Podcast appearances and mentions of king janaka

Send us a textRegister your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang Yoga Vasistha, Vairagya Part 3 | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.223Recorded on 3 May 2025 with worldwide participants0:00 Introduction0:38 "All hopes of man are consistently destroyed by time."  If time is unreal, how can something unreal be indestructible?7:26 What is the relation between silence and time?9:53 Are time and space different aspects of the same thing?11:52 Has a Yogi has overcome the effects of time?14:17 Lord Yama as the presiding deity of time.17:09 "Only that thing which cannot be lost I can regard as a gain, but such a thing does not exist in this world."23:28 One who has given up everything but has not yet reached the Truth.26:27 The story of Shuka Maharaj and King Janaka.34:33 How can we perform Guru Seva when we are staying away from Babaji?35:36 How can we have a two-way communication with God?36:09 A feeling that something is spinning on the head during meditation.37:00 Meaning of the Sanskrit term chid vyoma.38:59 The concept of Mother kali in relation to time.40:06 For a Yogi, time does not exist? Was it bondage of mind and thus time that made Shri Rama feel acute vairagya?42:30 How to know if there is progress from meditation into samadhi?  Is then self awareness effortless or is still effort is needed?43:40 Why does the mind not let the body be disciplined?44:42 Is it possible to divide the meditation into two parts, morning and evening?___Website: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmissionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang Website: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmissionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

To explain the role of a guru in a seeker's life, Sadhguru narrates how sage Sukha's encounter with his guru King Janaka, transformed his life. Set the context for a joyful, exuberant day with a short, powerful message from Sadhguru. Explore a range of subjects with Sadhguru, discover how every aspect of life can be a stepping stone, and learn to make the most of the potential that a human being embodies.  Conscious Planet: https://www.consciousplanet.org Sadhguru App (Download): https://onelink.to/sadhguru__app Official Sadhguru Website: https://isha.sadhguru.org Sadhguru Exclusive: https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusive Inner Engineering Link: isha.co/ieo-podcast Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To explain the role of a guru in a seeker's life, Sadhguru narrates how sage Sukha's encounter with his guru King Janaka, transformed his life. Set the context for a joyful, exuberant day with a short, powerful message from Sadhguru. Explore a range of subjects with Sadhguru, discover how every aspect of life can be a stepping stone, and learn to make the most of the potential that a human being embodies.  Conscious Planet: https://www.consciousplanet.org Sadhguru App (Download): https://onelink.to/sadhguru__app Official Sadhguru Website: https://isha.sadhguru.org Sadhguru Exclusive: https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusive Inner Engineering Link: isha.co/ieo-podcast Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textRegister your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang Baba answers questions and comments on chapter 1 verses 8 thru 13 of the Ashtravakra Gita, followed by general questions on spirituality, ego, meditation, Self Realization and Supreme Peace.0:00 Intro0:06 Agastya introduces the Ashtavakra Gita.1:34 Ego falsely imagines it is the doer.5:20 Mind is infinite, it is your Self. Faith is necessary. Meditate to focus on the Self, your attention is preoccupied with imaginations.7:56  When your consciousness is not into any type of imagination, know that as the truth of existence.10:41 Mind gives only what it imagines, it can never give the Truth.14:09 Time and space are imaginations; meditation is to stop imagining. Just watch and thoughts will disappear.16:13 Due to imagination only, a false thing appears to be true.17:17 Baba recommendation, the need for meditation.18:08 Misunderstanding what the Self is, what the mind is.20:54 Baba explains ego in detail.23:25 What is true spirituality. The need for direct experience of the Self. Importance of having the right teacher.26:33 Siddhis, celestial worlds, and super powers cannot give Self Realization. To know the Self is the greatest miracle, with it comes supreme peace. 31:24 Meditate to quiet the mind, overcome the ego, and attain liberation. Story of Astravakra commanding King Janaka to "Stop" mentally.36:04 In addition to meditation, the practice of acceptance (karma yoga) can contribute to Self-Realization. Baba explains how mental attitude aids in spiritual growth.40:48 Purpose can be more important than the act of doing.43:37 How can a person be devoted to the path, perform karma yoga, and serve selflessly, without the quality of love? Devotion, service and acceptance.47:05 The importance of learning from the knowers of Truth. True peace is within you only.  Purushartha - individual effort is needed.51:30 How can I wake up every morning inspired to live a spiritual life?53:08 Space doesn't need anything for its existence, it is holding the entire universe.55:38 How do we turn our attention from the world to our Self?57:41 While keenly observing in meditation, if there are no thoughts can we know that as the Self?58:31 Seeing the Self but again slipping back into thinking.59:06 Why is our mind is working against us, rather than for us?1:00:36 Does food play an important role in controlling the mind?1:01:47 How to sustain thought free focus during meditation.1:04:04 Celestial appearances are a distraction to meditation and a much higher reality.1:05:59 Advice to someone who meditates a lot and does not need much sleep.1:07:00 Is not reacting mentally or physically to external stimulation the same as withdrawing the senses, and quieting the mind?1:07:57 When focused between the eyebrows, how do you get into samadhi? How to transcend body consciousness?1:09:19 By theory alone you cannot know with certainty what is positive or negative behavior. Meditate to purify the mind and negativity will disappear.1:11:28 Does Absolute Consciousness have the  power to think of and manifest beautiful or ugly things?1:14:43 Is consciousness or mind evolving?___Website: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.coRegister your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang Website: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmissionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

