Astavakra gita is a conversation between Raja Janak and Sage Astavakra, its is known for its unique approach to the concept of self-realization and non-dualism (Advaita Vedanta).
Astavakra’s story begins even before his birth. Astavakra father, Kahoda, was also a learned sage who once engaged in a scriptural debate with another scholar, Bandin (also known as Vandin). During this intellectual contest, while still in his mother’s womb, Ashtavakra found his father’s interpretations to be incorrect and laughed. Irritated by this, his father Kahoda cursed his son to be born crooked (not in a proper shape ) in eight places. This gave him the name, Ashtavakra.
Raja Janak was the king of Mithila which is in nepal, who is the father of sita as well. . Astavakra Gita presents Janaka as a seeker and ultimately a realized soul who attains enlightenment through the deep, transformative wisdom imparted by Ashtavakra.
The Essence of Ashtavakra Gita
The Ashtavakra gita helps us understand our true nature, it teaches the true relation between the Self and the Brahman ( God). The body is a part of the material universe , it is not you , You are the consciousness which is manifesting through it. Which is present in all the living beings but it experiences the reality based on the complexity of the organism.
The consciousness never dies, It is the body which perishes, the consciousness is eternal present everywhere, by manifesting itself it through a body it realizes the presence or existence of it. It makes us a one with God (consciousness) makes us free from the illusion that we are the body, which dies, but we are the eternal consciousness which is present everywhere but it can only manifest itself through a living body which makes realize its presence.
If you did not understand this as i expected Please go through the Series On Ashtavakra gita – by sandeep maheshwari (Youtube) for a deeper and better understanding about it. it will take time to process, but in the end this eternal knowledge will liberate from all ignorance.
The Ashtavakra Gita presents a pure form of non-dualism. Astavakra Gita teaches that the true self, Atman, is identical with Brahman, the universal spirit, asserting that there is only one reality, and all else is illusion (Maya) or temporary in nature .
Though not as widely recognized as the Bhagavad Gita, the Ashtavakra Gita holds a significant place in Indian spiritual literature due to its uncompromising approach to non-dualism. It has been influential among scholars and seekers who pursue a deep understanding of Advaita Vedanta.
Key Concepts of Advaita Vedanta
1. Brahman and Atman:
- In Advaita Vedanta, Brahman is the ultimate, unchanging reality, beyond all descriptions and categories, transcendent yet immanent in all things. Brahman is considered to be the absolute truth and the only reality that exists independently; everything else is transient.
- Atman refers to the innermost essence or the real self of an individual, which is identical with Brahman. The famous phrase “Tat Tvam Asi” (Thou art that) from the Chandogya Upanishad captures this identity of Atman with Brahman.
2. Maya (Illusion):
- Maya is the concept used to explain the existence of the phenomenal world. According to Advaita, Maya is what causes the illusion of duality and plurality in the empirical world. It is through Maya that the one indivisible Brahman appears as many.
3. Avidya (Ignorance):
- Avidya or ignorance is the condition of being unaware of the true nature of reality; that is, the non-duality of Atman and Brahman. Avidya is what makes an individual perceive a self that is separate from the universal self.
4. Moksha (Liberation):
- Liberation or Moksha in Advaita Vedanta is achieved through the knowledge (Jnana) of the true nature of the self. This knowledge is not intellectual but experiential, realizing the identity of Atman with Brahman. This realization dispels ignorance and frees one from the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara).