The Ashtavakra Gita is a famous text, which was written based on the discussion between the great sage Ashtavakra and Janaka, the Mithila King. This text is based on the human soul and the worldly bondage. This text is praised similar to the Bhagavat Gita, since it contains the essential elements which must be followed in our life. It is believed that this text was written by an ancient sage, before few thousand years ago.
Sage Ashtavakra also appears during the previous Dwapara Yuga, and he was mentioned in the great epic Mahabharata. Ashtavakra was the son of sage Kahoda, and though he looks ugly, he contains good wisdom and he was a highly knowledgeable person. Ashtavakra, once went to Mithila, and discussed with Janaka about spiritual matters. He had clarified the doubts present in the mind of Janaka, and he had made him to realise the god through his soul. The Gita insists on the difficulties present in the material world and the ways to come out from the worldly bondage, in order to reach the path of heaven. It compels the people to engage themselves on spirituality, in order to overcome the troubles and turmoil present in the world.
Ashtavakra asked King Janaka, to consider the physical body and soul similar to a Temple, and to see the god within our soul.
The beautiful contents present in the holy Ashtavakra Gita are as follows:
Remove the worldly bondage in order to attain the spiritual pleasure with the god.
Our body and soul must be kept pure, in order to realize the existence of the god within us.
We are all created for some purpose only. Hence let us utilise our birth in a proper manner, in order to reach the abode of the god.
Attain the Vision of the Self by doing meditation on the god. Be a kind hearted person, and fill up the god on your soul, and praise his glories.
Avoid taking births again and again by understanding the divinity present within you.
One cannot get salvation without understanding about himself.
Remember that only our physical body would be destroyed and not our soul.
God is present everywhere in the universe, and you can visit him even in the temples.
Our main goal is to realise the significance of the god, and to worship him wholeheartedly.
This famous Ashtavakra Gita was praised by Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, and also by various other saints, due to the valuable contents present in the text.
This Gita was translated in English language, and a commentary of Ashtavakra Gita was written by Swami Chinmayananda, and some famous divine discoursers also used to speak about this Gita while giving divine lectures on our ancient Hindu epics.
“OM”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR