Legend has it that king Janaka (better known as the father of Sita) invited a sage called Ashtavakra to his palace. King Janaka was an extremely learned scholar himself but he felt the need to know more about life, existence and reality. As his name suggests, Ashtavakra had a body which was deformed in eight places. He accepted Janaka’s invitation and met him at the royal palace. The conversation which transpired between the king and the sage forms the treatise Ashtavakra Gita. Purported to be one of the most illuminating and unique conversations conducted in Hindu mythology, Ashtavakra Gita remains the more lesser-known of all the ancient Sanskrit texts.
Sri Sri has delivered a commentary on the ancient treatise and this has been recorded on videotape. We watched two of the tapes this weekend. Quite a fascinating experience it proved to be…
Got a load of books from the library this weekend. ‘Fear of Flying’ by Erica Jong(candid, honest and explicit!), ‘Midaq Alley’ by Naguib Mahfouz (an Egyptian writer who has won the Nobel Prize for Literature), ‘Germinal’ by Emile Zola (promises to be as scandalous as ‘Nana’, I think!), ‘Heat and Dust’ by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (a Booker winner; has been made into a film by Merchant-Ivory productions featuring Zakir Hussain and Greta Sacchi) and ‘The Best Short Stories of W. Somerset Maugham’… Phew!
God, grant me patience so that I read slow and easy.. and not tear all over the pages in a wild hurry, as is my natural style!
arunshanbhag says:
Thanks L for sharing this. I had never heard of this and it seems fascinating. I like to read ink on paper – so i will try and pick up a copy in india.
Do you believe in destiny?
I clicked on the link you provided and after the title, this was the first sentence which came into my view and I read it.
Righteousness and unrighteousness, pleasure and pain are purely of the mind and are no concern of yours. You are neither the doer nor the reaper of the consequences, so you are always free. 1.6
This morning I had a chance encounter with a person. Our spiritual discussions went on many tangents and very soon the whole morning was gone (and I had to take half a day off). Before leaving, he had said the second sentence to me in his own words!
and a few hours later, you lead me to the same words!
August 2, 2004 — 11:48 am
Lakshmi says:
🙂 I hope you aren’t going to take this a ‘divine’ coincidence!
August 2, 2004 — 11:51 am
arunshanbhag says:
Heat and Dust – great movie. It also starred Sashi Kapoor. Greta Sacchi gave a super hot performance!
August 2, 2004 — 11:51 am
99kanitas says:
Do you know of any place in India where they let women learn spiritual works as they do for men at Mt. Abu and such?
August 2, 2004 — 8:09 pm
Lakshmi says:
I have no idea about any such thing happening at Mt. Abu. As for women learning spiritual works, have they been restricted anywhere?
August 3, 2004 — 5:35 am
99kanitas says:
i thought there were restrictions about women joining priesthood, or learning anything related to religious works (other than shlokas)
August 3, 2004 — 11:15 am
deelight says:
You’re soon going to be the most erudite person in your neighbourhood or state or the entire US, going by the number of books you read.
August 3, 2004 — 5:14 am
Lakshmi says:
🙂
Flattering, Dee..
August 3, 2004 — 5:34 am
kookygoblin says:
Isn’t Midaq Alley the spanish movie with Salma Hayek in it?Is it based on this book?
August 3, 2004 — 5:28 am
Lakshmi says:
Oops.. dunno! Google might help.
August 3, 2004 — 5:33 am
Anonymous says:
Chechi, you’re reading so much nowadayz ! Really envy you…wish i could just quit my job and sit and read good books and listen to good music forever !!
Hey, guess what daddy has kept as his wall paper…your mehendi adorned hands ! 🙂
Geetu…
August 3, 2004 — 6:52 am
Lakshmi says:
Read enroute to work; can’t you do that? Besides, you listen to way more music than I do… really!
August 3, 2004 — 7:06 am
thefirstidiot says:
Yup, better late then never. I skimp on sleep to read. 🙂
One advantage of being in the US is that I have broadband and can listen to internet radio. Great music – when I get time to listen.
August 4, 2004 — 9:59 pm
shri says:
Just wanted to tell you, that I have put up Room to Write, Day one exercise. Take a look in case you are interested in doing it too.
Will respond to your this LJ post later (too tired right now).
August 3, 2004 — 8:38 am
Lakshmi says:
Where have you put it, Shri?
August 3, 2004 — 10:02 am
Lakshmi says:
Got it! Could have been more patient, in which case, I could have done without the last comment! But that’s me… so damn impatient…:-(
August 3, 2004 — 10:03 am
shri says:
Hee. Am impatient too. 🙂
BTW, hope you will attempt the writing exercise. Am curious to read what you come up with. 🙂
August 3, 2004 — 8:52 pm
Lakshmi says:
Sure will… gimme some more time, Shri…
August 4, 2004 — 5:14 am