PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED SAGE ASHTAVAKRA

Ashtavakra sage gets cursed by his father, debates with Vandin at King Janaka's court, and Rescues his father 

Learning is the only thing that matters not the looks! Such a splendid topic I located of a unique sage named Ashtavakra or Astavakra who was born with eight bodily deformities because of a curse and had won the debate in opposition to wise scholar Vandin or Vandi in the court of King Janaka of Videha. He was the author of Ashtavakra Gita. Here in this post, I will provide an explanation for the reason behind the curse of Ashtavakra being born handicapped and how did he turn out to be normal with his great knowledge.

There was once a sage named Uddalaka who had a disciplined and devotional disciple named Kahoda. Being pleased with his dedication, Uddalaka taught all the vedasastras to Kahoda and gave his daughter Sujata's hand to him. Courteous Sujata became pregnant with Kahoda's child. One day, when the sage was performing Svadhyaya or chanting Vedas, his growing baby inner the womb of Sujata instructed his father that he was not pronouncing it correctly. At that time sage Kahoda was accompanied by all his disciples. He felt humiliated and cursed the baby to be born with eight physical deformities. Hence the toddler was born in such a state and named Ashtavakra.

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During the tenth month of pregnancy, in order to deal with her labour pain, Sujata anxiously asked her poor husband Kahoda to prepare some money. Therefore the sage went to the court of King Janaka to beg him for some money, was defeated in the debate with incredible scholar Vandin(Suta), and as a result, was immersed in the water. After knowing about Kahoda, Sage Uddalaka suggested Sujata keep such an incident secret from his son. After Ashtavakra was born, he nearly regarded sage Uddalaka as his father. Sage Uddalaka had a son named Svetaketu (or Shvetaketu) whom Ashtavakra considered as his brother.

One day whilst Ashtavakra was sitting on the lap of Sage Uddalaka, Svetaketu dragged him via his hand by means of citing him that, "It is not your own father's lap on which you are now seated." Curiously Ashtavakra asked his mom about his father and came to comprehend everything about Sage Kahoda. Then Ashtavakra took permission from his mother and grandfather for going to King Janaka's court alongside his uncle Svetaketu to study sastras from Brahmins, observe the yajna, and have food.  At the gate of Yajna, he was stopped for being underage by way of the doorkeeper as solely wise and old Brahmins could enter it. However, Ashtavakra spoke back to the doorkeeper, "A grey head does no longer make us old, Not by years, not by means of grey hairs, no longer via riches nor by means of relations did the seers make the Law, He who is great to us, has to learn." Then he challenged Vandin in front of the king to have a debate upon Shastrartha or scriptures with him. King cautioned him that many Brahmins had done such a mistake earlier and confronted the consequences. Ashtavakra used to be cussed about his decision. King wished to test his know-how first and hence asked him a few questions which were cleverly answered by way of Ashtavakra then the king let him debate with Vandin.

Vandin said, "One fire blazes in a variety of forms, one sun illumines this complete universe, one Indra, the lord of deities, destroys all the enemies and one solely Yama is the sole lord of the Pitrs."

Ashtavakra said, "Indra and Agni pass together like two friends, the two celestial sages Narada and Parvata additionally do have friendship, twins are the Aswinikumaras, number of the wheels of a chariot are two too and husband and wife are destined to live together as a couple."

Vandin said, "The entire universe is born in the deity, human and tiryak yonis, the three Vedas (Rik, Sama,yajur) consolidate together to operate the yajna Vajapeya, the Adhwaryus commence yajna rites three times a day, there are also three lokas of heaven, death, and hell and three additionally are the divine lights of sages acknowledged as Sun, moon and fire."

Ashtavakra said, "Four are the Ashramas of the Brahmins as Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasa, the four Varnas of Hindu people like Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras function yajnas, four are the cardinal points; four is additionally direction and four also, four states of Vani or sound are there recognized as Para (Brahman), Madhyama (Vastu Purusha), Pashyanti (Vibhootis), and Vaikhari (objects and living beings), four are the legs of a holy cow."

Vandin Said, "Five is the number of yajna fires known as garhapatyagni(householder's fire), Dakṣinagni(ancestor's fire), Ahavaniya(oblation sacrificial fire), Sabhya and Abasatya fire and Pankti and Chanda are made out of five padas, there are five yajnas recognized as Devyajna, Rishiyajna, Manusyayajna, Bhutayajna, and Pitryajna, five are the senses, In the Vedas, five braids are on the heads of the Apsara Panchachuda; and in the world, Panchanada Pradesh is well-known for having five sacred rivers Bipasa, Bitasta, Satadru, Iravati, and Chandrabhaga."