“Just as the arrows released by Raghava travel at the speed of the wind, so I will travel swiftly to Lanka, the city protected by Ravana. If I do not find the daughter of King Janaka in Lanka, with the same force I shall go to the realm of the demigods.” (Hanuman addressing the Vanaras, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 1.39-40)

How janaka attained gnana --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paati-sollum-kadhai/message

“Seeing Sita, like trying to decipher knowledge from the Vedas which has become barely perceptible after lack of use, his mind became doubtful. As Sita was not decorated, with difficulty Hanuman could recognize her, like understanding a text which has gotten a different meaning due to a lack of purity.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 15.38-39)

Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/online-satsang In this Q&A, Babaji answers questions about the Ashtavakra Samhita, one of the great spiritual texts of India.  A new book, Babaji's commentary on the Ashtavakra Samhita, is available now to purchase here: https://shivarudrabalayogi.org/books-music-bhajans-and-chants/book/new-book-babajis-commentary-on-the-ashtavakra-samhita/Ashtavakra Samhita | Thus Spake Babaji - online Q&A, No.160Recorded on 25th November 2023 with worldwide participants0:00 Introduction from Babaji01:20 How did King Janaka come to be Ashtavakra's disciple?11:48 When we talk of liberation, what is it liberation from?15:29 How does giving up objects help to attain liberation?19:37 Does the interest in objects automatically fall away when we do sadhana?21:13 To ask for liberation King Janaka must have known he was bound to begin with, how did this come about without grace?25:22 We think that we are the physical body, how has this mistake occurred?30:22 How can we remove the ego of 'I am the doer'?34:34 Why does a disciple receive testing from the Guru as a personality?42:12 'You can make everything in the mind disappear but not the mind itself'45:13 Was Ashtavakra born Self-Realized?   Why do some Yogis have to go through more suffering in their tapas than others have to do?___Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6YHFKcPK_XT96VO7xuk6RQWebsite: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmissionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang Website: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmissionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

The Ashtavakra Gita is a profound ancient Indian scripture that consists of a dialogue between Sage Ashtavakra and King Janaka. Comprising 20 chapters, this text delves into the essence of Advaita Vedanta, a philosophical school emphasizing non-dualism. The conversation unfolds when King Janaka, despite being a wise and accomplished ruler, seeks spiritual guidance from Sage Ashtavakra. The dialogue explores fundamental aspects of existence, consciousness, and the nature of reality.Ashtavakra imparts teachings on transcending the illusion of duality and recognizing the inherent oneness of the self with the ultimate reality, often referred to as Brahman. The text challenges conventional notions of the world, asserting that true liberation arises from the understanding that the self is beyond the physical body and mind.The Ashtavakra Gita addresses the importance of detachment, inner stillness, and the realization of one's true nature. It guides seekers toward self-realization, urging them to overcome the limitations of the ego and embrace a state of pure awareness. The teachings emphasize the impermanence of the material world and encourage individuals to go beyond the fluctuations of joy and sorrow, ultimately attaining spiritual enlightenment and liberation. The Ashtavakra Gita stands as a timeless guide to profound self-realization and the pursuit of a harmonious and liberated life._______________________________________Help us to keep providing free content:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wisefool_______________________________________ WisefoolPress.com: The Search Is Overhttps://www.wisefoolpress.com/ Jedvaita.com: The Way the World Unfoldshttps://jedvaita.com/ Amazon Jed McKenna Pagehttps://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JS057A _______________________________________ The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.-William Blake_______________________________________

