King Janak once ordered an offending Brahman to leave his dominions and live elsewhere.The Brahman asked the king to declare to him the extent of his dominion, promising then to gladly retire to the dominion of another prince in obedience to his command.
At this the king heaved frequent and warm sighs and said nothing in reply. While he was so sitting, absorbed in thought, he suddenly swooned. On recovery a while later he spoke:
‘Though this old kingdom of my ancestors is subject to me, I could not find my exclusive and single domain anywhere on a search all over. Not even in Mithila (capital), Aye! in my own offspring even. Not finding it even there, I fell in a swoon, then wisdom dawned on me. And I think now, that either I have no domain or that all is my domain. Either this body-case even is not mine or the whole earth is mine, and likewise that of others too.This is my conviction, oh best of the twice-born. Reside here as long as you please and enjoy.’
The Brahman asked:
‘Abiding in what reason have you renounced the feeling of “mineness” in this kingdom of your ancestors which is under your rule? What has led you to consider this kingdom as not yours or all as yours?’
Janak replied:
‘I find indigence and affluence here unenduring and transient and so I could lay my hand on nothing which I could call mine, independent of place and time.Reflecting whose this was, I recalled the Vedic text that “it was anybody’s property” and so I failed to find anything with my reason which I could call mine.Guided by this reason I have given up the notion of mineness.
‘Listen now by what reason I see my domain everywhere. I desire not for myself the smells within the nose. So the earth being conquered is subject to me. I have no desire for tastes within the mouth, the light appertaining to the eye, the feeling of touch in skin, or sound in ear for me, and so water, light, air and ether are always subject to me being conquered. I do not desire for myself the mind within me and so it is under my bidding. All these actions of mine are verily, for this purpose, for the Devas and Pitras, for all beings (Bhutas), and those who seek at my door.’
Then the Brahman smilingly said, that he was Dharma in disguise, come to learn something about him. He was the one person to turn this wheel, the name of which is Brahman, the spoke of which is reason, which never turns back and which is kept to its course by the quality of goodness as its circumference.
(Anugita, Ch, 17.)
|
