Re: Personal mantra: the king & aṣṭāvakra-ji
hariḥ om̐
~~~~~~
namasté
Quote:
The insight
For the prabuddha sādhu this pure awareness is found during the entry point (ādi) or exit point (ante). We know this now. Yet the beauty is this exit and entry point is found many times throughout the day and night, we call it the gap , some call it madhya ( middle), others may call it viśrānti or rest point. It is that madhya between wake and dream, even between dream and sleep. It is found between two breaths, that gap between inward and outward breath ( some call sun and moon, others prāṇa and apāna). These are just a few e.g. between two thoughts, between object A and object B.
If I may let me offer this notion of madhya from another view point, that of a delightful story (upadeśārthavākya¹). We find stories (utprekṣā) on the notion of the gap, madhya ( center or middle most), some call viśrānti or rest point in many śastra-s. It is quite dear within the vijñānabhairava¹ tantra which belongs to the bhairava-āgamas.
Let me point to one story that I am quite fond of and aligns to the notion of this viśrānti or rest point, madhya or gap . Rāmaṇa mahaṛṣi tells of this story as do many ācārya-s. It is that of king janaka and the muni aṣṭāvakra-ji. So I will pick from several stories and the mahābhārata to round out the theme and key offer.
We find the muni aṣṭāvakra-ji’s birth called out in the mahābhārata (vana pravan section). I mention this only because it is interesting and points to how elevated aṣṭāvakra-ji was. While aṣṭāvakra-ji (son of kahoḍa ) was in the womb he heard his father speaking on the knowledge of veda-s. Every time he heard his father make a mistake he would kick, other stories say he squirmed in distress. And other stories mention he’d voice ‘hummm’ from his mother’s womb suggesting hummm ? that of doubt, on the knowledge that was offered by kahoḍa. Due to this rebuttal from his unborn son he gave the son a curse. The infant was to be born with 8 deformities , as he rebuked his father’s knowledge 8 times.
Now this 8 also has other implications. The human body (or deha - form) is considered the city of 8 i.e. the 5 great elements + mind, body, and ego - collectively another name for āpara prakṛti. So this deformity is that of the body which comes and goes and something we too have. Due to these deformities the child was named aṣṭāvakra.
Note his name
- अष्टावक्र aṣṭāvakra = aṣṭā + vakra
- aṣṭā = aṣṭan =the number 8; also aṣṭa is defined as ‘marked/branded’ ; asta – thrown, cast
- vakra crooked , curved , bent , tortuous , twisted , wry , oblique
So, aṣṭāvakra is that person (son of kahoḍa) who is ‘marked’ with 8 bent or twisted forms ( deformities). Even when you look at his name in devanāgarī saṃskṛtā अष्टावक्र you can count 8 twists. Oh, and the deformities? His his feet, hands, knees, chest and neck were bent ( 2+2+2+1+1).
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...Ashtavakra.jpg
(photo courtesy of wikipedia)
For those that like happy endings there was a big debate that occurred at king janaka’s palace and aṣṭāvakra-ji participated. He gained great renown with the other sages let alone king janaka. This story and the discussion is a ‘big deal’ within the mahābhārata (vana pravan section) and has plenty of subtle and deep meanings. Thirteen to be exact but we will not pursue them here. So, as aṣṭāvakra-ji returned to his aśrama with śvetaketu ( a notable sage found in the chāndogyopaniṣd) and kahoḍa, his father. Kahoḍa asked aṣṭāvakra to bathe in the samanga river. When aṣṭāvakra entered the river, all his crooked limbs became straight.
On to the story
This story has many renditions as I have mentioned before. Also note that the kings of mithilā¹ are known as Janaka-s¹ so the specific rāja (king) in the story is not clear ( and as I have found many times that is intentional). Some know rāja-janaka of mithilā as the father of sītā, but as mentioned this is one of many kings.
