An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.654

c5.s1.654

[Aṣṭāvakra-Dik-saṃvāda(ḥ)] ("discourse between Aṣṭāvakra and the goddess of the North"). § 731b (Anuçāsan.): XIII, 19 ff.: Bhīṣma said: In days of yore Aṣṭāvakra (of severe penances) asked R. Vadānya for his beautiful daughter Suprabhā. Vadānya first caused him to make a journey to the North, indicating the road: (1) Himavat (peopled by Si. and Cā.); (2) the sacred river Bāhudā, where he bathed in one of the tīrthas, etc. (description), and worshipped Rudra and Umā; (3) Kailāsa, where he saw a golden gate, etc. (a), and was honoured by Kubera among Y. (with Maṇibhadra), G., and K., and where Aps. (β) danced; there he remained a celestial year; (4) having crossed Kailāsa and Mandara also the golden mountains, he came to the region where Mahādeva resides attired as an ascetic, Pārṣadas of which are frolicsome and fond of dance and possessed of faces of diverse forms, which was peopled by Si., Sā., and Pç., where Umā had practised austerities for the sake of obtaining] Çiva; where, in days of yore, on the Mahāpārçva [mountain] (to the north of the god) the Seasons, etc. (α'), and [celestial forms had adored Mahādeva; (5) a beautiful [region], where the river Mandākini was seen, [where a decrepit female ascetic (with many beautiful [forms)] tempted him with love (XIII, 19), [and a beautiful form (XIII, 20). She [tells him of the North (Uttaraṃ diçam), [and that R. Vadānya, had devised this [journey, showing him the levity of [women, who hast subjugated all the [senses; thy journey back will not [be vain, for thou hast chosen; [thou shalt have a son." Aṣṭāvakra came back to his own abode, and then to Vadānya, who wedded him to the girl. There he continued to dwell joyously in his own hermitage (XIII, 21).