*What binds us?* A: Our 5 senses | Sight | Smell | Hear | Taste | Touch

🍁 *Chapter 2: THE FIVE PRINCIPLES (PART 2- BONDAGE, FREEDOM, 5 SENSES)* Astavakra Gita

 Sage Ashtavakra said if king Janaka desired liberation and freedom that can only be achieved after certain degree of awakening. When one gets tired of their habits.

  IT IS VERY FORTUNATE IF THIS DESIRE TO BE FREE HAS ARISEN WITHIN US. KNOW THAT *WE ARE ELGIBLE AND WE ARE THE CHOSEN ONE* .

  Billions of lives on this planet do not have this blessing. They exist, die and dissolve.

  Even if we are bored, we get bored about something very small and a little change in the situation can make us comfortable again.

  🌸 E.g: If I am bored after staying at one place I will go onto vacation or if I am bored of eating home made food, I will order something from outside. But THERE ARE VERY FEW WHO ARE ACTUALLY BORED OF THEIR HABITS/PATTERNS. *BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO GETS BORED* .

  🌷 *Activity:* List out the patterns which we are actually bored of? (e.g.: some of us have tendency to take up one work and then without finishing that one we take another one and so on because sometimes we feel bored with the previous one and want something new. )

 Among billions of lives on this planet, it is very rare and precious to have human birth. Then it is more valuable if we get bored by our habits/patterns/routine and want to be free. Then getting company of Ashtavakra who can help us in getting rid of these patterns is even more difficult. (WE SHOULD APPLAUD THAT WE HAVE ALL 3 🤩).

 Q: *What binds us?*

 A: Our 5 senses

  🌸 Sight

  🌸 Smell

  🌸 Hear

  🌸 Taste

  🌸 Touch

  Even if *we are in favor of something or against it, we are stuck in both ways* . Because that thing will occupy our mind no matter what and we won't have freedom from it.

  Don’t even be against wrong. This is a revolutionary idea but this doesn’t mean one should advocate wrong.(What I understood from this is for example if one doesn’t support corruption they should take every possible measure to eradicate it and be the part of solution rather than becoming feverish about it and just grumbling, Usually we talk and don’t take any action.)

  🌷 *Activity:* Find out at least a single thing that we are against and then try to figure out how can we be the part of solution. (Feel free to message me on this for more discussion 😇)

 Of all the objects of the senses whichever is pulling us back, giving momentary joy is like a poison. Just drop them.

               🌷 *Activity:* List out at least 3 things that are giving us momentary joy (e.g. binge watching, listening to music day and night etc.) and then relate them to their corresponding 5 senses. *VOILA!! Now we know which sense is actually pulling us back.*

....Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji