Ajagara Gita (अजगरगीता)
Ajagara Gita (Samskrit: अजगरगीता) refers to the advice given to Raja Prahlada by an ascetic one who has renounced all worldly attachments and conections. It appears in the Shantiparva of the Mahabharata as part of the Bhishma-Yudhishthira Samvada. The Gita inspires one to maintain equanimity during abundance as well as inadequacy. Thus, it is useful not only to renunciates but also to old people who, after fulfilling their familial responsibilities, wish to lead a life of happiness and peace.[1]
परिचयः ॥ Introduction
As mentioned, the Ajagara Gita appears in the Shantiparva of the Mahabharata as part of a conversation between Bhishma and Yudhisthira. It is one of the many Gitas that are recounted by Bhishma in his answers to Yudhisthira's questions in the Mokshadharma Upaparva.[2]
When Yudhisthira asks Bhishma,
- Adopting what kind of conduct or practice can one live sorrow-free in this world ?
- What kind of karma bestows one with the best state (gati) ?
Bhishma answers with the example of the conversation between Prahlada and a muni practicing the Ajagara mode of life.[1]
It is interesting to note here that a similar Prahlada-Muni Samvada is quoted as an example in the Bhagavata Purana (Skandha 7, Adhyaya 13) in the context of Shri Shuka enumerating a dialogue between Maharshi Narada and Maharaja Yudhisthira to Raja Parikshit where Narada Muni explains the regulative principles to be followed by sannyasis by recounting the conversation between Raja Prahlada and a sage who had adopted the mode of life of a python (or ajagara).[3]
Subject Matter
The brahmana as perceived by Prahlada.
- endowed with a firm mind, devoid of sorrow, intelligent.
- healthy, strong, soft, self-controlled, detached from the cycle of karmas, unbattered by the faults in others, endowed with beautiful and sweet speech, fearless, genius, wise and knowledgeable, yet moving about like a child.
- neither wishing for a gain nor mourning loss, always satisfied and not labelling things as favourite and otherwise.
- indifferent to the world that flows with desires, anger, etc. and unshaken by the acts of dharma, artha and kama.
- neither observing the acts related to dharma and artha nor indulging one's desires, unattached to the objects of the sense organs and conducting oneself like a witness free from bondages.
Prahlada's Questions
- What kind of wisdom, shastra or conduct makes one's life like that of the brahmana ?
- What is the pathway to shreyas in this world ?
The reasoning of the brahmana
- The creation, growth, decline and destruction of the living beings in this world happens from the causeless paramatma's sat-svarupa. Therefore, there is no reason to express joy or sorrow towards them.
- The tendency of living beings is determined by their nature that is a result of their previous karmas. Therefore, the entire mankind is devoted to their nature and have no other resort. Having understood this secret knowledge, one should never be contented in any situation.
- All relations terminate in separation while all accumulations end in their destruction. Having seen this, one should never take anything upon oneself.
- There is no task left on this earth for the one who sees the elements endowed with qualities as prone to destruction and understands the essence of creation and destruction.
- All beings be they big or small aquatic creatures, movable or immovable being on the land, strong birds flying in the sky or even lustrous stars in the sky, all of them see a fall and are tied by the fetters of death. Therefore, knowing the essence of life, being grateful and perceiving them all equally one should sleep happily.
Basic necessities
Elaborating on the approach to the daily basic needs of life like food and shelter in the Ajagara mode of life, the brahmana says,
- By fortune, when lots of food becomes available, I ate more, if I obtain just a morsel, I am satisfied with that and if I dont get anything, then for days together I sleep without food and water. There are times when people feed me with food endowed with a variety of qualities. While sometimes there is less food, even lesser than the less sometimes and sometimes nothing at all. Sometimes I eat kernels of rice, sometimes of sesame, while sometimes I get to fill my stomach with food prepared of the Aghani rice. Therefore, I always get all types of food, good and bad.
- Sometimes I sleep on a cot, sometimes on the earth while sometimes I get endowed with the mattresses used in royal palaces.
- Sometimes I wear tattered clothes or bark garments, sometimes it is made of silk and sometimes of animal skin and sometimes I even wear costly garments.
- Therefore, by chance, if I obtain comething that can be enjoyed within the framework of dharma, then I dont show aversion to it. If not, then I dont wish to enjoy even the most rarest of things obtained.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gita Sangraha, Gorakhpur: Gita Press.
- ↑ Pandit Ramnarayanadatta Shastri Pandey, Mahabharata (Khanda 5-Shantiparva), Gorakhpur: Gita Press.
- ↑ A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam (Seventh Canto), Part 3-Chapters 10-15, 1976: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.