{"id":1192,"date":"2018-02-15T21:10:25","date_gmt":"2018-02-15T21:10:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/guruquote.net\/?p=1192"},"modified":"2018-02-15T21:10:25","modified_gmt":"2018-02-15T21:10:25","slug":"sage-ashtavakra-and-janak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guruquote.net\/index.php\/2018\/02\/15\/sage-ashtavakra-and-janak\/","title":{"rendered":"Sage Ashtavakra and Janak"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Osho : When Ashtavakra was twelve years old, Janak hosted a huge debating conference. Janak was an emperor, and he invited the pundits of the whole country to debate on the scriptures. 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, \u201dWhoever is victorious, shall take possession of these cows.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a great debate. Ashtavakra\u2019s 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 he 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\u2019s defeat was a complete forgone conclusion \u2013 he was on the very edge of defeat.<\/p>\n

The pundits saw 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 meeting broke into laughter. Ashtavakra also roared with laughter. Janak asked, \u201dEveryone else is laughing. I can understand why they laugh, but why did you laugh, my son?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ashtavakra said, \u201dI am laughing because truth is being decided in this conference of butchers\u201d \u2013 the man must have been extraordinary. \u201dWhat are all these skinners doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

A deep silence fell over the meeting. Butchers? Skinners? The king asked, \u201dWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ashtavakra said, \u201dIt is simple and straightforward: They only see skin, they don\u2019t see me. It is difficult to find a man more pure and simple than me, but they don\u2019t 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 smashed? The sky is beyond change. My body is twisted, but I am not. Look at the one within. You can\u2019t find anything more straight and pure.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a very startling declaration. There must have been pin-drop silence. Janak was impressed, astounded: \u201dAbsolutely right, why had he gathered a crowd of skinners there?\u201d He became repentant, he felt guilty that he too had laughed. That day the king couldn\u2019t manage to say anything, but the following day when he was out on his morning ride he saw Ashtavakra on the way. Janak dismounted from his horse and fell at his feet. The day before, in front of everyone, he couldn\u2019t find the courage.<\/p>\n

The day before he had said, \u201dWhy do you laugh, my son?\u201d Ashtavakra was a boy of twelve years, and Janak had considered his age. This day he didn\u2019t notice the age. This day he got down from his horse and fell at Ashtavakra\u2019s feet, spread-eagled in prostration.<\/p>\n

He said, \u201dPlease visit the palace, and satisfy my eagerness for the truth. Oh lord, be so gracious as to come to my home. I have understood! I couldn\u2019t sleep the whole night. You spoke truly: what depth of understanding have those who recognize only the body? They are debating the being, but attraction and repulsion for the body still arise; hate and attraction still arise. They are looking at death while talking of the deathless! I\u2019m blessed that you came and disturbed me, that you broke my sleep. Please come to the palace!\u201d<\/p>\n

Janak had the palace decorated magnificently. He welcomed Ashtavakra and seated him on a golden throne \u2013 this twelve year old Ashtavakra. Then he put his questions to him. The first sutra is Janak\u2019s inquiry. Janak asked and Ashtavakra explained. Beyond this, nothing is known about Ashtavakra. And there is no need to know more, it is more than enough! Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough.<\/p>\n

Source: \u201cThe Mahageeta, Volume 1\u201d – Osho<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[67,165,166],"tags":[246,2,221],"class_list":["post-1192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-discourses","category-osho","category-stories","tag-judgement","tag-osho","tag-pure"],"yoast_head":"\nSage Ashtavakra and Janak - Guru Quote<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201dIt is simple and straightforward: They only see skin, they don\u2019t see me. 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