The 18th chapter is the longest and is about moksha-sannyasa-yoga. It is also considered as a condensation of the previous 17 chapters.Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara. Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.According to Hindu tradition, four values guide human life – dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama.When we do not violate the path of dharma, then we can focus on something higher than artha and kama. That gives a new meaning to life. Life becomes more livable and enjoyable.The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.These are two stages in our pursuit of the transcendental. First stage is one where we use the higher transcendental value to guide our daily life. At a higher stage, we attain the higher transcendental value and become a mendicant.It is important to understand that in Gita, the principles of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha are primarily meant to be applied at an individual level (not at a macro, society level), for one's own spiritual development in everyday life.In Hindu tradition, there is a method of understanding the central theme of a book, which is comprised of six elements: Upakrama-Upasamhara (commencement, conclusion), Abhyasa (practice or reiteration), Apurvata (novelty), Phalam (practical utility), Arthavada (glorifying statement) and Upapatti (logical analysis).Upakrama-Upasamhara – Normally, the beginning and conclusion should be the same. Gita does not begin with a focus on action It starts with Arjuna's dilemma, which was due to ignorance. When this ignorance was removed through knowledge, he became a man of action. Arjuna's last statement in the Gita is: “I am now free of all doubts. I shall act according to your instructions.”Abhyasa – Gita repeatedly talks about efficiency, detachment, bhakti, and karma yoga. It emphasizes that jnanam is necessary to be active in an intelligent manner.Apurvata – If something is stated in Gita but is not stated elsewhere, then it must be the central theme of Gita.Arthavada - Gita ends with the glorifying verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, justice and stability of life.” This verse is a condensation of the 18th chapter.Upapatti – Gita gives a logical analysis to drive the idea: “Live in this world, work for prosperity, but know that this alone will not bring lasting peace and happiness.”The central theme of Gita combines the four values of dharma, artha, kama and moksha.Based on dharma, we should live in this world. Over time, we realize the true status we should give to worldly life and start thinking of higher transcendental values.3rd verse: “According to scholars and sages, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”Sannyasa does not mean being physically inactive. Lord Krishna states in the 3rd chapter: “A person who thinks who is active without the idea of yajna, that person gets bound to this world.” Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish activity done for the good of others and as an offering to God – activities done as yajna don't lead to bondage. In the same chapter, Lord Krishna gives a warning: “A person who deliberately gives up his duties and imagines that he is going towards moksha, he is a hypocrite.” All great spiritual men of the word, such as Shankaracharya, were active.The status of householder is supreme in Hindu tradition. It should be understood before we discuss sannyasa. Jainism and Buddhism are oriented towards sannyasa. Hinduism is not a negation of life. Rather it is a balanced approach towards life. Hinduism emphasizes that we should follow the four values: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.Hinduism gives a very high stature to mother and wife. One of Panini's verses says: “If a husband performs a vedic ritual without his wife, it is considered incomplete.” Another verse says: “A house without a mother and wife is like a forest.”There are two levels of Sannyasa. The primary is Mukhya sannyasa, where one takes to sannyasa because of one's natural evolution. Buddha's renunciation and Yajnavalkya's renunciation in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are examples of such sannyasa. The secondary is Gauna sannyasa, where one is ordained into sannyasa by an institution.Sannyasa does not mean physically giving up wealth and resources. One must give up one's selfish sense of ownership. Without the ideal of renunciation, one won't be able to use his resources for the good of others. The richest man can be a man of renunciation – King Janaka was one such example. On the other hand, the poorest man can be a man of tremendous attachment.Besides Bhagavad Gita, there are other gems in the Mahabharata. One example is Vyadha Gita. Vyadha became a jivan mukta through his spiritual practices. Upon attaining the highest realization, he did not give up his profession as a butcher. He continued his secular activities, fully established in his true spiritual identity. His dialogue with another saint constitutes Vyadha Gita.In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form. When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. He understood that he is not just a body-mind complex with one life.

Title: Atman – The Light of all Lights15th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 1510th verse: “In this body, there are physical senses. There is a perceiver who uses these senses to perceive sense objects. Those who are deluded equate that perceiver to the body-mind complex. Those who are enlightened see him as separate and as the real perceiver.”Those who identify with the physical body continue with the transmigratory cycle of birth, old age, death and rebirth. The 10th verse should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation. According to the law of karma, our actions produce two types of results – one that is visible and immediate, another that is invisible. For example, if we help a person, the other person benefits (visible result). But we ourselves feel “I did something sensible” – this is the invisible result, which is stored in our Antahkarana as samskara. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them.There are two ways of looking upon our experiences. The first is a worldly view where we think: “I (body-mind-complex) is doing this.” Second, a spiritually evolved view, where we think: “There is something within me for whom this body-mind-complex is an instrument.” The soul continues its transmigratory cycle until the wrong notion is gone.Those who are enlightened understand that the soul (the primary and the owner) has a body. Those who are not enlightened, their understanding is that the body (the primary and the owner) has a soul.11th verse: “Those who are not endowed with the power of discerning wisdom identify with the physical body and empirical experiences. They enjoy and suffer. They deceive themselves by wanting a continuing succession of happy experiences. Those endowed with spiritual wisdom look upon happiness and unhappiness with the same equanimity of mind.”We cannot have continuous happiness. For example, when our profits go down, we compare to the previous profit level and become unhappy – so decreasing happiness can make us unhappy. The way to be happy is to stop the pursuit of happiness all the time.12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent and supreme reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being. The light that is in the sun, in the moon and in the fire – that light is nothing but the light of the Atman.”Everything - living beings and non-living things such as stones - are all pervaded by this light. Living beings have an antahkarana which acts as the reflecting medium for this light to manifest. Non-living things do not have an antahkarana.By doing good actions, we can manifest this light. The degree of manifestation of this eternal reality depends on the purity of the person's mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.The 12th verse compares this divine presence to light. The idea of light comes from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad where King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.Lord Krishna says: “This light comes from Me.” “Me” here does not refer to Lord Krishna as a human being. It refers to Atman. A person becomes spiritually enlightened when this light manifests in its full effulgence. This is what happened to Buddha. In his journey, 543 previous life cycles were replayed – he de-identified with all life cycles. He realized his real essence is the Atman.13th verse: “This light, which enters the earth, enlivens everything.”When we sow a seed in fertile soil, it sprouts, then becomes a plant and then a tree. It is the gradual evolution of this light which is already present in the seed.14th verse: “It is this light that resides in every being, eats and digests the food, and nourishes the body.”15th verse: “This light is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance and forgetfulness.”Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, this divine light. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine light.The human body should be cared for – it acts as an instrument to undertake spiritual practices, manifest this light, and take us beyond the body.

