austabakra

This creation of Veda Vyasa is my most favorite. When I was child – my heart used to melt whenever I used to hear or think about Karna. As a young man I appreciated Yudhisthir. But as a grown up man again and again I got fascinated by Osttovakra.
Amuda when was suffering from blood cancer and undergoing Chemotherapy visited many places. I often talked about Osho. He went to Osho’s Asram too. Unexpectedly he bought number of books from there. He was not much of a reader. One of the books was Osttovakras Geeta. I perhaps read it cover to cover but remember almost nothing. However the value of Sruti is all you retain in your mind and that is essential to remove your skin that you alone can peel and no other. A snake can’t help another snake to shed off its skin.
King Janaka was very eager to know the truth. He used to have an advanced man called Bandi (imprisoned). Janaka used to call people to debate with this man. No one could really defeat him and earn wealth; instead being defeated they would face goal. Asttavakra’s father was Kahoda, he did not have much of depth but fond of recitation of Vedas. He was a disciple of Udalaka. Kahoda was married to Udalaka’s daughter Sujata. During pregnancy she used to listen to discourses given by Udalaka with rapt attention. Astavakra too in her womb would listen to the same. While in the morning he would listen to loud recitation from his father and squirm in the womb and ask Kahoda to stop this non-sense. It happened eight times and it was intolerable for Kahoda to be rebuked by his child yet to be born. He cursed him to be deformed in eight places so that humanity would be laughing at him whenever he would walk. Thus Astavakra was born deformed in eight places in his body. His movements were enough fun to watch and evoke laughter.
With lure of reward Kahoda too went to debate with Bandi, eventually lost and got trapped in Bandi’s underground prison for ever. Asttavakra was then mere child of eight years, he walked in to challenge Bandi with a precondition if he defeats Bandi, he has to release all imprisoned by him and he would leave for ever. Of course Asttavakra defeated Bandi. But all is embedded in my mind is the Osttovakra’s entry in the Janaka’s court to challenge Bandi. As soon as he entered, everybody started laughing; such was his appearance - deformed in eight places and his gait. Everybody laughed including King Janaka. However Osttovakra started laughing louder and could not contain his own amusement.
Baffled King Janaka asked, ‘What makes you laugh?’
Osttovakra replied, ‘I thought this is a collection of elite learned beings, however I see that this is a collection illiterate Skin traders discussing texture of skin; who else otherwise would judge a person from his/her appearance or skin. This makes me laugh!"