having transcended likes and dislikes, the Knower enjoys freedom in doing anything. He does not brood over the past, nor does he worry about the future. Freed of all expectations, clinging and hatred, he is always delightful and simple like a child.

Our life is full of preconceived ideas, desires and expectations. We have a mistaken notion that happiness will be achieved only when everything flows in the manner we have planned. In reality, events in life take place in a completely different manner, taking even a contrary turn which we never wanted or expected. Peace and joy elude us because of preferences and expectations that we set in our mind.

Whatever are the characteristics of a Knower, are equally the pursuits of a seeker. From this śloka, we have to learn how the mind should be light and free at all times just as that of a child. Whatever event comes our way, we should deal with it as it comes, without having any preference, never feeling burdened or distressed. This will be possible only when we live in communion with the Self. For the mind which is free of desires and does not feel burdened by expectations, every moment becomes full of joy and peace.

Word Meaning:

यदा (yadā) = when; यत् (yat) = whatever, which; कर्तुम् (kartum) = to be done; आयाति (āyāti) = comes; तदा (tadā) = then; तत् (tat) = that; कुरुते (kurute) = does; ऋजुः (ṛju:) = straightforward शुभं (śubhaṃ) = auspicious; वा अपि (vā api) = either; अशुभं (aśubhaṃ) = inauspicious; वा अपि (vā api) = or even, also; तस्य (tasya) = his; चेष्टा (ceṣṭā) = action; हि (hi) = indeed; बालवत् (bālavat) = like that of a child;

अन्वयः

यदा यत् शुभं वा अपि अशुभं वा अपि कर्तुम् आयाति, तदा (धीरः) ऋजुः (सन्) तत् कुरुते, तस्य चेष्टा बालवत् हि (भवति) ।


yadā yat śubhaṃ vā api aśubhaṃ vā api kartum āyāti, tadā (dhīra:) ṛju: (san ) tat kurute, tasya ceṣṭā bālavat hi (bhavati) .