The Path of Karma Yoga In 3.20, Krishna gives the example of King Janaka. He was a great monarch who had an enormous amount of wealth, yet he was also a self realized soul who performed his duties as a king without any attachment. King Janaka was such an enlightened person that even the greatest of sages, Vyasa (also known as Ved-Vyasa) the son of Lord Parashurama and Gandhavati, and half brother of Bhishma, sent his son Shuka to Janaka for learning key lessons of life. Similarly, in the Srimad Bhagavatam, we find the story of King Harishchandra that parallels Janaka's path of Karma Yoga. King Harishchandra was a righteous king who faced numerous trials but remained committed to truth and duty. His story demonstrates how, despite hardships and worldly responsibilities, one can remain steadfast on their spiritual path. Using such examples, Shri Krishna urges Arjuna to perform his duties considering the welfare of the world. This selfless action is essential for social harmony and progress. He emphasizes the fact that the wise must set an example through their actions, as others often emulate the actions of the great. As Arjuna was in a position of leadership and the whole of humanity would be following his example, if He chose to not perform his duties without attachment, he would incur all the more sin for causing millions of humans who would follow his example to also commit this sin.  This is the concept behind all advertisements. They will show a Sachin Tendulkar drinking boost and saying ‘boost is the secret of my energy'. Why? Because he is a role model for youngsters and they will want to do whatever they seem him doing. Doesn't matter if boost was actually the secret of his energy, just because people saw him drink it and say it, they will believe it and follow it.  Shri Krishna has used this technique more than 5000 years ago by giving Arjuna (and humanity) the advertisement where Janaka is performing his duties without any attachment. This is also a great lesson in leadership that Krishna has given here. He says that people will follow whatever the leader does. So for example, if you are a leader and you want your employees to be honest, you have to lead by example and demonstrate your honesty. If you are dishonest, your employees will also behave dishonestly. Just like King Janaka, who had everything he could ask for and still kept performing his duties without attachment, we should also strive to do the same in our own lives. I would like to refer to two dohas written by Sage Tulsidas which reflects these teachings of Shri Krishna beautifully: जे जन रूखे बिषय रस चिकने राम सनेहं । तुलसी ते प्रिय राम को कानन बसहिं कि गेहं ।। jē jana rūkhē biṣaya rasa cikanē rāma sanēham tulasī tē priya rāma kō kānana basahiṁ ki gēham . Those who have released their bond to sensory pleasures of the physical world and have drenched themselves in the divine elixir of love and devotion towards Lord Ram are truly cherished by the Lord. Their chosen lifestyle - whether they reside as ascetics in the solitude of the forest or engage in worldly duties as householders - does NOT matter.  It's not the physical renunciation of worldly life that brings one closer to God, but rather the intensity and sincerity of one's love and devotion towards the Divine. Thus, whether one is a forest-dwelling hermit or a dutiful householder does not matter; what truly counts is the depth of their devotion to Lord God. सोचिअ गृही जो मोह बस करइ करम पथ त्याग । सोचिअ जती प्रपंच रत बिगत बिबेकं बिराग ।। sōci'a grhī jō mōha basa kara'i karama patha tyāga.  sōci'a jatī prapanca rata bigata bibēka birāga.   Two kinds of individuals evoke feelings of empathy and sorrow: Firstly, the householders who, in their ignorance, have strayed from the virtuous path laid out in the scriptures. Secondly, the ascetics (Jati) who, despite renouncing worldly life to embark on a spiritual journey, still find themselves ensnared by the allure and pleasures of the material world.

Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in this phenomenal world.Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arise because we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.In the 13th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am now going to teach you that supreme truth, which alone is to be known, and which alone is to be realized. By realizing that, you will become immortal and realize your deathless dimension. This supreme truth is anadi (beginningless), param (beyond tools of knowledge), and Brahma (all-pervading). It is beyond existence and non-existence.”Atman is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. Atman does not come into existence as a pot comes into existence from clay. It is beyond the state of coming into existence. In fact, it is beyond time, space and causation.Atman is param: it cannot be seen or known by the six tools of epistemology. Pratyaksha is perception. Anumana is inference. Shabda is verbal testimony. Upamana is comparison. Arthāpatti is presumption. Anupalabdi is the non-cognition. These are the six pramanas or tools of knowledge in Vedantic epistemology. Atman is beyond these six pramanas. None of these six instruments of knowledge can explain the Reality.Atman is our own true nature and can only be experienced. The purpose of scriptures is to drive the wrong ideas from our mind, so we can experience this truth. We cannot really explain an experience. Even an empirical experience such as the taste of milk cannot be fully explained.One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.To realize this supreme truth, one needs to attain 20 spiritual qualities that are described in verses 7-12. Per Shankaracharya, these characteristics should be acquired by those seeking to strive for spiritual enlightenment However, these same characteristics become second nature for the enlightened person. These characteristics are:(1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – respects others but does not demand respect from them (3) Non-violence in thoughts, words and deeds, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Sense of renunciation towards sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life. (13) Non-attachment (14) Not being obsessively attached to near and dear ones (15) Equanimity of mind in happiness and unhappiness (16) Constant, unwavering devotion to the spiritual ideal (17) Inclination for solitary places (18) Aversion to mundane society (19) Constant reflection of spiritual knowledge (20) Realizing the ultimate purpose of knowledge.When we acquire these spiritual qualities, we transform the whole world into a temple because we see the presence of the divine everywhere. These qualities describe a good human being. The greatness of Gita is that it gives a spiritual dimension to what we normally consider secular.The next few verses describe the all-pervading nature of the divine reality.14th verse: “That Divine Reality has hands, feet, eyes, heads, mouths, ears everywhere.” It is the poet's language to put in words what cannot be put in words, as the absolute reality is indescribable. The poet uses a metaphor in this verse. The meaning is that the divine reality is present everywhere and in everything.15th verse: “It expresses itself through the senses but is beyond the senses. It is unattached to everything, yet it sustains everything. It is beyond all characteristics.”Whatever we do with our mind, and senses of perception and action, is an expression of the divine spark within us. The physical body and mind are only a tool for its manifestation. The senses are able to function because of the presence of this divine spark. Death is the withdrawal of this unseen divine spark from the body.16th verse: “This Supreme Reality is inside and outside of everything, both moving and unmoving. It is so subtle that it cannot be known. It is very far but also very near.”For those who are lost in worldly pursuits, this attainment of the highest truth is far away. For those pure in heart, it is very near.17th verse: “The divine reality is present everywhere and in everything. It is indivisible but appears to be divided.”The extent to which the divine reality manifests within us depends on our own accumulated samskaras and how ready we are for its manifestation.18th verse: “It is the light of all lights; it is beyond darkness of ignorance; it is knowledge, the object of knowledge and the goal of knowledge; it is present as the divine spark everywhere and in everything.”King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, and agni to function.Light is an important symbol in Vedanta. It symbolizes enlightenment and knowledge. God, as light or atma-jyoti, is already within us. The revealing power of the senses and mind is borrowed from this atma-jyoti. When we do our spiritual practices with sincerity, compassion and looking upon the whole humanity as one – then our mind becomes pure and this divine light within us reveals itself. When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within.19th verse: “I have now explained to you Kshetra and Kshetrajna. I have explained the nature of the empirical world, how to live in this world, acquire spiritual qualities, and realize your own deathless dimension. When you realize this, you transcend death.”

On Vishvamitra not ceasing from his austerities even on his being conferred the title of a Brahmarshi by Brahma, Vasishta, as urged by gods, recognises it and here ends the narration of Shatananda. Having worshipped Vishvamitra, King Janaka then returns to his place. Recitation: 00:00 - 06:14 Translation: 06:15 - 16:40

Sri Rama and others reach Mithila and are received in advance by King Janaka, headed by his family priest, Shatananda; Vishvamitra satisfies their curiosity about the two princes of Ayodhya. Recitation: 00:00 - 04:04 Translation: 04:05 - 10:51

Having stayed overnight at Vishala as an honoured guest of Sumati, Sri Rama, accompanied by Vishvamitra and the other sages, heads towards Mithila (the capital of King Janaka) and, inquiring about it, is told by Vishvamitra how Ahalya, wife of Sage Gautama, whose hermitage it was, was subjected to a curse by her husband. Recitation: 00:00 - 05:20 Translation: 05:21 - 13:58

