Ashtavakra

Ashtavakra, whose name literally means 'eight deformities', was a celebrated Vedic sage in Hinduism. According to legend, he was cursed by his father to be born with eight physical deformities after critiquing his father's recitation of the Vedas. Despite his condition, Ashtavakra possessed immense knowledge and spiritual insight. He famously debated and defeated Vandin, a court scholar of King Janaka, which led to the release of his father, Kahoda, who had been drowned by Vandin. Ashtavakra's story is recounted in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, highlighting his wisdom and eventual healing. He is also revered as the author of the Ashtavakra Gita (or Ashtavakra Samhita), a philosophical treatise exploring the nature of reality, the Self (Atman), and liberation.