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<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center; line-height:150%;margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size="4">Janaka and Yajnavalkya</font><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div class=Section1>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><i><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></i></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>I</p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>&nbsp;</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>KING JANAKA was a great king
and a great sage. He wielded an empire without and equally an empire within: he
had realised the Truth, known Brahman. He was <i>svar<span
style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>Ät</span> </i>and <i>samr<span
style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>Ä</span>t. </i>A friend and intimate of
his was Rishi Yajnavalkya, who also was a sage <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
in fact, considered to be the greatest sage of the time, a supreme knower of
Brahman.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.45pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Once
upon a time King Janaka invited sages from everywhere, whoever wanted to come
to the assembly. The king from time to time used to call such assemblies for
spiritual discussion and interchange of experiences. This time he summoned the
assembly for a special reason. He had collected a herd of one thousand cows and
nuggets of gold were tied to the horns of each. When all had gathered and taken
their places he announced that whoever considered himself the best knower of
Brahman (Brahmishtha) might come forward and take away the cows. None stirred.
No one had the temerity to declare that he was the best <i>knower </i>and the
most eligible for the prize. The king repeated his announcement. Then all of a
sudden people saw Yajnavalkya advancing and telling his disciples to take hold
of the herd and drive it home. A hue and cry arose: How is it? How dare he? One
came forward and asked Yajnavalkya: How is it, Yajnavalkya? Do you consider
yourself the most wise in the matter of Brahman? First prove your claim and
then touch the cows. Yajnavalkya in great humility bowed down and said to the
asembly: I bow down to the great sages. I have come here solely with the
intention of getting the cows. As for the knowledge of Brahman, I leave it to
the knowers of Brahman. All the others in one voice said: That will not do,</p>
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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-indent:12.45pt;
line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
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<span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;'>Page – 49<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.75pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Yajnavalkya.
You cannot get away so easily. Come, sit down and prove your worth. Yajnavalkya
had no way of escape. So one by one the sages came up and put questions and
enigmas to Yagnavalkya. All he answered quietly and perfectly to their full
satisfaction. Towards the end a woman stood up, Gargi, a fair and famous name
too. She said: Yajnavalkya, I shall put two questions to you like two arrows
directed at you, even as a king shoots his arrows at his enemies; if you can
meet and parry them, yours the victory. <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
Yajnavalkaya: &quot;Let me hear then&quot;. <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
Gargi: &quot;Yajnavalkya, you once said that the earth is the warp and woof
woven upon water; upon what is woven the water?&quot; <span style='font-family:
"Book Antiqua"'>―</span> Yajnavalkya: &quot;Air&quot;. <span
style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span> &quot;Upon what then is air
woven?&quot; <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
&quot;Sky&quot;. <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
&quot;Upon what is woven the sky?&quot; <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
&quot;The world of Gandharvas.&quot; <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
&quot;Upon what the Gandharvas?&quot;&quot;Upon the Sun.&quot; She continued her 
questioning. And thus she was led successively through higher and higher worlds <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span> from the Sun to
the Moon, then to the Stars, then to the Gods and the King of Gods, then to the
Creator of the Gods and the peoples<span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>&sup1;</span>
and finally to the Brahmaloka (the world of the One Supreme Transcendent
Reality).</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;mso-line-height-alt:
11.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Gargi
still continued and asked again: &quot;Upon what is Brahman woven?&quot; To
this Yajnavalkya cried halt and warned her: &quot;Now, Gargi, your questioning
goes too far, beyond the limits. If you question farther, your head will fall
off. You are questioning about a thing that does not bear questioning <span
style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span> <i>mÄ ati prÄk</i><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>s</span><i>ih<span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
anati praśnyÄ devatÄ <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
the </i>Gods abide not our question.&quot; So Gargi had to desist and
Yajnavalkya was accepted as the best of the sages (Brahmishtha) and he could
drive his cattle away home.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.2pt;mso-line-height-alt:
11.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>The
ultimate reality does not lie within the ken of the questioning mind, the
Upanishad emphatically declares. We all know the famous mantra: <i>&quot;naisÄ
tarkena matirÄpaneyÄ <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
this </i>consciousness cannot be reached by reasoning nor by intelligence nor
by much learning. Indeed the Self, the Divine discloses his body to him alone
whom he chooses as his own.</p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.2pt;mso-line-height-alt:
11.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>&nbsp;</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:0;text-align:justify;text-indent:11.0pt;
mso-line-height-alt:11.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;
text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-bottom:0'><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>&sup1;</span> <span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>It is difficult to locate or
identify the Upanishadic worlds or explain their gradations; evidently they are
symbolical. But for us it is sufficient if we know that they are mounting
steps, higher and higher tiers of being and consciousness leading to the
supreme Being and Consciousness, the Brahman.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-top:0;text-align:center;
text-indent:11.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none; margin-bottom:0'>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;'>Page – 50</span></p>

<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>II</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:13.9pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>It is
to be noted that even when at the top of the consciousness, full of the
Supreme Brahman, one with it, Yajnavalkya does not lose hold of the earthly
foothold <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span> he does not
forget his cows, and thereby hangs another amusing tale of his. </p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:13.9pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Once
King Janaka, as it was customary, was holding his court and there was a large
assembly of people <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
courtiers, ministers, officials, petitioners and a crowd of curious visitors. 