Babaji explains what is needed to be a sincere spiritual seeker, the best student to the master - the ideal disciple.Thus Spake Babaji No.98Recorded on 04 June 2022 with worldwide participants.0:00 Intro0:05 What are the most important attributes to being a good disciple?4:42 Story of a disciple asking a master to tell him about the ultimate truth.14:04 King Janaka as a student to Ashtavakra21:12 How Babaji learnt from Swamiji26:17 How important is to be physically close to the Yogi?31:21 Hearing the same teachings repeatedly so that they penetrate the inner layers of the mindIf you are interested in joining the live online meditation classes with Babaji please visit https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang ___Website: http://www.srby.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogiTwitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmissionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Accompanied by Sri Rama, Lakshmana and a host of Rshis, Sage Vishvamitra proceeds in the direction of Mithila to witness the bow-sacrifice of King Janaka and breaks his journey on the bank of the Sona at sunset. Recitation: 00:00 - 04:08 Translation: 04:09 - 10:16

Lord Shiva gifted his famous bow to Dev vrata, who was a great devotee and the ancestor of King Janaka. This bow was extremely powerful and heavy and it was made by Lord Vishwakarma and gifted to Lord Shiva. King Janaka's daughter Sita had lifted the bow once while playing with her sisters. This could not be done by anyone else in the kingdom, so Janaka was astonished. So King Janaka declared that Sita would be married only to a man who could lift and string the Shiva Dhanush.    This episode of Holy Tales by Himanshu Sharma will tell you the event that witnessed true belief of people of Ayodhya with Siyaram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we continue our discussion on Chapter 3, Karma Yoga. To live a life of selfless service is Godly as fuck. We discuss King Janaka a bit along with how I reflect my life with the teachings of the Gita. If you have any thoughts on the spoken words and would like to join the conversation, please reach out on Instagram at @in_lou_we_trust_thecast Thank You's

In this Episode we recap Episodes 13-15 .In Episode 13 we see Lord Vishnu/Lord Narayana comes  in form of pupil to King Mahaabali to get his request of 3 paces- granted- on pace on Earth, second on heavens and third on the head of King Mahaabali himself which makes a devotee/immortal of King Mahaabali. I ask listeners to email me the interpretation of this story and others , even as i give my perspective of same.Episode 14- we see birth of Seeta and how King Janaka brings her up and arrange ments for her marriage at the right time.Episode 25- is the total reduction of 60,000 sons of King Sagara to ashes by sage kapila( Vishnu in disquise) because they falsely accuse him of stealing the sacrificial horseEmail me at : premlata.jeyapal@gmail.com with your interpretation and perspectives#Ramayana #Ramayan #Lord Ram #Lord Narayana #Mahabali #Vamana #VishnuSupport the show

In this Episode, we see how Rama strings the divine bow and wins the hand of Seeta.Email me with suggestions and contributions : premlata.jeyapal@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=69468580)

In this Episode we see how Seeta is found by King Janaka and is brought up by him and his wife. Finally when Seeta reached the age of marriage, Janaka seeks a suitable prince as suitor  for Seetaand finds none. So he sets about the test that the one who strings Rudra bow will win her hand .Email: premlata.jeyapal@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=69468580)

10th chapter: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 116th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from one supreme reality. All creatures in this world emerge from them.”7th verse: “Anyone who in reality knows Me as the supreme spiritual ideal which is present everywhere – that person will naturally understand the truth. There is no doubt about it.”Vibhuti means manifestation of divine qualities. They naturally come to a person when he meditates on God. The glory of the ocean is reflected in every pebble and wave in the ocean. Similarly, in all human beings who meditate on God, some unique characteristics manifest. Sunlight falls on water in a pot and the quality of its reflection depends on the cleanliness of the water. Similarly, the degree of manifestation depends on the purity of the person's mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal dimension, and the other is the manifested or personal dimension. We should not begin our spiritual journey with the unmanifest. We should begin by focusing on a higher ideal and practice spiritual sadhanas. What we meditate upon, that we become. When we always think of a higher ideal, we begin to imbibe the qualities of that higher ideal. That makes us ready to transcend the personal and practice the impersonal – it is a matter of one's evolution, not choice.8th verse: “I am the origin of everything. And everything originates from Me. If a person understands this and recognizes Me with loving consciousness, he will become enlightened.”When Lord Krishna uses “I” or “Me” he refers to the one supreme reality. 164th sukta of the first mandala of Rigveda Samhita says: “Reality is one; sages call it by various names.”. The full mantra is: इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथॊ॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णॊ ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । ऎकं॒ सद्विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥Just as electricity manifests through different gadgets, the same divine energy enables different living beings to function. The one who understands this is enlightened.In the next few verses, Lord Krishna states that wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful – physical strength, intellectual power, creativity, grandeur of a mountain, beauty of a flower – they are all an expression of the divine reality.9th verse: In this verse, Lord Krishna explains how a spiritually enlightened person functions in the world. “Those who get this enlightenment, their minds are absorbed in this divine reality. They spend their time talking about this higher truth and discussing spiritual teachings. They always speak about God and this gives them eternal contentment and happiness.”Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi where Maitreyi questions whether wealth can give eternal happiness and immortality. Finally, both of them become spiritually enlightened and spent their lifetime in contemplation, meditation and scripture reading and studying.10th verse: “Those who are steadfast, who are devoted, who are contemplative – I give them that higher intuition called Buddhi Yoga.”Buddhi Yoga is the higher faculty of the human mind that enables us to get contentment along with knowledge. Along with knowledge we get the ability to make proper use of that knowledge and avoid the temptation to make improper use of that knowledge.Intellectual ability alone is not enough to interpret the meaning of life. When we take to spiritual life, our mind becomes pure, it becomes our friend. And along with that, we develop an intuition that gives us a unique clarity of life and its mysteries. That faculty is called Buddhi Yoga. It naturally comes to us irrespective of the spiritual path we follow, such as Bhakti Yoga or Jnana Yoga.11th verse: “When they become completely devoted to Me, out of mere compassion for them, I enter into their hearts and light the lamp of effulgence, the luminous lamp of knowledge.”Light is an important symbol in Vedanta. It symbolizes enlightenment and knowledge. The mantra: ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः means “Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. Om Peace Peace Peace.”God, as light or atma-jyoti, is already within us. When we do our spiritual practices such as japa and meditation with sincerity, compassion and looking upon the whole humanity as one – then our mind becomes pure and this divine light within us reveals itself.King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within.

