According to Osho, Shankara calls us 'idiot' not to insult but to compassionately shock us out of spiritual sleep. Idiocy means unconscious living—lost in passion, attachment, and borrowed knowledge. The strong word wakes remembrance of our ignorance, which is the first step to transformation. By acknowledging sleep and singing the divine’s song, our blind energies turn into awareness and devotion, ripening idiocy into wisdom.
They lovingly say 'idiot' to wake you up so you stop sleepwalking through life and turn your energy toward God and awareness.