According to Osho, Ashtavakra’s eight crookednesses symbolize a curse deforming Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, declaring that neither scripture nor sadhana yields truth. Even if body and mind are twisted, the Self stays untouched—like space in a crooked pot. The real mystery: truth is already our nature, so the question “how” is irrelevant.
No matter how your body or mind seems, the real you is like open space—already fine without doing anything.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, you have said that when Ashtavakra was in his mother’s womb, his father cursed him, and because of that his body became crooked in eight places. Bhagwan, what is the mystery of this eight? He could have been crooked in eighteen places and been called Ashtadashavakra. Why the number eight?
To see clearly outside, apply kohl; you will see distinctly. To see clearly within there is only one collyrium—the collyrium is the Unstained itself! There is only one thing to be remembered there, only one question to be kindled there: “Who am I?” Let there arise from every side the single awareness, “Who am I?” Let a single question echo through your life-breath: “Who am I?” Slowly, under the hammer-blow of this very question, the inner doors open. This blow is like a hammer striking: “Who am I? Who am I?” Do not answer, for the answer will come from outside. You ask quickly, “Who am I?” and say, “Aham Brahmasmi”—then the Upanishad has intruded. Do not answer; just keep asking. A moment will come when even the question will fall away. And where the question falls… where the question falls, there is the answer. Then you do not say,…
Now not only do I seem wrong to him, because of me even Jabalpur’s air seems wrong: there must be some fault in the water and air! Although I would like to say to him: Jabalpur has no right to judge the water and air regarding me. I have little connection with Jabalpur. I stayed there for a few days. Mahesh Yogi also stayed there for a few days. He too has no connection. Both of us are associated with another place. The people of that place are so asleep that they have no idea yet. Mahesh Yogi and I were born close by. He was born in Chichli, I in Kuchwada, near Gadarwara. If the water and air are bad, they would be bad there. Gadarwara should feel the pain—someday it will. Or joy… Jabalpur should not come in between. But how the mind contrives arguments!
Question: JANAK ASKED: "OH LORD, HOW DOES ONE ATTAIN WISDOM? AND HOW DOES LIBERATION HAPPEN? AND HOW IS NONATTACHMENT ATTAINED? PLEASE TELL ME THIS." ASHTAVAKRA REPLIED: "OH BELOVED, IF YOU WANT LIBERATION THEN RENOUNCE THE VISHAYAS, THE PASSIONS AS VISHA, POISON, AND TAKE FORGIVENESS, INNOCENCE, COMPASSION, CONTENTMENT, AND TRUTH AS NECTAR. YOU ARE NEITHER EARTH, NOR AIR, NOR FIRE, NOR WATER, NOR ETHER. TO ATTAIN LIBERATION, KNOW YOURSELF AS THE WITNESS, CONSCIOUS OF ALL THESE. "IF YOU CAN SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THE PHYSICAL BODY, AND REST IN CONSCIOUSNESS, THEN THIS VERY MOMENT YOU WILL BE HAPPY, AT PEACE, AND FREE OF BONDAGE. "YOU ARE NOT A BRAHMIN OR OTHER CASTE, YOU ARE NOT IN ANY OF THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE, YOU ARE NOT PERCEIVED BY THE EYES OR OTHER SENSES. UNATTACHED AND WITHOUT FORM, YOU ARE THE WITNESS OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. KNOW THIS AND BE HAPPY.
"o son, long have you been caught in the noose of body-consciousness. Cut this noose with the sword of knowing 'I am awareness' and be happy. That which is born, remains, increases, changes, deteriorates and perishes: you are not that. You are alone, void of action, self-illuminated and innocent. Your bondage is this: that you practice samadhi.
"THIS UNIVERSE IS PERMEATED BY YOU, IT IS STRUNG ON THE THREAD OF YOU. IN REALITY YOU ARE PURE CONSCIOUSNESS BY NATURE, DO NOT BECOME SMALL-MINDED. YOU ARE UNCONCERNED, UNCHANGING, VOID OF FORM, OF COOL DISPOSITION, FATHOMLESS INTELLIGENCE, UNPERTURBED. THUS HAVE FAITH ONLY IN CONSCIOUSNESS. "KNOW THAT WHICH HAS FORM IS FALSE, AND KNOW THE FORMLESS AS UNCHANGEABLE AND EVERLASTING. FROM THIS TEACHING OF THE TRUTH IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BE BORN IN THE WORLD AGAIN. JUST AS A MIRROR IS THE SAME INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE IMAGE REFLECTED IN IT, GOD IS THE SAME INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THIS BODY. JUST AS THE ONE ALL-PERVADING SKY IS THE SAME INSIDE AND OUTSIDE A POT, THE ETERNAL EVERLASTING BRAHMA IS THE SAME IN ALL THINGS." Yoga and Ashtavakra's vision are opposite. Hence I say if you want to understand Ashtavakra, you should try to understand Krishnamurti -- Krishnamurti is a…
Osho, you have said that God accepts only those who reach him whole and undivided. But Kubja, whose limbs were all deformed, is also Krishna’s beloved gopi. By what virtue did she succeed in attaining Krishna?
His laughter brought a hush over the court, for no one had imagined he would laugh. Janaka asked, “It is clear why we laugh. Why are you laughing?” He said, “I laugh because at home I heard my mother say a great assembly of pundits, of Brahmins, of knowers of Brahman is gathered here. But here I see only cobblers. Those who see only skin are cobblers. None here sees the soul. It is true my body is bent in eight places. But there is not even a single knower of Brahman among them. Why waste time with these fools! If even one were a knower of Brahman, he would see me—not my body.” Janaka fell at Ashtavakra’s feet. And it was true. Do the wise gather in assemblies for debate? Do they come to argue, to win competitions? What remains for the wise to win? What prize is left…