Ashtavakra said:~ ”What are all these skinners doing here?”+

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. I can point at the sky, but the seeing of the star is the seeker's own work.

The Bhagavad Gita says: ~ Among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the Self in truth.

The path of wisdom attracts only those who are in search of truth, and they appreciate it greatly. The ignorant are not spiritually mature to receive Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana, or Atma Gnana.

The ignorant indulge in argument and provocation, and personal attack, which hinders their own realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Upanishads:~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking they are wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Upanishads Nikilanada - Ch II-5 P-14)

Advaita is not the path of exchange of views or discussion. The seeker has to read, think deeply, and reflect on the subject constantly until the truth becomes firm. When the seeker has a firm conviction of what is reality, then the unreality fades on its own.

Everyone’s inner work is on. Until a man is ripe to receive Self-knowledge, he will not be able to understand what I am saying.

Even if they may find it difficult in the first, as they go on reading and reflecting repeatedly on the post, their subconscious will start dropping the dualistic egocentric knowledge and start accepting the Soul-centric Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Grasping the truth depends on the spiritual maturity of the seeker. A Gnani shares the knowledge by inspiring the serious and sincere seekers of truth and diverting their attention towards the inward reality.

As their urge is at the seed level, and as they go on reading the words of wisdom, it will start growing.

It takes time for the seeker to gain the perfect understanding of ‘what is truth’ and ’what is untruth’. It takes time for the invisible Soul, the Self, to wake up from the sleep of ignorance, and it takes time for one to realize the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space.

Self-knowledge is not a question-and-answer session. As the seeker digs into old and new posts, he will gradually start understanding and assimilating the Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana, or Atma Gnana.

It is a waste of time to spend time in discussion with unqualified people.

Jesus said: ~ “ Do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (Matthew -7:6)

~ Jesus meant knowledge of Spirit or God or Self-knowledge should not be shared with unqualified people.

The ultimate truth has to be realized first, and then only it is possible to know what the scriptures are saying. :~ Santthosh Kumaar

*****

Ashtavakra:~

When Ashtavakra was twelve years old, Janak hosted a huge debating conference. Janak was an emperor, and he invited the pundits of the whole country to debate on the scriptures. He had one thousand cows placed at the palace gate and had the horns of the cows plated with gold and decorated with jewels. He proclaimed, “Whoever is victorious, shall take possession of these cows.”

It was a great debate. Ashtavakra’s father also participated. As dusk was falling, the message came to Ashtavakra that his father was losing. He had already defeated all the others, but he was about to be defeated by a pundit named Vandin. Receiving this message, Ashtavakra went to the palace. The hall was decorated. The debate was in its final stage, and the decisive moment was fast approaching. His father’s defeat was a complete foregone conclusion – he was on the very edge of defeat.

The pundits saw Ashtavakra as he entered the royal court. They were all learned scholars. His body was bent and deformed in eight places: he had just to move, and anyone would start laughing. His very movement was a laughing matter. The whole meeting broke into laughter. Ashtavakra also roared with laughter. Janak asked, “Everyone else is laughing. I can understand why they laugh, but why did you laugh, my son?”

Ashtavakra said, “I am laughing because the truth is being decided in this conference of butchers” – the man must have been extraordinary. ”What are all these skinners doing here?” A deep silence fell over the meeting. Butchers? Skinners? The king asked,

”What do you mean?”

Ashtavakra said, “It is simple and straightforward: They only see skin, they don’t see me. It is difficult to find a man more pure and simple than I, but they don’t see this; they see a bent and deformed body. They are skinners; they judge by the skin. Your Majesty, in the curve of a temple, is the sky curved? When a pot is smashed, is the sky smashed? The sky is beyond change. My body is twisted, but I am not. Look at the one within. You can’t find anything more straight and pure.”

It was a very startling declaration. There must have been pin-drop silence. Janak was impressed, astounded: “Absolutely right, why had he gathered a crowd of skinners there?” He became repentant; he felt guilty that he, too, had laughed. That day, the king couldn’t manage to say anything, but the following day, when he was out on his morning ride, he saw Ashtavakra on the way. Janak dismounted from his horse and fell at his feet. The day before, in front of everyone, he couldn’t find the courage.

The day before, he had said, “Why do you laugh, my son?” Ashtavakra was a boy of twelve years, and Janak had considered his age. This day, he didn’t notice the age. This day, he got down from his horse and fell at Ashtavakra’s feet, spread-eagled in prostration.

He said, “Please visit the palace, and satisfy my eagerness for the truth.

Oh, lord, be so gracious as to come to my home. I have understood! I couldn’t sleep the whole night. You spoke truly: what depths of understanding have those who recognize only the body? They are debating the being, but attraction and repulsion for the body still arise; hate and attraction still arise. They are looking at death while talking of the deathless! I’m blessed that you came and disturbed me, that you broke my sleep. Please come to the palace!”

Janak had the palace decorated magnificently. He welcomed Ashtavakra and seated him on a golden throne – this 12-year-old Ashtavakra. Then he put his questions to him. The first sutra is Janak’s inquiry. Janak asked, and Ashtavakra explained. Beyond this, nothing is known about Ashtavakra. And there is no need to know more, it is more than enough! Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough. Maha Gita- by Osho:~