The term Brahmacharya means, ‘going after Brahman' ,The Reality. This has two connotations in practice. One is engaging oneself in the pursuit of Reality. The other is the virtue of practicing celibacy. Let us study the Etymology of the word. The word brahmacharya stems from two Sanskrit roots: Brahma (ब्रह्म, shortened from Brahman), means “the one self-existent Spirit, the Absolute Reality, Universal Self, Personal God, the sacred knowledge”. charya (चर्य), which means “occupation with, engaging, proceeding , behaviour, conduct, to follow, going after”..This is often translated as activity, mode of behaviour, a “virtuous” way of life. So the word Brahmacharya literally means a lifestyle adopted to seek and understand Brahman – the Ultimate Reality. In historic literature of Hinduism, it means “devoting oneself to Brahman”. In modern literature, it is commonly translated to mean celibacy for those unmarried, and fidelity to one's partner when married. In ancient and medieval era Indian texts, the term brahmacharya is a concept with more complex meaning. Brahmacharya embodies in its meaning an overall lifestyle that helps the pursuit of sacred knowledge and spiritual liberation.It is a means, not an end, and usually includes cleanliness, ahimsa, simple living, studies, meditation, voluntary restraints on certain diet, intoxicants and behaviors (including sexual behavior)' So, one interpretation, which is basic, is that Brahmacharya means making efforts to Realize Brahman, The Reality. Brahman can be realized, according to scriptures, with the help of a Preceptor, Guru.. Though the Smritis  /Sruthi declare that Brahmacharya begins with Upanayana, at an early age with the Upanayana, which is recommended at ages between 5 , 7, and 9,people were aware that the quest for Brahman might arise in an individual at a later date, say at the age 25, 30, 40 or even 50. In such cases  by following of the enquiry into the nature of Brahman, one becomes a Brahmachari, a Student. He could be a married man or woman. Being married or unmarried , man or woman is no hindrance in pursuing the Reality Brahaman. We have many Grahasthas, married people as great Rishis, Vasishta,Krupar,Kashyapa, Agastya, Gargi , Maitreyi. Therefore these great souls, though married are students, Brahmacharis, as they pursued Brahama Gnana. Hence a Married man is also a Brahmachari in this sense. Brahmacharya indicates a Stage of life,  that of study. The four Asramas are Brahmacharya, Gruhastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. These relate to the dispositions and the actions being contemplated upon by the individual, while Celibacy is a part of Sadhana marga which expedites spiritual journey. Coming to Celibacy, Celibacy is essential in preserving the Semen from falling to the ground or flowing down as this hinders the spiritual growth, It is called Urthvarethas, Meaning that the semen flows upwards through the Chakras in the body to reach the Sahasrara in the head, This Celibacy is called Naishtika Brahmacharrya.(not allowing the semen to flow down) Bhishma is a Naishtika Brahmachari. He is the only Naishtika Brahmachari, apart from Hanuman. This is  the reason, why Devavrataha, was  called Bhishma, one who does the Impossible. In the case of the Grahasthas, so long as their object of physical interaction is to produce progeny without Lust, they are also rated high in the scheme of things. King Janaka is one such. Therefore a married one can also be called a Brahmachari, provided he/ she is after the enquiry into the Nature of Brahman. You may read this at ramanisblog.in marrried men women are brahmacharis --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ramanispodcast/message

Ashtavakra Gita is one of the advaitic masterpieces. One of Sri Ramana Maharshi's most beloved texts. Without mincing matters it comes out with the advaitic truth, the whole truth and nothing but advaita which is the Truth. This book embodies Ashtavakra's teaching to King Janaka which vouched him Self-Knowledge between the time he placed one foot upon the stirrup of his horse and lifted himself to place the other foot on the other stirrup. Radhakamal Mukerjee, an Indian social scientist, dated the book to the period immediately after the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita (c. 500–400 BC).

