Ashtavakra Gita Ch.10 Vs.7-8 Commentary and Contemplationn - 18th August 2017

Chapter 10, verse 7: 'Prosperity, pleasure, piety; enough! In the dreary forest of the world, the mind finds no rest.' Prosperity, pleasure, piety; enough. It says in the dreary forest of the world, the mind finds no rest. So, we looked at this many times, and again, not to come with this understanding as just a talking point, but to see the position we are operating from. As if we do love the piety, and after doing something, as if we find something which is outside of ourselves. So, we think in the chasing of prosperity, we will find that complete happiness. In the chasing of pleasure, we find our last insatiable magic. In the performance of piety, we do rituals as if we'll find ourselves through it. Not that, because in this very forest of the world, the mind finds no rest.

You can try following this mind, which is the voice of our individuality. We could and do as we might, but this will not find us rest. The mind could say, 'My real desire in life is this great and big desire of truth. I want you there, but you just get me this job.' And we get it. 'Please get me the job and I will be at peace, salvation.' Then you get the job, and for the mind, the peace that had come is gone forever, bye-bye. But one more thing: 'This manager I have, if only he became like that one...' The job is gone spinning, and it goes on and on, giving to something where the mind finds no rest.

As we progress in the careers within this stuff, even though there are so many examples of these things, we start doing these rituals. We start with one, then we go to the next and the next one. We give them even more power or money, and then they do all kinds of rituals. Show me an absolute many together, but they send the horse out and they pray at the same time within the thing to all the gods. And the horse is running, and all those territories the horse is in, it's as if I am the master because I am the king or not. Nobody else is there to stop them. Then those energies are under you, you become part of the chambers. It would never end because their access to claim that they do the same claims, 'I will get that mountain.' There is no end to the game of time to fail. It is nothing. This 'me', we think by themselves, is back.

So, we are not to create illusions to prosperity or to pleasure or to piety. But if we have the idea to find something, get into the Self and keep taking one. Where the temple sometimes... very difficultly said, 'Where does this shoe have to walk to find the leather?' So we can apply that, isn't it? Which Self will have to become more prosperous to be the Self? Which Self will have to find more pleasure to be the Self? Which Self will have to do some ritual, some walking as related to the transition to be the Self? So this is what Self-realization helps us recognize. What is it that I am? I'll do all of this compiled toward my conditions of ultimately what it is, which is actually us.

You say something, then wait. For how many lifetimes have you done hard and painful labor with the body, mind, and speech? It is time to stop. So, we can do this always. At times we've done hard and painful labor with the body, mind, and speech. Whatever activity of spirituality we are conducting, we will use the body, mind, and speech wherever they go. So, how many lifetimes we desire to find this eternal happiness through these kinds of actions? Why don't you stop? And when to stop? It is time now. For this one moment. So, the identity, 'I have to stop this,' with this moment, I am adding that to make it easier for you. So then, otherwise, the mind can come with a lot of 'suppose you will have to stop for long.' So, can you start with at least one moment? Can we give our utmost attention to ourselves? It's just this one moment, irrespective of what the mind says. It was our discovery of all time. Don't jump to any conclusion too fast.