Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.523

c7.523

Even while he was a boy he went to the south for his education and there from a brahmin he studied all arts and sciences. When he completed his studies he started on a tour and at that time became the minister of a king called Sātavāhana. He married there. One day his (Sātavāhana’s) wife rebuked the king when the latter made some linguistic errors and Sātavāhana became dejected and moody from that day onwards. Then there came to the court of the King a brahmin named Śarvavarman who promised to make the King proficient in languages within six months. But Guṇāḍhya said that it was not possible to do so within six months. They made a bet. Guṇāḍhya swore that if Śarvavarman would teach the King the Śabdaśāstra (science of language-sounds) within six months he (Guṇāḍhya) would abandon his knowledge of Sanskrit, Prakrit and local language. On the other hand if Śarvavarman failed to accomplish the feat the latter should wear on his head for twelve years the chappals of Guṇāḍhya. Śarvavarman agreed and went to do penance to please Subrahmanya. Subrahmanya granted him a boon by the power of which Śarvavarman made Sātavāhana a scholar in Sanskrit. Defeated, Guṇāḍhya abandoned his knowledge of all languages and bidding adieu to the King by gestures left for the Vindhyan forests.