Mahabharata 3.134: catustriṃśadadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

3.134.1

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
atrograsenasamiteṣu rājansamāgateṣvapratimeṣu rājasu |
na vai vivitsāntaramasti vādināṃ mahājale haṃsaninādināmiva || 1 ||

"Ashtavakra said, 'O king, O leader of fierce legions, in this assembly of monarchs of unrivalled power who have met together, I am unable to find out Vandin, chief of the controversialists. But I am searching for him, even as one doth for a swan on a vast expanse of water. O Vandin, thou regardest thyself as the foremost of controversialists. When though wilt engage with me in staking, thou wilt not be able to flow like the current of a river. I am like a full-flaming fire. Be silent before me, O Vandin! Do not awaken a sleeping tiger. Know that thou shalt not escape unstung, after trampling on the head of a venomous snake, licking the corners of its mouth with its tongue, and who hath been hurt by thy foot. That weak man who, in pride of strength, attempts to strike a blow at a mountain, only gets his hands and nails hurt, but no wound is left on the mountain itself. As the other mountains are inferior to the Mainaka, and as calves are inferior to the ox, so are all other kings of the earth inferior to the lord of Mithila. And as Indra is the foremost of celestials, and as the Ganga is the best of rivers, so thou alone art, O king, the greatest of monarchs. O king, cause Vandin to be brought to my presence.'

3.134.2

na me'dya vakṣyasyativādimāninglahaṃ prapannaḥ saritāmivāgamaḥ |
hutāśanasyeva samiddhatejasaḥ sthiro bhavasveha mamādya bandin || 2 ||

3.134.3

bandyuvāca |
vyāghraṃ śayānaṃ prati mā prabodhaya āśīviṣaṃ sṛkkiṇī lelihānam |
padāhatasyeva śiro'bhihatya nādaṣṭo vai mokṣyase tannibodha || 3 ||

3.134.4

yo vai darpātsaṃhananopapannaḥ sudurbalaḥ parvatamāvihanti |
tasyaiva pāṇiḥ sanakho viśīryate na caiva śailasya hi dṛśyate vraṇaḥ || 4 ||

3.134.5

sarve rājño maithilasya mainākasyeva parvatāḥ |
nikṛṣṭabhūtā rājāno vatsā anaduho yathā || 5 ||

3.134.6

lomaśa uvāca |
aṣṭāvakraḥ samitau garjamāno jātakrodho bandinamāha rājan |
ukte vākye cottaraṃ me bravīhi vākyasya cāpyuttaraṃ te bravīmi || 6 ||

"Lomasa said, 'Saying this, O Yudhishthira, wroth with Vandin, Ashtavakra thus thundered in the assembly, and addressed him in these words, 'Do thou answer my questions, and I shall answer thine.' Thereat Vandin said, 'One only fire blazeth forth in various shapes; one only sun illumineth this whole world; one only hero, Indra, the lord of celestials, destroyeth enemies; and one only Yama is the sole lord of the Pitris. Ashtavakra said, 'The two friends, Indra and Agni, ever move together; the two celestial sages are Narada and Parvata; twins are the Aswinikumaras; two is the number of the wheels of a car; and it is as a couple that husband and wife live together, as ordained by the deity.' Vandin said, 'Three kinds of born beings are produced by acts; the three Vedas together perform the sacrifice, Vajapeya; at three different times, the Adhwaryus commence sacrificial rites; three is the number of words: and three also are the divine lights.' Ashtavakra said, 'Four are the Asramas of the Brahmanas; the four orders perform sacrifices; four are the cardinal points; four is the number of letters; and four also, as is ever known, are the legs of a cow.' Vandin said, 'Five is the number of fires; five are the feet of the metre called Punki; five are the sacrifices; five locks, it is said in the Vedas, are on the heads of the Apsaras; and five sacred rivers are known in the world.' Ashtavakra said. 'Six cows, it is asserted by some, and paid as a gratuity on the occasion of establishing the sacred fire; six are the seasons belonging to the wheel of time; six is the number of the senses; six stars constitute the constellation Kirtika; and six, it is found in all the Vedas, is the number of the Sadyaska sacrifice.' Vandin said, 'Seven is the number of the domesticated animals; seven are the wild animals; seven metres are used in completing a sacrifice; seven are the Rishis, seven forms of paying homage are extant (in the world); and seven, it is known, are the strings of the Vina.' Ashtavakra said, 'Eight are the bags containing a hundred fold; eight is the number of the legs of the Sarabha, which preyeth upon lions; eight Vasus, as we hear, are amongst the celestials; and eight are the angles of yupa (stake), in all sacrificial rites.' Vandin said, 'Nine is the number of the mantras used in kindling the fire in sacrifices to the Pitris; nine are the appointed functions in the processes of creation; nine letters compose the foot of the metre, Vrihati; and nine also is ever the number of the figures (in calculation).' Ashtavakra said, 'Ten is said to be the number of cardinal points, entering into the cognition of men in this world; ten times hundred make up a thousand; ten is the number of months, during which women bear; and ten are the teachers of true knowledge, and ten, the haters thereof, and ten again are those capable of learning it.' Vandin said, 'Eleven are the objects enjoyable by beings; eleven is the number of the yupas; eleven are the changes of the natural state pertaining to those having life; and eleven are the Rudras among the gods in heaven.' Ashtavakra said, Twelve months compose the year; twelve letters go to the composition of a foot of the metre called Jagati; twelve are the minor sacrifices; and twelve, according to the learned, is the number of the Adityas.' Vandin said, 'The thirteenth lunar day is considered the most auspicious; thirteen islands exist on earth.

