The mighty emperor Janaka was asleep in his palace, and he was suddenly jerked awake. The army general told him that the kingdom was being invaded. Janaka slipped on his armor, led his army, and fought the battle. Unfortunately, he lost and the new emperor banished him from the kingdom. Janaka wandered around in his old kingdom with his clothes in tatters and his body was covered with filth and dust. No one dared to even offer him food or water because they did not want to upset the new king. Janaka crossed over to the next kingdom. He saw poor people being offered food in an ashram He stands in line for the food, and receives the last morsel. However, by the time he reaches the bowl to his lips, a crow knocks it out of his hands. Janaka collapses on the floor with a scream asking Bhagavan to end his life.
Janaka, the emperor, wakes up on his bed with his heart
pounding and his body drenched in sweat. His wife and guards run in upon hearing
his scream and enquire about his well-being.
Janaka starts mumbling, “Is this true, or is that true?” His
queen, his ministers and the finest doctors, are unable to diagnose the
problem.
Hearing about the state of the king, the sage Ashtavakra
comes to meet him. He asks who was the common entity between the person begging
for food and the current king. Janaka replies ‘I’.
Ashtavakra emphatically says “Neither this is true nor that
is true. You are the truth, and the worlds appearing both in waking and dream
are mithya.”