Ashtavakra had a disjointed and clumsy physique. There were eight broken joints in the body and a badly distorted weak personality. Rolling on the ground he reached the royal court of King Janak. Everyone in the court looking at him started laughing at him. They mocked at him. They wondered whether he was a human being or an animal or some other strange creature. He looked as a black disfigured and distorted figure not accepted generally by his looks by the people. However, what kind of power did he [possess to enter and be present in the royal court of King Janak and in a short time became the guru of the king. Instantly he became a worshipable celebrity in the same court in which he was joked about and mocked at. What was that power to bring him to such a high position in a short while.
Knowledge and intelligence cannot be distorted.
Ashtavakra puts a question in the court to everyone’s dismay and surprise – “The river is curved but the water which flows in the river is not curved. It flows straight; The sugarcane can be twisted and distorted but the juice inside the cane is not curved;
The world may look to be distorted but the maker of the world cannot be twisted or distorted. The body of the person can be distorted or twisted but his knowledge and intelligence cannot be distorted. The soul is not twisted. Now I want to know from you all whether you are the evaluators of the bones and skin or of the knowledge! Are you the people to acknowledge and welcome the knowledge or of the twisted body?”
King Janak accepted Ashtavakra to be his respected Guru.
Upon hearing such a well-structured question the people who had made fun of him stood up in reverence with folded hands and heads bowed down and said, “We all extend our greetings to this honourable and knowledgeable person. You are an extraordinary person in an ordinary body.”
By being associated with God there begin rising divine waves in the ocean of happiness. A new form begins to grow which makes realise the force of God and the power of knowledge. All the courtiers including the king were impressed with the knowledge of Ashtavakra. King Janak instantly accepted him to be his respected guru.
The mind should be stable and soul strong
While meditating on God and being in close proximity with God, such a situation arises. Though many people look simple and weak yet their spiritual power is strong and stronger still in their souls. Though not educated yet they possess strong divine power. Their mind is stable and soul strong.
Dr Archika Didi