All of a sudden stepped in Yajnavalkya. The king saw him, and after welcoming 
him asked with an ironical smile what he was there for. Did he come for cows 
(referring to the previous episode) or for the knowledge of Brahman? Yajnavalkya 
too answered with a beatific smile: 0 King, I come for both <i>ubhayameva
samrÄt.</i></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>In
other words, even after passing through all the inferior worlds, the
intermediary formulations of the Supreme, even after passing beyond,
Yagnavalkya does not reject these stations as delusions but accepts them,
subsumes them, within one integral consciousness <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span>
something in the manner imaged in those famous lines of Wordsorth:</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:
11.75pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:27.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Type
of the wise who soar but never roam,</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:27.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>True
to the kindred points of heaven and home. <span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>&sup1;</span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;mso-line-height-alt:
10.8pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>III<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.8pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><b><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.2pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Yajnavalkya
one day, as it was almost habitual with him, walked up straight to the royal court,
into the very presence of King Janaka and quietly took his seat <span
style='font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span> a seat always reserved for
him. He came with the idea of not opening the conversation. He kept quiet. The
King however immediately started and said: Yajnavalkya, I have a question to put
to you. Please answer.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>YAJNAVALKYA: I am ready, 0
King! Let me hear.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>KING: What is the light
that man has? </p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Y: The sun is man's light.
</p>
		<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>&nbsp;</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span style='font-family:
"Book Antiqua"'>&sup1;</span> <i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt'>Poems of Imaginations, </span></i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>&quot;To a Skylark&quot;.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 51<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>

</div>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-22.5pt;
line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>K: And when the sun has set? </p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-22.5pt;
line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Y: The moon is his light.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>K: When
the sun has set, when the moon has set, what light has man?</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Y:
The fire is his light.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>K:
When the sun has set, when the moon has set, when the fire has gone out, what
then is man's light?</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Y:
The self is his light.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>K:
And what is this <span class=GramE>self</span>?</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Y:
The self is the conscious Being, master of life-energies, dwelling within the
heart.</p>
		<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>&nbsp;</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:0;text-indent:11.75pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-bottom:0'>Yajnavalkya's
answer has been put succinctly and most beautifully in another Upanishad, the
most beautiful verse in the whole Upanishadic literature. Here it is:</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:0;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:0;text-align:justify;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>There the
sun shines not, nor the moon, nor the stars; nor do these ligtnings shine
there. And how can this fire be there? That shines and in its wake all others
shine. By the light of That all this becomes luminous.<span style='font-family:
"Book Antiqua"'>&sup1;</span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:0;text-align:justify;text-indent:10.3pt;
line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none; margin-bottom:0'>All other lights, lights of the heaven, lights upon earth are evanescent.
They pass <span class=GramE>away,</span> the only light that endures and never
fails is the light of the soul.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:0;text-align:justify;text-indent:10.3pt;
line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none; margin-bottom:0'><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:10.55pt;mso-line-height-alt:
9.8pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>&sup1;</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'> This is a literal translation. Sri Aurobindo gives a
beautifully poetic translation, rather a transcreation of the <i>mantra. </i>Here
it is:<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:11.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>&quot;There the sun cannot shine and the moon has no lustre; all the
stars are blind; there our lightnings flash not, neither any earthly fire. <span
class=GramE>For all that is bright is but the shadow of His brightness and by
His shining all this shines.&quot;</span> <span class=GramE><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua"'>―</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp; </span>Sri Aurobindo: <i>The Upanishads, </i>Sri Aurobindo Birth
Centenary Library, Vol. 12, p. 261.</span></span></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-indent:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:
none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page – 52<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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