This particular king had great interest in becoming a jānaka¹ – a knower. Of what ? Of one’s own Self (ātman). He would always hold court and invite the wise and various paṇḍita to come and speak, debate, and give discourses on knowledge. Aṣṭāvakra-ji went to one of the sessions.
While aṣṭāvakra-ji attended the session he suggested all the paṇḍita there were mere ‘shoe makers’ as they only saw the ‘skin’ the outside; none were familiar with ātman. That is, they were not knowers of SELF. As you would expect the king was aghast with what this person has said. To make a long story short the king said can you show me this Self ? Aṣṭāvakra-ji said 'yes, but under one condition; you must follow my every word to the limit ( to the maximum).' The king agreed, ‘you instruct me (tell me) anything and I will do it, I will comply.’
So, aṣṭāvakra-ji tells the king that he lives in the forest and that the king should meet him there. As the story goes a few days pass and the king makes ready and journeys to the forest , looking for aṣṭāvakra. Some time passes and he finally sees aṣṭāvakra-ji sitting under the shade of tree.
The instruction
The king approaches him; as he is about to dismount his steed he has one foot on a stirrup and is swinging his other leg over the horse. At that very moment aṣṭāvakra-ji comes with his first instruction: ‘Stop! stop right there!!’. Here is the king on one stirrup and the other leg in mid-air and stays frozen in that position.
It is not certain nor are we informed with any high degree of confidence how long the king remains in that position ( seconds, minutes, hours or days). The point and teaching is this: a complete and absolute ‘halt’ a total and complete ‘stop’. This stop was so deep so perfect it was not only physical, it too was mental - the perfect halting place ( another name for āsana).
This is madhya, that gap I have mentioned and that aṣṭāvakra-ji taught to king janaka. The king is ‘in between’ – being on the horse and off the horse (neither on or off); it is that viśrānti or rest point. It is the ~same~ rest point in nature between two breaths, between two thoughts, between two actions, between ____( fill in the blank). Here you will find pure awareness, Being.
And the end to the story? After this event the king realizes his own Self, gets off his steed and falls to the feet of aṣṭāvakra-ji.
There are also other techniques implied in this same parable mentioned above that are offered in the spandakārikā-s and in the vijñānabhairava. We can look at those if there is interest. They are common day events that people run into but do not see as an opportunity to open their attention to this pure awareness.
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
words
- upadeśārthavākya – the wise call these 'stories for the sake of instruction'
- Abhinavagupta-ji also refers to this vijñānabhairava as śivavijñānopaniṣad
- janaka - generative , generating , begetting , producing , causing; a father;
- write janaka as jānaka it now means ‘knower’
- this king wishes to be, a knower (jānaka) of the SELF
- If I write janaka as janikā it can be a mother or a daughter-in-law.
- mithilā - a city said to have been founded by mithi or mithila (it was the capital of videha or the modern Tirhut)
Re: Personal mantra: the king & aṣṭāvakra-ji
hariḥ om̐
~~~~~~
namasté
More on this gap...this middle condition ( viṣuvat¹ )– including during the day and night i.e. when does the universe assist us in our practice?
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
1. viṣuvat – equinox; sharing both sides equally; being in the middle , middlemost , central
Re: Personal mantra: the king & aṣṭāvakra-ji
hariḥ om̐
~~~~~~
namasté
Quote:
This is madhya, that gap I have mentioned and that aṣṭāvakra-ji taught to king janaka. The king is ‘in between’ – being on the horse and off the horse (neither on or off); it is that viśrānti or rest point. It is the ~same~ rest point in nature between two breaths, between two thoughts, between two actions, between ____( fill in the blank). Here you will find pure awareness, Being.
http://www.thepenzancehorse.com/2008...02882art03.jpg
What principle/technique upāyae is being offered by aṣṭāvakra-ji to king janaka ? We find it here from the vijñānabhairava tantra – 61st kārikā or verse:
उभयोर् भावयोर् ज्ञाने ध्यात्वा मध्यं समाश्रयेत्।
युगपच् च द्वयं त्यक्त्वा मध्ये तत्त्वम् प्रकाशते॥ ६१
ubhayor bhāvayor jñāne dhyātvā madhyaṁ samāśrayet|
yugapac ca dvayaṁ tyaktvā madhye tattvam prakāśate || 61
madhyaṁ dhyātvā - putting one's awareness on the center ( madhya); becoming established in that center (samāśrayet¹).