3.134.7

bandyuvāca |
eka evāgnirbahudhā samidhyate ekaḥ sūryaḥ sarvamidaṃ prabhāsate |
eko vīro devarājo nihantā yamaḥ pitṝṇāmīśvaraścaika eva || 7 ||

3.134.8

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
dvāvindrāgnī carato vai sakhāyau dvau devarṣī nāradaḥ parvataśca |
dvāvaśvinau dve ca rathasya cakre bhāryāpatī dvau vihitau vidhātrā || 8 ||

3.134.9

bandyuvāca |
triḥ sūyate karmaṇā vai prajeyaṃ trayo yuktā vājapeyaṃ vahanti |
adhvaryavastriṣavaṇāni tanvate trayo lokāstrīṇi jyotīṃṣi cāhuḥ || 9 ||

3.134.10

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
catuṣṭayaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ niketaṃ catvāro yuktā yajñamimaṃ vahanti |
diśaścatasraścaturaśca varṇāścatuṣpadā gaurapi śaśvaduktā || 10 ||

3.134.11

bandyuvāca |
pañcāgnayaḥ pañcapadā ca paṅktiryajñāḥ pañcaivāpyatha pañcendriyāṇi |
dṛṣṭā vede pañcacūḍāśca pañca loke khyātaṃ pañcanadaṃ ca puṇyam || 11 ||

3.134.12

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
ṣaḍādhāne dakṣiṇāmāhureke ṣaḍeveme ṛtavaḥ kālacakram |
ṣaḍindriyāṇyuta ṣaṭkṛttikāśca ṣaṭsādyaskāḥ sarvavedeṣu dṛṣṭāḥ || 12 ||

3.134.13

bandyuvāca |
sapta grāmyāḥ paśavaḥ sapta vanyāḥ sapta chandāṃsi kratumekaṃ vahanti |
saptarṣayaḥ sapta cāpyarhaṇāni saptatantrī prathitā caiva vīṇā || 13 ||

3.134.14

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
aṣṭau śāṇāḥ śatamānaṃ vahanti tathāṣṭapādaḥ śarabhaḥ siṃhaghātī |
aṣṭau vasūñśuśruma devatāsu yūpaścāṣṭāsrirvihitaḥ sarvayajñaḥ || 14 ||

3.134.15

bandyuvāca |
navaivoktāḥ sāmidhenyaḥ pitṝṇāṃ tathā prāhurnavayogaṃ visargam |
navākṣarā bṛhatī saṃpradiṣṭā navayogo gaṇanāmeti śaśvat || 15 ||

3.134.16

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
daśā daśoktāḥ puruṣasya loke sahasramāhurdaśa pūrṇaṃ śatāni |
daśaiva māsānbibhrati garbhavatyo daśerakā daśa dāśā daśārṇāḥ || 16 ||

3.134.17

bandyuvāca |
ekādaśaikādaśinaḥ paśūnāmekādaśaivātra bhavanti yūpāḥ |
ekādaśa prāṇabhṛtāṃ vikārā ekādaśoktā divi deveṣu rudrāḥ || 17 ||

3.134.18

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
saṃvatsaraṃ dvādaśa māsamāhurjagatyāḥ pādo dvādaśaivākṣarāṇi |
dvādaśāhaḥ prākṛto yajña ukto dvādaśādityānkathayantīha viprāḥ || 18 ||

