ASHTAVAKARA; अष्टावक्र

 ASHTAVAKARA; अष्टावक्र

one can read more on;https://www.sushmajee.com/biographies/bio-A/ashtaavakra.htm

Ashtaavakra
For stories about  Ashtaavakra and King Janak read  Janak-2

The story of Ashtaavakra is taken from the great ancient Indian epic, the Mahaabhaarat - MBH, G-4-Van/23, although he is mentioned in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan also, in Yuddh Kaand. When Dasharath Jee comes to Raam (V-Raamaayan, 6/119/17) to tell that He spread his fame like Ashtaavakra spread Kaahod's fame. His story takes three chapters in Mahaabhaarat. It is the story of a deformed young boy whose intelligence surpassed many old sages of his time. He was the Guru of King Janak and sage Yaagyavalkya. He was one of the 9 great Rishi, Yaagyavalkya and Gaargee were others, in King Janak's court.

Sage Uddaalak ran a school (Aashram) teaching Vaidik knowledge. Kaahod (or Kahol) was one of his best disciples. Uddaalak was so pleased with him that he got his daughter Sujaataa married to him. Sujaataa, eventually got pregnant and wanted her child to surpass all the sages of his time. So, she began to sit in the classes taught by Uddaalak and Kaahod, listening to their chanting with the unborn baby. It was one day, in a class taught by Kaahod, that the unborn baby spoke up from inside the womb, "This is not the way to chant the verse, Father." This happened at eight times. Kaahod felt insulted in front of the class and cursed, "You will be born deformed from eight places of your body." So when the child was born he was slanted from eight places of his body - two feet, two knees, two hands and chest and head. That is how he was named as Ashtaavakra.

Kaahod and Raajaa Janak
Sujaataa did not take the instance too seriously and was ambitious to have a son. She wanted more money to raise her child in the best way she could, so she asked her husband to go to King Janak who was then preparing for a fire worship ceremony (Yagya) at that time, hoping that the ceremony will bring money to the family.

When Kaahod approached the King Janak, the King received him respectfully but said with regret - "Kaahod, I am sorry, I am unable to perform the Yagya which I decided to perform several years back. A Sage Bandhi arrived here from nowhere and asked me to start the Yagya only after he is defeated in an academic discussion with the sages participating in the Yagya. His condition further included that the sages who come forth for the debate, if defeated, will be drowned in the river. So far he has killed many learned sages. Now it is up to you to take the challenge." Kaahod agreed to debate with Bandhi. Unfortunately Kaahod was also defeated by Bandhi and so he was drowned in the nearby river. Kaahod reached Varun's region. The widowed Sujaataa heard the news and repented for her actions.

A few months later she gave birth to a boy who was deformed at eight joints as cursed by his father, so he was named as Ashtaavakra. He got his education from his grandfather (Naanaa) Uddaalak Muni. Ashtaavakra was extremely intelligent and his grandfather loved him very dearly and was very proud of him. When Ashtaavakra was only twelve, he finished all that he needed to know from his grandfather. He also heard about the fate of his father and the Yagya of the King Janak which still remained unfinished as no one could defeat Bandhi.

Ashtaavakra Brings His Father Back
One night Ashtaavakra ran away from his hermitage and came to King Janak. Looking to his deformed body, the guards were amused. Ashtaavakra retorted - "Do not judge a person by his appearance and age, judge him by what he knows. Inform your King that there is a person ready to challenge Bandhi." The King came and was surprised to see a small deformed boy. He asked him a few questions and was greatly impressed by his knowledge. King Janak soon arranged the debate for him with Bandhi. When the spectators laughed on seeing the deformed Ashtaavakra, Ashtaavakra said with anger - "I did not know that the so called learned gathering in your court is no better than a bunch of cobblers who judge a person by the skin and not by the knowledge he has."

To everyone's surprise Ashtaavakra defeated Bandhi in no time. With vengeance he then requested the King to drown his father's killer. Bandhi then disclosed his identity. He said - "I am the son of Varun, the god of water. I came to Earth on the request of my father to get the best sages from here to perform his 12-year Yagya. The only way I could get them to my father was to challenge them in a debate and throw them into water. Now that my father has completed the Yagya, let us go to the river bank and watch the sages walk out of the river."

People rushed to the river bank and watched the sages returning from the river. Kaahod also came out of the river and embraced his learned son Ashtaavakra. He then openly admitted that his son Ashtaavakra was a lot more intelligent than he himself. Bandhi then asked Ashtaavakra to take a dip in the river, with the blessings of his father Varun, he made him normal. Ashtaavakra did so as he was told and as he came out of the river after taking the dip he came out as a handsome young man. Janak was very impressed with Ashtaavakra and rewarded both Ashtaavakra and his father Kaahod. They went back to their hermitage to be united with their family. Uddaalak Muni, was so happy to see his worthy grandson surpassing in knowledge to all the great sages of his time. Sujaataa also rejoiced at seeing her handsome son and the husband.

This story comes in Tripur Rahasya also with an additional subject matter, read it in Tripur Rahaya, Chapter 15.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the last and only last story told by Sushma to her daughter-in-law, RITU GUPTA from her hospital bed , just a few days before her leaving us for ever.