The beauty of this approach? Aṣṭāvakra-ji new exactly what dhāraṇā¹ would be appropriate for the king ( one size does not fit all!).
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
words
- samāśrayet - samā +śraya = evenness + refuge/asylum.
- dhāraṇā - a method; the term means the act of holding , bearing , wearing , supporting , maintaining ; it also is defined as collection of the mind (joined with the retention of breath). Yet the term called out in the vijñānabhairava tantra is ‘undistracted instruction or practice’ or nistaraṅga upadeśa
Re: Personal mantra: the king & aṣṭāvakra-ji
hariḥ om̐
~~~~~~
namasté
Quote:
madhyaṁ dhyātvā - putting one's awareness on the center ( madhya); becoming established in that center (samāśrayet¹).
The beauty of this approach? Aṣṭāvakra-ji new exactly what dhāraṇā¹ would be appropriate for the king ( one size does not fit all!).
Now, to the brute or paśujana ( worldly, of differentiated consciousness) he/she will say, ‘yes! I will go get a horse and sit ½ way on-and-off and then I will become god! I then will have many possessions, have people serve me at my feet... I will rule and get all the things I wish to possess !’
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...c69e6fe3db.jpg
Yet to the kuśala or competent ( some say proficient), he or she will say, ‘is this the proper approach for me? Is this dhāraṇā¹ the place for me to start?’
What has been offered on this forum many times, within various practices, and viewed from a kaśmir śaivism point of view, the approaches are different based upon
the level of support the aspirant requires ( one size does not fit all ).
One has to ask themselves , ‘do thieves rob my mind ?’ = take away one's focus, they are easily distracted. The 'thieves' here can be one's thoughts, or the wandering of the mind from object, to object, random thoughts, feelings, action. If there are many distractions then a dhāraṇā that gives you maximum support to keep one’s attention in the practice is most likely a good approach.
And, this question asked by others may say , ‘no , my focus is clean and pure. I can alight on an idea for some time.’ Then a different dhāraṇā may be employed. And there may also be others that say ‘thoughts are no longer an issue – they do not distract. I employ them as needed’, then too another approach may be offered.
This is why I suggested above how astute aṣṭāvakra-ji was in employing the proper method for his student.
Regarding the student - ādi śaṅkara-ji uses a term which comes to mind, from his vivekacūḍāmaṇi , 16th śloka:
medhāvī puruṣo vidvān ūhāpoha vicakṣanaḥ |
adhikāryātma-vidyāyām ukta-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitaḥ ||
The key word here is medhāvī. Look at at this way medhā + vī or as medhā + āvī.
- medhā = mental vigor or power , intelligence , prudence , wisdom . Memory comes in when this medhā produces thoughts , opinions
- medha ( without the long ā ) is essence, marrow; sap
- vī = to set in motion , arouse , excite ; going towards, eager for; to get or procure ;
- āvī = to grasp , seize
Hence the medhāvī puruṣo (puruṣa = person) has seized (āvī) that mental vigor/ power, or set in motion (vī) to procure this intelligence and mental power.
So what are these means ? Pending your experience there are 3 methods:
- śāmbhavopāya
- śāktopāya
- āṇavopāya
This HDF post will define these for you: http://hindudharmaforums.com/showthr...8339#post18339
And sometimes people just don’t get it... that too is fine. See this HDF post for a discussion on this : 'I don't get it' : http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3730
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
1. dhāraṇā - a method; the term means the act of holding , bearing , wearing , supporting , maintaining ; it also is defined