Acharya Prashant explains that figures like Ashtavakra are surrounded by numerous stories and myths because the human mind creates narratives for that which it cannot comprehend or grasp. While there are conflicting historical accounts regarding Ashtavakra's timeline—ranging from before Shri Krishna to the medieval period—these details are ultimately irrelevant. Ashtavakra exists beyond the constraints of time, space, and biography. His Gita was preserved with absolute precision, yet his personal history was allowed to fade because he transcended the limitations of individual personality. For someone who has surpassed the ego, historical details are not only unnecessary but can be misleading. To truly engage with Ashtavakra's teachings, one must approach them without any prior knowledge or preconceived notions. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that to meet Ashtavakra, one must rise to his level or, more accurately, become 'absent.' He advises the audience to be present in a way that they are effectively non-existent, letting go of the urge to take notes, analyze, or even listen with the physical ears. This is not a place for work, entertainment, or intellectual effort. Any attempt to understand, calculate gain and loss, or follow along will only lead to missing the essence. One must sit in total stillness and disappear into the experience, as the personal world of the waking state has no room for the truth that Ashtavakra represents.