3.134.19

bandyuvāca |
trayodaśī tithiruktā mahogrā trayodaśadvīpavatī mahī ca || 19 ||

3.134.20

lomaśa uvāca |
etāvaduktvā virarāma bandī ślokasyārdhaṃ vyājahārāṣṭavakraḥ |
trayodaśāhāni sasāra keśī trayodaśādīnyaticchandāṃsi cāhuḥ || 20 ||

Lomasa said, 'Having proceeded thus far, Vandin stopped. Thereupon Ashtavakra supplied the latter half of the sloka. Ashtavakra said, 'Thirteen sacrifices are presided over by Kesi; and thirteen are devoured by Atichhandas, (the longer metres) of the Veda. And seeing Ashtavakra speaking and the Suta's son silent, and pensive, and with head downcast, the assembly broke into a long uproar. And when the tumult thus arose in the splendid sacrifice performed by king Janaka, the Brahmanas well pleased, and with joined hands, approached Ashtavakra, and began to pay him homage.'

3.134.21

tato mahānudatiṣṭhanninādastūṣṇīṃbhūtaṃ sūtaputraṃ niśamya |
adhomukhaṃ dhyānaparaṃ tadānīmaṣṭāvakraṃ cāpyudīryantameva || 21 ||

3.134.22

tasmiṃstathā saṃkule vartamāne sphīte yajñe janakasyātha rājñaḥ |
aṣṭāvakraṃ pūjayanto'bhyupeyurviprāḥ sarve prāñjalayaḥ pratītāḥ || 22 ||

3.134.23

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
anena vai brāhmaṇāḥ śuśruvāṃso vāde jitvā salile majjitāḥ kila |
tāneva dharmānayamadya bandī prāpnotu gṛhyāpsu nimajjayainam || 23 ||

"Thereupon Ashtavakra said, 'Before this, this man, defeating the Brahmanas in controversy, used to cast them into water. Let Vandin today meet with the same fate. Seize him and drown him in water.' Vandin said. 'O Janaka, I am the son of king Varuna. Simultaneously with thy sacrifice, there also hath commenced a sacrifice extending over twelve years. It is for this that I have despatched the principal Brahmanas thither. They have gone to witness Varuna's sacrifice. Lo! there they are returning. I pay homage to the worshipful Ashtavakra, by whose grace to-day I shall join him who hath begot me.'

3.134.24

bandyuvāca |
ahaṃ putro varuṇasyota rājñastatrāsa satraṃ dvādaśavārṣikaṃ vai |
satreṇa te janaka tulyakālaṃ tadarthaṃ te prahitā me dvijāgryāḥ || 24 ||

3.134.25

ete sarve varuṇasyota yajñaṃ draṣṭuṃ gatā iha āyānti bhūyaḥ |
aṣṭāvakraṃ pūjaye pūjanīyaṃ yasya hetorjanitāraṃ sameṣye || 25 ||

3.134.26

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
viprāḥ samudrāmbhasi majjitāste vācā jitā medhayā āvidānāḥ |
tāṃ medhayā vācamathojjahāra yathā vācamavacinvanti santaḥ || 26 ||

"Ashtavakra said, 'Defeating the Brahmanas either by words or subtlety. Vandin had cast them into the waters of the sea. (That Vedic truth which he had suppressed by false arguments), have I to-day rescued by dint of my intellect. Now let candid men judge. As Agni, who knoweth the character of both the good and the bad, leaveth unscorched by his heat the bodies of those whose designs are honest, and is thus partial to them, so good men judge the assertions of boys, although lacking the power of speech, and are favourably disposed towards them. O Janaka, thou hearest my words as if thou hast been stupefied in consequence of having eaten the fruit of the Sleshmataki tree. Or flattery hath robbed thee of thy sense, and for this it is that although pierced by my words as an elephant (by the hook), thou hearest them not.'

3.134.27

agnirdahañjātavedāḥ satāṃ gṛhānvisarjayaṃstejasā na sma dhākṣīt |
bāleṣu putreṣu kṛpaṇaṃ vadatsu tathā vācamavacinvanti santaḥ || 27 ||

3.134.28

śleṣmātakī kṣīṇavarcāḥ śṛṇoṣi utāho tvāṃ stutayo mādayanti |
hastīva tvaṃ janaka vitudyamāno na māmikāṃ vācamimāṃ śṛṇoṣi || 28 ||

3.134.29

janaka uvāca |
śṛṇomi vācaṃ tava divyarūpāmamānuṣīṃ divyarūpo'si sākṣāt |
ajaiṣīryadbandinaṃ tvaṃ vivāde nisṛṣṭa eṣa tava kāmo'dya bandī || 29 ||

"Janaka said, 'Listening to thy words, I take them to be excellent and superhuman. Thy form also standeth manifest as superhuman. As thou hast to-day defeated Vandin in discussion, I place even him at thy disposal.' Ashtavakra said, 'O king, Vandin remaining alive, will not serve any purpose of mine. If his father be really Varuna, let him be drowned in the sea.'

