A Dialogue Between Janaka And Ashtavakra

HOLIDAY NOTICE : Since I will be out of station on a holiday from Sunday 24th May 2009 to Sunday 7th June 2009,

the next article namely Article No 504 will come out only on Saturday 13th June 2009.

B.M.N.Murthy



THE ASHTAVAKRA GEETHA

The Ashtavakra Geetha is a short treatise on Advaita Vedanta ascribed to Sage Asthavakra. It deals with the spiritual dialogue of profound wisdom between King Janaka and Sage Ashtavakra and the episode occurs in the Vanaparva of the Mahabharata. The Vanaparva records that though Ashtavakra was young in years he was an erudite scholar in Advaita Vedanta and was an unbeatable scholar in philosophical debates. Among the classical works on contemplative experience, the Ashtavakra Geetha [also called Ashtavakra Samhita] is a unique text on Vedanta. Many times the thoughts in the Ashtavakra Geetha bring to memory “The Dialogues of Plato” in Greek’s classical literature. The Geetha is based on the stupendous and exhilarating teachings of the Upanishads.

Like other classical works on Vedanta, it takes recourse to three sources of authority that can be relied upon to have an experience of Truth—Shruthi or the authority of the Vedas, Yukti or logic which is the process of reasoning based on the teachings of the scriptures and finally on Atmanubhuti or Self-Realisation. Thus it is seen that the teachings of this text are highly rational though this process of rationalization is based on the experience of sages. The teachings of Vedavyasa who wrote the Brahmasutra are remarkably in tune with the propositions of the Ashtavakra Geetha. The Bhagavadgitha also bears a striking similarity with the monistic philosophy of Ashtavakra. While the Bhagavadgita was an Upadesha in the battle field, the Ashtavakra Geetha was born in a famous hall of philosophical debate which provided an opportunity for all to put forward their points of view and challenge the opponents and refute them in the court of King Janaka.

The Ashtavakra Geetha played an important role in the life of Swami Vivekananda. When Swamiji was closely associated with Brahmosamaj, he met Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa for the first time. He had no belief in Advaita which was propagated by the great Master. However, the Master always used to ask Swamiji to read a few verses for him from the Ashtavakra Geetha and the Master would then explain the meaning of the verses and comment on them. The continuous reading of the book by Swami Vivekananda and listening to the effective commentary of the Master had such an impact on the Swamiji that he soon turned into a devout Vedantin.

How the sage Ashtavakra, a born Brahmagjnani, got his name as Ashtavakra forms interesting reading. In Sanskrit, Ashta means eight and Vakra means deformity or distortion. A person with eight deformed limbs is called Ashtavakra. Ashtavakra’s father was one Kahola who was a mediocre disciple of the illustrious and learned Sage Uddalaka. Though Kahola was no man of great learning, he was extremely sincere, devoted and straightforward. So Uddhalaka gave his daughter Sujatha in marriage to Kahola.
It is well-known that during the recitation of the Vedic Mantras, the greatest emphasis is laid on phonetics [correct pronunciation of the sound], as otherwise, a faulty pronunciation of the Vedic Mantras would result in an adverse effect. When Sujatha was in the family way, Kahola would often recite the Vedic Mantras in her presence and recite the Mantras with a faulty pronunciation. One day, when his child was still in the womb of Sujatha, it heard the father making faulty pronunciation of the Vedas. It suddenly cried out “Oh Father! By Divine Grace I have already learnt all the Vedas even though I am a child yet to be born. I am sorry to state that you make many mistakes during recitation of the Mantras”. Kahola took these words of the child as a great insult and with an insulted pride he cursed the child to be born with eight deformities in the limbs. Accordingly, in course of time when the child was born it had eight distortions like hunchback, hump, knock-knees, bow legs, flat feet etc and was named Ashtavakra.

As Kahola was extremely poor, he went to the palace of King Janaka to seek royal patronage and assistance, by competing in an intellectual debate held in the royal court, before the birth of his child. There he got defeated by the court poet by name Vandin. According to the terms and conditions of the competition, Vandin employed the defeated Kahola in the services of his father God Varuna in a far off place. Several years passed and there was no news about the whereabouts of Kahola.

In the meanwhile, Aashtavakra had been born. When he came of age, he came to know the sad plight of his father and wanted to avenge the defeat of his father. Accompanied by his maternal uncle Shwethaketu he went to the court of King Janaka for a philosophic debate with Vandin, defeat him and secure the release of his father. Janaka’s palace security guards refused to let in the young lad, deformed in eight limbs, and that too to participate in an intellectual debate amongst scholars. Even though Ashtavakra insisted on participation since he had mastered all the scriptures, he was being denied entry. In the meanwhile, King Janaka came down and heard the young lad speak authoritatively on the scriptures and in a mellifluous tone. He was convinced that the young lad must be a Jnani. He let the two enter the royal court and participate in the debate.

Ashtavakra entered into a competition with Vandin on some debatable spiritual matters in Vedanta. The debate went on for quite sometime in the midst of erudite scholars from the court of King Janaka in his presence. Janaka’s court unanimously declared Ashtavakra as the winner. As per the conditions of the competition, the defeated Vandin released Kahola from the services of his father Varuna and got him back to the royal court. Kahola, meeting his scholarly son Ashtavakra, was filled with happiness and pride. He asked his son to go to the river Samanga in the vicinity and take a bath there and return. When Ashtavakra completed his bath and came out of the river, all his distortions were completely removed and he emerged a handsome youth with well formed physique. However, his name continued to be popular as Ashtavakra.

It was this great and learned savant who preached the sublime philosophy of Vedanta to King Janaka in the form of a dialogue which became popular as ‘Ashtavakra Geetha’

B.M.N.Murthy



ARTICLE NO. 503---ASHTAVAKRA GEETHA
Created: Friday, May 22, 2009 9:18 PM