Years of darkness can disappear in an instant

Have you ever tried to change a deeply ingrained habit — only to find yourself slipping back into old patterns, again and again?

The path of self-realization can feel much the same — long, messy, and uncertain. We try, we stumble, and sometimes we wonder if real transformation is even possible.

In those moments, this story — narrated by Ramana Maharshi — offers a spark of hope.

The Spiritual King

King Janaka was not only a powerful ruler, but also a sincere spiritual seeker. Even amidst royal duties, he devoted time to studying scriptures and engaging in deep conversations with sages. One day, during a discourse, he heard a passage that stunned him. It said:

“If a seeker is truly earnest, realization can come in an instant. Even as a rider places one foot in the stirrup, they can realize the Self before lifting the other foot.”

Janaka was astonished. He stopped the discourse and asked the pandit, “Can you prove this?”

The scholar admitted he could not — he had read about it, but not experienced it. Janaka was skeptical. “Then how can I trust this is true?”

The pandit replied humbly: “My lack of experience does not make the truth false. The scriptures come from sages who lived these words.”

Still unconvinced — and perhaps frustrated — Janaka ordered the pandit to be imprisoned. He posed the same question to every scholar in his kingdom. None could offer proof. All met the same fate. Soon, panic spread. Scholars fled the kingdom. The king was now seen as irrational —like a child demanding the impossible.

The Teacher Arrives

Eventually, the news reached Ashtavakra, a sage known for his deep wisdom and a body twisted in eight places. Unshaken by the king’s actions, Ashtavakra approached him and said:

“I can prove the truth of the scripture — if you first release all the imprisoned scholars.”

The king was intrigued by the sage’s boldness. He agreed.

“Can you prove it now?” Janaka asked.

“Not here,” said Ashtavakra. “We must go to the forest.”

Janaka mounted his horse and followed the sage deep into the woods. When they reached a quiet spot, Ashtavakra asked him to dismiss his guards. The king agreed.

The Conditions for the Path

Janaka placed one foot in the stirrup. “Can you prove it to me now?” he asked.

“Wait,” said Ashtavakra. “There are a few conditions.”

“First, you must follow your Guru completely.”

Janaka nodded.

“Second, you must surrender everything — your kingdom, your body, your mind. They are no longer yours.”

Janaka hesitated only for a moment. Then, with conviction, he said: “So be it.”

Ashtavakra replied: “So be it.”

At that moment, something shifted. Janaka’s mind went silent. His ego dropped. With one foot still in the stirrup, he became completely still. The other foot dangling mid air. He stayed in that position for a long time. 

By now, the ministers were worried about the whereabouts of the king. They returned to the forest and found him at the spot — absolutely still, unaware of their presence and unresponsive to any of their questions.

They turned to Ashtavakra. “Are you a magician? Have you cast a spell on the king?”

Before they could spring on him to arrest him, Ashtavakra gently called out to the king, “Janaka.”

The king responded immediately. He looked towards Ashtavakra, folded his hands, and bowed at his feet.

The Transformation 

Janaka had seen the truth. With his inner resistance gone, Ashtavakra now instructed him:

“The Eternal is not outside of you. What separates you from your Real Self is ignorance. Let go of false identities — this body, this mind, your attachments. The Self is always here. You can awaken to it in an instant.”

When the court assembled the next morning, Ashtavakra asked Janaka if his question had been satisfactorily resolved — whether gnana could be attained in an instant, as the scriptures claimed. The king nodded in satisfaction and gratitude.

Ashtavakra asked, “Can we now bring in the horse so that you can prove it?”

The king had discovered the receptacle of humility. He admitted that he had made such demands in his immaturity. The Guru is capable; if the student makes an earnest effort, gnana can be attained in an instant.

References 

• Spiritual stories as told by Ramana Maharshi
• Image credit – Unknown author – https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1880-0-2073, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22363886

Reflection question 

Have you come across stories or experiences that remind you that awakening might be simpler than we imagine?