Shree Ashtavakra

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When Rishi Ashtavakra was twelve years old, King Janaka had hosted a huge spiritual debating conference, invited the pundits of the whole country. He had one thousand cows placed at the palace gate and had the horns of the cows plated with gold and decorated with jewels. He proclaimed, ”Whoever is victorious, shall take possession of these cows.”

It was a great debate. Ashtavakra’s father also participated. As dusk was falling, the message came to Ashtavakra that his father was losing. He had already defeated all the others, but was about to be defeated by a pundit named Vandin. Receiving this message Ashtavakra went to the palace. The hall was decorated. The debate was in its final stage and the decisive moment was fast approaching. His father’s defeat was a complete forgone conclusion – he was on the very edge of defeat.

The pundits saw the young Ashtavakra as he entered the royal court. They were all learned scholars. His body was bent and deformed in eight places: he had just to move and anyone would start laughing. His very movement was a laughing matter. The whole palace broke into laughter. 

Now...  Rishi Ashtavakra also roared aloud with even more laughter. ..and King  Janaka finally asked, ”Everyone else is laughing. I can understand why they laugh, but why did you laugh, my son?”

Ashtavakra said, ”I am laughing because the highest truth is being decided in this conference of lowly butchers” – the man must have been extraordinary - 

”What are all these skinners doing here?”

A deep silence fell over the meeting. Butchers? Skinners? The king asked, ”What do you mean?”

Ashtavakra said, ”It is simple and straightforward: They only see skin, they don’t see me. It is difficult to find a man more pure and simple than me, but they don’t see this; they see a bent and deformed body. They are skinners, they judge by the skin.

Your Majesty, 

in the Curve of a Temple is the Sky Curved ?! 

When a pot is smashed, is the sky within it smashed? The sky is beyond change. My body is twisted, but I am not. Look at the one Within. 

You can’t find anything more straight and pure.”

It was a very startling declaration !!

There must have been pin-drop silence. Janaka was highly impressed, astounded: ”Absolutely right, why had he gathered a crowd of skinners there?”

He became repentant, he felt guilty that he too had laughed. That day the king couldn’t manage to say anything, but the following day when he was out on his morning ride he saw Ashtavakra on the way. 

Janaka dismounted from his horse and fell at his feet. The day before, in front of everyone, he couldn’t find the courage.

The day before he had said, ”Why do you laugh, my son?” Ashtavakra was a boy of twelve years, and Janaka had considered his age. This day he didn’t notice the age. This day he got down from his horse and fell at Ashtavakra’s feet in humble prostration.

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