Ashtavakra said, "It is asserted by way of some smart scholars that six cows are given as a gratuity on the south side of the event of organizing the sacred fire, six are the seasons that belong to the wheel of time or kaal chakra, six are the number of the sense organs along with mind, six stars constitute the constellation Kirtika, and The Sadyaska yajna is additionally of six types. "

Vandin said, "Seven is the quantity of the domesticate animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, dogs, donkeys, and sheep, seven are the wild animals Lions, tigers, wolves, elephants, monkeys, bears, and deers, seven chandas like Gayatri, Usnik, Anustubh, Brhati, Tristubh, jagati, and pankti are used in finishing a yajna, seven are the Rishis acknowledged as Vashistha, Marichi, Pulastya, Pulaha, Atri, Angiras, and Kratu, seven varieties of offerings like Gandha, Pushpa or flowers, naivedya or food, dhupa or burning incense, dipa or aarti with lamp, Achamaniya or water, and Tambula are regarded in the world and seven are the strings of the Veena such as Sa(Shadjama), Ri(Rishabha), Ga(Gandhara), Ma(Madhyama), Pa(Panchama), Da(Dhaivata), Ni(Nishada)."

Ashtavakra said, "In a weighing scale, there are eight strings that measure hundreds of weight, eight is the number of the legs of the Sharabha bird that possesses extra energy than a lion, eight Vasus are there such as Prithvi or earth, Agni or fire, Vayu or wind, Varuna or water, Aditya or Surya, Akash or sky, chandrama or moon, and Nakshatrani or star, there are eight numbers and are amongst the celestials eight are the corners of yupa (stupa), in all yajnas."

Vandin said, "Nine is the quantity of the mantras used in a Pitr yajna acknowledged as Samidheni ruchan, as per wise people, nine are functions in the methods of creation of worlds such as Prakriti or nature, Purusha or person, Mahattattva or material energy, ahankara or self-conceit and Pancha tanmatra(The five high-quality elements as touch, sound, vision, taste and smell, nine letters compose the Brihati chandas and nine additionally is ever the quantity of the figures."

Ashtavakra said, "Ten directions are considered in the world, ten times hundred make up a thousand, ten is the variety of months all through which women bear the child, ten nindak or blasphemers are there like traducer, defamer, detractor, cynic, vilifier, slanderer, who speaks ill (of somebody), a blamer, censurer, calumniator, libeler, ten stages of human beings are known as childbearing, birth, childhood, youth, boyhood, adult, puberty, matured age, old age and death, and Ten Venerable men are there in this world(teacher, father, elder, king, brother, uncle, father in law, grandfather, father's elder brother, any senior relative), and ten again are those fitted of learning it."

Vandin said, "Eleven are the subjects referred to by human beings as Mind, five sense organs or gyanendriya(nose, tongue, skin, ears and eyes) and five Karmendriyas(speech, hands, feet, excretion, and reproduction), eleven is additionally the wide variety of the yupas in the yajna and Yaga offerings, Lust or desire(Kama), Anger (Krodha), Greed (Lobha), Delusion (Moha), Arrogance (Mada), ego or pride, Jealousy (Matsarya), harsh-shok, and Raga and Dvesha are the bikaras of human beings and Aja, Mrgavadha, Sarpa, Nirriti, Ajaikapad, Ahi, Budhnya, Pinaki, Dahana, Ishvara, Kapali, Sthanu and Bhaga are the eleven Rudras amongst the gods in heaven."

Ashtavakra said, "Twelve months compose the year; twelve letters go to the composition of Jagati Chanda, twelve are the yajnas; and twelve, in accordance with the learned, Vamana, Aryaman, Indra, Tvashtha, Varuna, Dhata, Bhaga, Sabita, Vivasvan, Amsh, Mitra and Pushya are the twelve of the Adityas."

Vandin said, "The thirteenth tithi is regarded as the most auspicious and thirteen islands exist on earth."

Having proceeded thus far. Vandin then stopped.

Ashtavakra completed the other half of the shloka, "Demon Kesi fought with Lord Vishnu for thirteen days, and thirteen are devoured by aticchandas of the Veda.”

likewise, Ashtavakra continued with his debate and made Vandin speechless there. At that time Vandin was defeated by Ashtavakra  Since in the past many clever Brahmins after losing the debate with Vandin, had been drowned in the water, Ashtavakra asked King Janaka the equal punishment for Vandin too. 

That very second Vandin stated to the king, "King! I am the son of Varuna Dev and in Varuna Loka, my father Varuna Dev needed some sensible Brahmins to commence one great yajna (complete period of twelve years) for which I drowned them in the water. His yajna has already been completed, therefore all these Brahmins should return to the human world." After pronouncing such, he admired Ashtavakra for defeating him with his remarkable knowledge.

Ashtavakra then insisted the king drown Vandin in the water without any delay. Vandin was not at all hesitated in view that he was the son of the Water deity. All the Brahmins along with Kahoda who were drowned via Vandin in the water came out of it and Vandin vanished in the water there. Ashtavakra returned to his hermitage with his father and uncle. Pleased with his son, Sage Kahoda asked him to take a dip in the Samanga River. Ashtavakra acted thus and when he came out of it all his deformities were cured.

Ref: Mahabharata book

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