Part One
Who is Prakashananda ?
‘The jnani is like the fragrant flower which doesn't need to advertise its nectar: the bees come automatically.’
Who is Prakashananda? Who is a jnani? To describe the life and mind of a great soul, a jnani, is to catch a glimpse of the ultimate potential and mystery of every one of us. The jnani is one who has entered into the essence behind all religions and encompasses and embodies them all. By perceiving that the self-existent and immortal supreme principle pointed to in all religions exists within the jnani himself or herself, and, indeed, constitutes his innermost being, the jnani transcends all relative philosophies, dogmas, ideas and even religious forms. He becomes universal and a conductor or channel for that very supreme principle (guru tattva). He becomes a master, a Sadguru, a transparency for the mystery of God. Prakashananda says:
Some are born jnanis and the reason is that they have done tapasya in past existences. They are born for a reason: to give happiness to the world and to show a path to mankind. A jnani is one whose soul light (atmajyoti) is blazing; when we come into contact with him or her the quintessential spiritual knowledge, that rarefied jnan kindles our own dormant inner knowledge. Hence the hymn 'Jyota se jyot jagavo, sadguru jyota se jyota jagavo; mera antara timira mitavo,sadguru jyota se jyota jagavo.' (Oh, sadguru, light my soul's light with your light.)
Understand that when we revere a saint or jnani, it is the spiritual knowledge that manifests through his body that we revere, not the body or personality. Look at Baba (Muktananda); that jnan existed before he took birth and it will be there eternally. While he was alive his body was a channel for that jnan and it is this we revere, not his body. That is why we place his books on the puja because they contain Baba's jnan in written form (a reference to Prakashananda's occasional habit of keeping scriptural texts as puja items.)
Look at a match. Although it contains potential fire, its only on contact with a matchbox that fire actually manifests. Similarly, in all of us the supreme knowledge is sleeping, and on contact with a Sadguru, it awakens. Don't forget, it is the flame that is important, not the match stick. Likewise, it is the soul light (atmajyoti) within a man that is important, which uses the body and manifests through it. When the body is burned out the atma discards the body and finds a new vehicle for its manifestation.
In this world good and bad exist side by side; black smoke exists together with the bright flame; however, we should contemplate the flame, not the smoke. A lake's bottom is mud, but put a tiny lotus seed in that mud and a lotus emerges from it so beautiful that Laxmi Herself stands on it. Now, if I tell people the truth, who will listen? If I tell you that this here (the material world) is hell, who would believe it? But it is true. However, from this dirt also grows a lotus. In our body, dirt is below and beauty is above. The kundalini shakti has her root or seat down amid the dirt; she sits between the anus and the sex organ, but flowers up above in the head. All the great jnanis are like that; they are born from the sexual fluids of man and woman, but their consciousness flowers above, in freedom. That's why the jnani is like the fragrant flower which doesn't need to advertise its nectar; the bees come automatically.
King Janaka and Ashtavakra
A jnani, or knower of the Self, comes in many guises and is often unrecognized by the world. An example is Ashtavakra in the following stories.
King Janaka was a great and powerful king but one night he had a vivid dream which greatly disturbed him. He found himself as a beggar having had no food for 15 days. At last he came to a dharamsala (a shelter for pilgrims) but it was closing as he arrived. Literally dying and with his last remaining strength, he begged that the bowl from which alms had been distributed be scraped and given to him. Grudgingly this was done and he found himself with a little khichari in his tin plate. He staggered weakly to the nearby field and sat down to eat. However, in that field two bulls were fighting and on seeing him, one of the bulls charged at him and tossed the food up into the air, scattering it. In horror, his eyes jerked open to find that he was King Janaka and that he was, in fact, lying in a royal bed being fanned by his Queens. Closing his eyes, again he was the dying beggar confronted by the bull. With a moan he again opened his eyes and became the King.
Janaka now became a man obsessed. Out of the two identities was one really more real than the other? He issued a proclamation to his kingdom that all the great sages of the land should come to his court in order to interpret his dream. Not one could do so and furious, he had them all imprisoned.
Now one of the sages had a son who was deformed in eight places, hence his name Ashtavakra (eight distortions). On learning that his father was in prison, he set out for King Janaka's court. This court was a magnificent affair. Upon seeing the lad boldly enter the grand court with the peculiar jerking movement caused by his deformity, the entire court, including the King, burst out laughing. To the astonishment of the assembly, Ashtavakra himself then laughed loudly, whereupon a sudden hush came over the court.“Who are you, lad, and what are you laughing at?” asked Janaka.
“I had heard such great things about the splendor and wisdom of King Janaka and his court but I now see you are just a pack of leather merchants. When you see me you only see the external skin and deformity of my body and are blind to the spirit which animates it. Now, ask your question so that my father can go free,” said Ashtavakra.
Astonished at the boy's authority and spiritual radiance, the King explained his dream.
Ashtavakra replied, “King, when you are a beggar in your dream being a king isn't a reality for you and when you are a king being a beggar is also not a reality. In fact, neither identity is real. Reality is that from which both identities are projected—the pure, absolute witness, the Self.”
The force of the words of a jnani was such that Janaka's confusion vanished. His mind was enlightened.
It is said that in the jnani, God and man, and heaven and earth, meet. In the life and teaching of such a being, we catch glimpses of the truth of which we are all part. If this account of Prakashananda's life and teachings gives the reader a glimpse of this truth, then surely its purpose is fulfilled. Therefore, let us allow Prakashananda, the bliss of the supreme light, to reveal himself—as the Divine presence within our own hearts.
