The story of Ashtavakra - the one who wrote Maha Geeta

The first incident happened before Ashtavakra was born. Nothing is known of what came afterwards but this is an incident while he was still in the womb. His father, who was a great scholar, would recite the Vedas every day while Ashtavakra listened from the womb.

One day a voice came from the womb saying, “Stop it! This is all nonsense. There is no wisdom whatsoever in this. Mere words — just a collection of words. Is wisdom found in scriptures? Wisdom is within oneself. Is truth found in words? Truth is within oneself.”

Naturally his father was enraged. First of all he was a father and on top of that a scholar. And his son hidden in the womb was saying such things! Not even born yet! He exploded in anger, became engulfed in fire: The father’s ego had been hit. And a scholar’s ego… he was a great pundit, a great debater, knowledgeable in scriptures….

In anger he uttered a curse: When born, the boy would be deformed; his limbs would be bent in eight parts. Hence his name: Ashtavakra means one whose body has eight bends. He was born crippled in eight places; eight places hunchbacked like a camel. In a rage his father deformed his son’s body.

Ashtavakra is a messenger, a messenger of consciousness, of witnessing. Pure witnessing, just watching. If there is unhappiness, observe it. If there is happiness, observe it. In unhappiness don’t become identified with unhappiness. In happiness don’t become identified with happiness. Let both come, let both go. Night has come, observe it. Day has come, observe it. At night, don’t think you have become night. In the day, don’t think you have become the day.

OSHO

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