On Ashtavakra Gita: Your liberation depends on you, just as your bondages do

The following excerpt is from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

निर्वासनं हरिं दृष्ट्वा तूष्णीं विषयदन्तिनः ।

पलायन्ते न शक्तास्ते सेवन्ते कृतचाटवः ॥ 18.४६ ॥

nirvāsanaṃ hariṃ dṛṣṭvā tūṣṇīṃ viṣayadantinaḥ

palāyante na śaktāste sevante kṛtacāṭavaḥ

Seeing the desireless lion, the elephants of the senses silently run away, and if that is impossible, serve him like courtiers.

~ Ashtavakra Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 46

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Questioner (Q): Sir, it is said in the verse that if it is impossible to run away, then the elephants of the senses serve as courtiers. I feel distraction, and these distractions are not always pleasurable, but it now takes less time for peace to be restored. What is it that makes the elephants of the senses impossible to run away?

Acharya Prashant (AP): These two are in relation to each other — the lion and the elephant. They really do not have any…