Ashtavakra

Ashtavakra was the son of Sujata, daughter of Sage Uddalaka, and Kagola, his disciple. Kagola was virtuous but not very knowledgeable. When Uddalaka taught him, he made mistakes. The unborn Ashtavakra, in his mother’s womb, would twist and turn or kick out, because he was learning faster than his father. He got eight twists in his body, and was named Ashtavakra when he was born. Kagola had a debate with Vandi, the court scholar of Mithila and lost. According to the custom of the time, he drowned himself. By the time Ashtavakra was twelve, he was a tremendous scholar in the Vedas and Vedanta. He heard of a great sacrifice to be performed by Janaka, the king of Mithila. Great scholars would be invited and debates would be held on various shastras and scriptures. Ashtavakra decided to go along with his uncle Shvetaketu to attend the sacrifice and the debate.