3.134.30

aṣṭāvakra uvāca |
nānena jīvatā kaścidartho me bandinā nṛpa |
pitā yadyasya varuṇo majjayainaṃ jalāśaye || 30 ||

3.134.31

bandyuvāca |
ahaṃ putro varuṇasyota rājño na me bhayaṃ salile majjitasya |
imaṃ muhūrtaṃ pitaraṃ drakṣyate'yamaṣṭāvakraściranaṣṭaṃ kahoḍam || 31 ||

Vandin said, 'I am King Varuna's son. I have no fear (therefore) in being drowned. Even at this moment. Ashtavakra shall see his long-lost sire, Kahoda.'

3.134.32

lomaśa uvāca |
tataste pūjitā viprā varuṇena mahātmanā |
udatiṣṭhanta te sarve janakasya samīpataḥ || 32 ||

"Lomasa said, 'Then rose before Janaka all the Brahmanas, after having been duly worshipped by the magnanimous Varuna. Kahoda said, 'It is for this, O Janaka, that men pray for sons, by performing meritorious acts. That in which I had failed hath been achieved by my son. Weak persons may have sons endued with strength; dunces may have intelligent sons; and the illiterate may have sons possessed of learning.' Vandin said, 'It is with thy sharpened axe, O monarch, that even Yama severeth the heads of foes. May prosperity attend thee! In this sacrifice of king Janaka, the principal hymns relating to the Uktha rites are being chanted, and the Soma juice also is being adequately quaffed. And the gods themselves, in person, and with cheerful hearts, are accepting their sacred shares.'

3.134.33

kahoḍa uvāca |
ityarthamicchanti sutāñjanā janaka karmaṇā |
yadahaṃ nāśakaṃ kartuṃ tatputraḥ kṛtavānmama || 33 ||

3.134.34

utābalasya balavānuta bālasya paṇḍitaḥ |
uta vāviduṣo vidvānputro janaka jāyate || 34 ||

3.134.35

bandyuvāca |
śitena te paraśunā svayamevāntako nṛpa |
śirāṃsyapāharatvājau ripūṇāṃ bhadramastu te || 35 ||

3.134.36

mahadukthyaṃ gīyate sāma cāgryaṃ samyaksomaḥ pīyate cātra satre |
śucīnbhāgānpratijagṛhuśca hṛṣṭāḥ sākṣāddevā janakasyeha yajñe || 36 ||

3.134.37

lomaśa uvāca |
samutthiteṣvatha sarveṣu rājanvipreṣu teṣvadhikaṃ suprabheṣu |
anujñāto janakenātha rājñā viveśa toyaṃ sāgarasyota bandī || 37 ||

"Lomasa said, 'When in enhanced splendour, the Brahmanas had risen up, Vandin, taking king Janaka's permission, entered into the waters of the sea. And then Ashtavakra worshipped his father, and he himself also was worshipped by the Brahmanas. And having thus defeated the Suta's son. Ashtavakra returned to his own excellent hermitage, in company with his uncle. Then in the presence of his mother, his father addressed him, saying, '(O son), thou speedily enter into this river, Samanga.' And accordingly, he entered (into the water). (And as he plunged beneath the water), all his (crooked) limbs were immediately made straight. And from that day that river came to be called Samanga and she became invested with the virtues of purifying (sins). He that shall bathe in her, will be freed from his sins. Therefore, O Yudhishthira, do thou with thy brothers and wife descend to the river, and perform thy ablutions. O Kunti's son, O scion of the Ajamidha race, living happily and cheerfully at this place together with thy brothers and the Brahmanas, thou wilt perform with me other acts of merit, being intent upon good deeds.'"

3.134.38

aṣṭāvakraḥ pitaraṃ pūjayitvā saṃpūjito brāhmaṇaistairyathāvat |
pratyājagāmāśramameva cāgryaṃ jitvā bandiṃ sahito mātulena || 38 ||

3.134.39

atra kaunteya sahito bhrātṛbhistvaṃ sukhoṣitaḥ saha vipraiḥ pratītaḥ |
puṇyānyanyāni śucikarmaikabhaktirmayā sārdhaṃ caritāsyājamīḍha || 39 ||