Let’s be honest: “doing nothing” sounds lazy. We live in a world where your value is determined by how busy you are. People assume that if you aren’t grinding, hustling, or multitasking, you are slipping behind. However, the Ashtavakra Gita calls that entire story into question. It clarifies: “Stillness is not the absence of action — it’s the presence of awareness.” Peace does not come by repairing the world. It stems from not being rattled by it.
The King’s Restlessness
One morning, King Janaka returns to Ashtavakra’s palace and throne, but everything feels different. He’s quieter. The first two teachings — that he is not the mind and that he must liberate himself from attachment — struck him hard. But now he’s caught in an unfamiliar area.
Janaka: “Master, I undarstand I am not my mind. I undarstand that attachment is a trap. But When I stop Chasing, when I stop desiring… What am I supposed to do? My life feels empty like a blank canvas with no brush.”
Ashtavakra : (smiling) “Ah, Janaka. That Emptiness you fear… That is your True nature.”
Janaka : ” but. Master, how can Emptiness be peace? How can silence be strength?”
Ashtavakra : “Because silence is not nothingness it’s fullness beyond noise. Stillness is not the absence it’s the space where truth reveals itself.”
Noise that never stops.
Your mind is essentially a 24-hour podcast that you did not subscribe to. You wake up, and it begins broadcasting: “What if I fail today?” “Why didn’t they text back?” “I should’ve said that better yesterday.” “I need to make a plan for next week.” What happens when you try to relax? It only gets louder. Ashtavakra would observe the turmoil and say:
“You’re not tired because you work too much. You,re tired because you think too much.”
Silence Is the Ultimate Flex.
This is where Ashtavakra flips the script. He informs Janaka (and us): “When the intellect remains silent, the Self shines in its own light. “You don’t’reach’ peace; you uncover it.” That’s the overall mood. It signifies that serenity is not something you create. It is something you remember. It’s already there, like a peaceful ocean between waves of thought. The storm is not the problem. Forgetting where the ocean is.
The Hustle Culture Detox
We’re inundated with noise, including frequent notifications, productivity tips, 10-step regimens, and “rise and grind” energy. Society tells you to do more. What about your soul? It begs you to become more. The Ashtavakra Gita states:
“You are not here to achieve peace.You are peace pretending to be busy.”
Ouch. That one stings — because it’s true.Stillness doesn’t mean quitting your job or ghosting the world. It means doing everything from peace, not for peace.
The Moment Janaka Got It
Ashtavakra looks at Janaka and says,“You’ve spent your life building an empire.Now, sit still and see the one who built it.”Janaka closes his eyes. For a moment, he feels every sound around him — the rustle of wind, the faint chatter of guards, the thud of his own heartbeat. Then something shifts.
Janaka: “Master, the world is still moving, but inside me, evarything has stopped.”
Ashtavakra : “Exactly… When the world moves but you remain still that is freedom.”
Janaka’s face softens. The crown feels lighter. The king who used to rule a kingdom now realizes the real kingdom is within.
Stillness in the Real World.
You do not have to sit under a tree to practice this. You can find stillness when sitting in traffic. Waiting in a hospital corridor. Scrolling over your phone before bedtime. Standing in a lengthy checkout line. Stillness is not about shutting out life. It is about not allowing life to shake you. Here’s how to taste it:
1. Pause between thoughts. If you find yourself overthinking, don’t fight it. Just take note of the delay between two thoughts—that silent gap? That’s you.
2. Breathe Like You Mean It. Try this: slowly inhale for 4 seconds, then exhale for 6. You’ll notice your thoughts quieting down because breath and mindfulness are close friends.
3. Become the Witness, Not the Whirlwind. Keep an eye on the chaos, but don’t join in. Whether it’s emotions, emails, or drama, remain objective.
The Mind’s Panic Button
Of course, trying to be still causes your mind to panic. It will exclaim, “This is boring!” “You’re wasting time!” “Do something, or you’ll fall behind!” But that is exactly what you need to see: the addiction to motion. The mind thrives on cacophony. Silence starves it. So when you cease providing constant stimulation, it freaks out. But if you just watch it without reacting, that restlessness gradually fades, and in its place, a strange, radiant peace begins to emerge.
Why stillness is the new superpower
Look around – everyone is busy, nervous, and exhausted, comparing themselves to others. But what about the individual who remains calm? Who does not react to every trigger, who can sit silently without need continual validation? That individual becomes magnetic. Because serenity is the most rare energy in the room. Ashtavakra was not selling philosophy. He was teaching emotional mastery, or the ability to remain still in a world that thrives on your unrest.
Janaka’s Transformation
after a long silence, Janaka open his eyes.
janaka: “Master, I finally undarstand. Stillness isn’t something I create. It’s what remains when I stop fighting myself.”
Ashtavakra : “well said. The Wise do not escape the world. They outgrow it’s grill”.
Janaka does not abandon his realm. He does not become a hermit. He remains a king but with the calm of a monk. He rules based on awareness rather than ambition. That is the Gita’s entierd point. You don’t have to flee life to attain serenity. You simply need to quit Escaping yourself.
Silence is not empty.
It is full with answers. Doing absolutely nothing is not laziness. It is the art of returning to your natural state, where you cease to be a restless seeker and instead become a peaceful witness. The Ashtavakra Gita whispers through time:
“stop chasing calm. Sit still long enough, and calm will find you.”
So next time your mind tells you, “you should be doing something” just smile and say,
“I am. I’m being.”
because that being is the ultimate power move.
