Sri Guru Gita – 10 March 2014 – Episode 80

Jaya Guru Datta. English summary:

Ashtavakra’s father once went to Mithila and lost a debate against scholars. He subsequently sacrificed his mortal body. Ashtavakra found out about this through his mother. He studied the Vedas and completed his education by the age of 12 years. He remembered the insult his father was met with. At exactly that time, he heard about a great Yajna that king Janaka was organizing. So, he went to Mithila, the city of scholars. Mithila was referred to as the city of scholars. Perhaps, all the scholars were there. At the main entrance to the kingdom, the highly-educated guards stopped the saint and questioned him per the scriptures. The guards were also learned in the scriptures. All the citizens of the kingdom were learned in the scriptures. So, when Maharishi Ashtavakra reached the entrance to the kingdom, the guards stopped him and questioned him in a logical manner as prescribed in the scriptures. The Maharishi imparted wisdom to them saying, “The king himself should step aside and give way to the physically handicapped, to the blind and to women. I am physically deformed. When scholars like me enter, even the king shouldn’t come in the way, correct? He should give way, correct? I am not saying this. The scriptures say this”. Saying this, Ashtavakra stepped in to the kingdom.

This news instantly reached the ears of king Janka. King Janaka was happy. He ordered the guards to send the saint in. There, another guard stopped the saint and said, “Children like you should not be coming here. Only those highly proficient in the Vedas should come here”. To this, the saint skilfully replied, “I am not a child. I too studied the Vedas. Don’t go by my appearance. You should not judge anyone as big or small based on age or appearance. Proficiency doesn’t come to one based on appearance. On the other hand, just because someone is aged, they don’t become elderly. Don’t assume that someone with white beard, white hair and matted locks is well versed in the scriptures. Don’t assume that someone in their ripe old age is a Sanyasin. Not everyone that is aged is elderly. Only those ripened by wisdom are the elderly. The elderly are those that are ripened completely by knowledge. That means, only one with intelligence can be considered a human being”. Saying this, the saint crossed that gate too.

By then, king Janaka who had already heard about the brilliance of Maharishi Ashtavakra quickly came down to receive and worship him. The king knew which scriptures the sage was quoting from and which scriptures the guards were referring to. The king was eager to see such a great saint, so he himself came running down to honor and worship the saint.

Jaya Guru Datta.