Kahoda was a Vedic scholar of high repute. He was a prot?g? of King Janaka. Janaka was a philosopher King. He had patronised a number of Vedic scholars. He used to hold assembly-discussions of such scholars on Vedas and Shastras. Janaka himself used to participate in such lively and in-depth discussions. Such discussions always proved an intellectual feast and they provided valuable guidance to the pilgrims on the spiritual path.
The scholar Kahoda had a son by name Ashtavakra. True to his name Ashtavakra had his body twisted at eight places. In fact Ashtavakra was an ugliness at its height. He was learned. He confined his stay within the four walls of his house because people jeered at him while on the streets. Some used to call him ?a strange animal?. Some of them even pelted small stones at Ashtavakra making his presence on the street extremely painful.
Once there was an assembly discussion in the court of Janaka on atmadnyana (knowledge of soul) and Shastras (spiritual sciences). The discussion was lively and it lasted beyond late noon. Ashtavakra was anxious as his father had not turned up for lunch. So Ashtavakra wanted to go to the court of Janaka and bring his father for taking food. Ashtavakra'smother dissuaded him from going out as she feared that her dear son would have a difficult time with the passers-by on the streets.
Ashtavakra was hesitant and in spite of reluctance on the part of his mother he proceeded to the court of Janaka facing all the abuses on the streets.
When Ashtavakra appeared at the entrance of the Assembly Hall, the discussion was running in a full wing. All of a sudden all the members of the Assembly cast their eyes on the newcomer. On seeing the ugliest ever youth at the entrance, they all burst into a laughter. However, Ashtavakra was unmoved. He allowed them to complete their spell of laughter. As soon as their laughter was over, Ashtavakra himself laughed very loudly and stopped instantly.
All the scholar-members of the Assembly were taken aback over the pointed laughter by Ashtavakra.
What made you laugh? asked Janaka.
It is the Assembly which first broke into a laughter. Kindly let me know what made the Assembly to burst into a laughter? Asked Ashtavakra.
The counter question on the part of Ashtavakra did not evoke any response. Everybody from the assembly kept mum.
Then Ashtavakra himself broke the ice. He said, ??lright I will let you know the reason for my laughter. I laughed because by knowledge everybody here is a cobbler. I mean the knowledge of everybody in the assembly is just skin deep.?
King Janaka was astounded. He asked Ashtavakra ?What do you mean by that? Please explain.?
Ashtavakra then posed certain questions before the assembly and requested the members to respond.
Ashtavakra asked, ?A river full of water bends at certain place and proceeds ahead. Does that curve render the river-water less sweet??
?No, certainly not? said everyone in once voice.
?A sugarcane at times bends at a certain point and keeps growing after the bend. Does that make a sugarcane less sweet??
?No, never?
?Horns of certain cows are twisted . Some cows have black skin. Does that make the milk of such cow less sweet or less nutritive??
?Absolutely not?, said everybody.
?In that case my body is twisted at certain points right from my birth. I do agree I have a height of ugliness in me. Does that make my soul in any way less pious, less luminous, less knowledgeable or mortal in anyway??
All members were stunned. They were ashamed. They were exposed. The depth of their scholarship was exposed. They did not have any answer to offer.
At long last king Janaka himself rose from his seat, he brought Ashtavakra inside with full honours, seated him on high pedestal and requested him to explain before the assembly at full length the atmadnyana achieved by him.
Ashtavakra honoured the wishes of the king and he delivered a detailed discourses on atmadnyana enlightening the audience. This discourse is characterised as Ashtavakrageeta and it has received a place of honour in the great epic of Mahabharata.