Ashtavakra Gita is one of the advaitic masterpieces. One of Sri Ramana Maharshi's most beloved texts. Without mincing matters it comes out with the advaitic truth, the whole truth and nothing but advaita which is the Truth. This book embodies Ashtavakra's teaching to King Janaka which vouched him Self-Knowledge between the time he placed one foot upon the stirrup of his horse and lifted himself to place the other foot on the other stirrup. Radhakamal Mukerjee, an Indian social scientist, dated the book to the period immediately after the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita (c. 500–400 BC).

Raja who lived more like a Rishi, King Janaka is a Karma Yogi and He got the opportunity to beget Mahalakshmi as his daughter.

After the Story of Rama, a question might arise in your mind that why did Rama not return to his kingdom despite being stopped by his father and called back by his brother. Well, that's Rama. He believed that he needed to follow certain rules as a friend, king, master, son, and husband. He was the most loving husband who fought demon Ravana to save his wife Sita but at the same time, he did not accept her until he proved her loyalty towards him. Sita fearlessly entered the fire and emerged unfarmed, proving to the world her faithfulness.   Ramayana is not just about Rama but also Sita. Sometimes it is also called “Sita Charitam”.  Sita was called Janaki, daughter of Janaka and Maithili as the princess of Mithila. She was an ideal woman who was strong and fearless. Only she dared to counter-question, Rama. Sita is said to be discovered in a furrow in a plowed field by King Janaka. She is also referred to as Bhumi, daughter of Earth. She grew up as a wife child who questioned people about life and its ways. She at times also exhibited superpowers like once in her childhood she moved a huge and heavy trunk to get a ball. After she got married to Rama, during the time of Rama's coronation, they had to leave Ayodhya in exile. Despite being all the hardships one faces in the forest, Sita decided to accompany her husband no matter what.   Sita lived happily in the forest with the wives of other sages until one day a demoness called Surpanaka happened to see Rama and was attracted to him. She approached him and urged him to marry her but Rama refused. Surpanaka unable to accept the rejection attacked Sita. Lakshman immediately cut off her nose. Screaming and wailing Surpanaka went to her brother Ravana, the fiercest demon. A few days later, Sita saw a golden deer, she was very insisted on getting the deer. Sita was instructed not to leave the protective line drawn by Lakshman.  But she crossed the line and fell into the trap of Ravana. He grabbed Sita and put her into his Pushpaka vimana, a flying chariot. He chopped off the wings of Jatayu, the bird who fought bravely to save Sita. Sita threw all her jewels for Rama to follow the trail. Ravana took Sita to Lanka and placed her in the Palace garden.   Sita had complete faith in Rama that he would save her. Therefore she paid no heat and attention to Ravana's threat. As she expected, Rama saved her with the help of Hanumana and Vanar Sena. Her joy knew no bounds but not for long. As practiced earlier, Sita was asked to prove her faithfulness. She chooses to give “Agnipariksha”. She came out of the fire unharmed and no one could question her loyalty. After all these, Rama was coronated as the King of Ayodhya and Sita, the Queen. Later, she was sent off to the forest where she had two sons. After years when she was summoned back to the palace as queen, she denied being one. Instead, she enters the Earth from where she came.   https://chimesradio.com  http://onelink.to/8uzr4g  https://www.instagram.com/vrchimesradio/  https://www.facebook.com/chimesradio/  Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/chimesradio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode covers Rama's travel to Mithila, King Janaka's capital city via Vishala kingdom and a desolate ashram. Rama proves his worthiness and strength.

This episode highlights the necessity of shedding off one 's own ego to attain mental peace. stories of the King Janaka , father of Seetha and the immortal poet Kalidasa have been explained to drive home the point

Oh, what a tangled web we weave! How do we find our way out of the three troublesome notions that bind us? Do dreams really hold the key to helping us understand who we truly are? In today's episode, we look at the concluding part of the second discourse of the Summer Showers in Brindavan 1990 series. ||Credits|| Music by: https://www.purple-planet.com | Youtube Audio Library | Radio Sai Bhajans [YouTube Channel] Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWW5Z9BGsa14XLFXdRf01TA| King Janaka's Dream BGM: ‘Strange the Dreamer - Savfk' https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Remind Me My Lord: Balakumaran Balasubramaniam (2016) Remind Me My Lord. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5rth_fxidA | Radio Sai (2013) Shravanam, Mananam, Nidhidhyasanam. Available from: https://radiosai.org/ | Self enquiry extract: Hislop, J. S. (2009), My Baba and I. Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam | Rama & Bharatha conversation derived from: IIT Kanpur (N.D.) Valmiki Ramayana. Available from: https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in/sloka?field_kanda_tid=2&language=ro&field_sarga_value=105 | King Janaka's story derived from: Sathya Sai Baba (September 26, 1965) Divine Discourse (Dasara), Prasanthi Nilayam |