अष्टावक्र उवाच अत्रोग्रसेन समितेषु राजन् समागतेष्वप्रतिमेषु राजसु। नावैमि बन्दिं वरमत्र वादिनां महाजले हंसमिवाददामि॥
Ashtavakra said : O king, O commander of large army, cannot find Bandi, this chief of controversialists in that assembly of these kings of matchless power who have met together. I search for him as one searches for a swan on a vast expanse of water.
न मेऽद्य वक्ष्यस्यतिवादिमानिन् ग्लहं प्रपन्नः सरितामिवागमः। हुताशनस्येव समिद्धतेजसः स्थिरो भवस्वेह ममाद्य बन्दिन्॥
O Bandi, you consider that you are the foremost of all controversialists. When you will engage with me to argue, you will then not be able to flow like the current of a river. I am like a flaming fire. Be silent before me.
बन्धुवाच व्याघ्र शयानं प्रति मा प्रबोधय आशीविषं सृक्किणी लेलिहानम्। पदाहतस्येह शिरोऽभिहत्य नादष्टो वै मोक्ष्यसे तन्निबोध॥
Do not awaken a sleeping tiger. Know that you will not escape biting when you will trample on the head of a poisonous snake, which is licking the corner of its mouth with its tongue and which has been hurt by your foot.
यो वै दर्पात् संहननोपपन्नः। सुदुर्बलः पर्वतमाविहन्ति। तस्यैव पाणिः सनखो विदीर्यते न चैव शैलस्य हि दृश्यते व्रणः॥
That weak man, who in the pride of his strength strikes a blow at a mountain, only hurts his hands and nails. He can not wound the mountains.
अष्टावक्र उवाच सर्वे राज्ञो मैथिलस्य मैनाकस्येव पर्वताः। निकृष्टभूता राजानो वत्सा अनडुहो यथा॥
As all other mountains are inferior to the Mainakas, as calves are inferior to the ox, so are all the others kings of the earth inferior to the king of Mithila.
यथा महेन्द्रः प्रवरः सुराणां नदीषु गङ्गा प्रवरा यथैव। तथा नृपाणां प्रवरस्त्वमेको बन्दिं समभ्यानय मत्सकाशम्॥
As Indra is the foremost of the celestials, as Ganga is the foremost of all rivers so are you the foremost of all kings. Cause Bandi to appear before me.
लोमश उवाच जातक्रोधो बन्दिनमाह राजन्। उक्ते वाक्ये चोत्तरं मे ब्रवीहि वाक्यस्य चाप्युत्तरं ते ब्रवीमि॥
Lomasha said: O king, having said this and becoming greatly angry with Bandi, Ashtavakra began to roar in the assembly. He said, “Answer my questions, I shall answer yours.”
बन्धुवाच एक एवग्निर्बहुधा समिध्यते एकः सूर्यः सर्वमिदं विभाति। एको वीरो दोवराजऽरिन्ता यमः पितृणामीश्वरश्चैक एव॥
Bandi said: Fire is only one which blazes in various forms, One is the sun that illuminates the universe, One is the hero, Indra, the lord of the celestials who destroys all enemies, One is Yama, the sole lord of the Pitris.
अष्टावक्र उवाच द्वाविन्द्राग्नी चरतो वै सखायौ द्वौ देवर्षी नारदपर्वतौ च। द्वावश्विनौ द्वे रथस्यापि चक्रे भार्यापती द्वौ विहितौ विधात्रा॥
Ashtavakra said : The two friends, Agni and Indra, move together; the celestials sages are Two Narada and Parvata, the Ashvins are Two, the wheels of a car are two. It is Two, husband and wife, that live together as ordained by the deity.
बन्धुवाच त्रिः सूयते कर्मणा वै प्रजेयं त्रयो युक्ता वाजपेयं वहन्ति। अध्वर्यवस्त्रिसवनानि तन्वते त्रयो लोकास्त्रीणि ज्योतींषि चाहुः॥
Bandi said: Three kinds of being are born as the results of their acts, Three are the Vedas that perform the Vajapeya sacrifice; at three different times the Adhvaryus commence sacrifice, three also are the divine lights.
अष्टावक्र उवाच चतुष्टयं ब्राह्मणानां निकेतं चत्वारो वर्णा यज्ञमिमं वहन्ति। दिशश्चतस्रो वर्णचतुष्टयं च चतुष्पदा गौरपि शश्वदुक्ता॥
Ashtavakra said: Four are the Ashrams of the Brahmanas; four orders perform sacrifices; four are the cardinal points; four is the number of letters and four also are the legs of a cow.
बन्धुवाच र्यज्ञाः पञ्चैवाप्यथ पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि। दृष्टा वेदे पञ्चचूडाप्सराश्च लोके ख्यातं पञ्चनदं च पुण्यम्॥
Bandi said: Five is the number of fires; five are the feet of Punkti (a meter); five are the sacrifices; it is said in the Vedas that five locks are on the heads of the Apsaras and five are the sacred rivers in the world.
अष्टावक्र उवाच षडाधाने दक्षिणामाहुरेके षट् चैवेमे ऋतवः कालचक्रम्। षडिन्द्रियाण्युत षट् कृत्तिकाश्च षट् साद्यस्काः सर्ववेदेषु दृष्टाः॥
Ashtavakra said: Six cows are paid as Dakshina on establishing the sacred fire; six are the seasons belonging to the wheel of time, six stars constitute the constellation Kirtika and the Vedas say six the number of Sadyaska sacrifice.
बन्धुवाच सप्त ग्राम्याः पशवः सप्त वन्याः सप्तच्छन्दांसि क्रतुमेकं वहन्ति। सप्तर्षयः सप्त चाप्यर्हणानि सप्ततन्त्री प्रथिता चैव वीणा॥
Bandi said : Seven is the number of domestic animals, seven also is the number of wild animals; seven meters are used in completing a sacrifice; seven are the Rishis, seven are the forms of paying homage and seven, are the strings of the Binda.
अष्टावक्र उवाच अष्टौ शाणाः शतमानं वहन्ति तथाष्टपादः शरभः सिंहघाती। अष्टौ वसूशुश्रुम देवतासु यूपश्चाष्टास्त्रिर्विहितः सर्वयज्ञे।॥
Ashtavakra said: Eight are the bags that hold hundred-fold, eight is the number of the Sarava, which preys upon lions, eight are the Vasus among the celestials and eight are the angles of a Yupa (stake) in a sacrifice.
बन्धुवाच नवैवोक्ताः सामिधेन्यः पितृणां तथा प्राहुर्नवयोगं विसर्गम्। नवाक्षरा बृहती सम्प्रदिष्टा नवयोगो गणनामेति शश्वत्॥
Bandi said: Nine is the number of the Mantras used in kindling the fire in a sacrifice to the Pitris: nine are the fixed functions in the progresses of creation, nine letters compose the foot of Vrihati (a meter) and nine also are numbers (in calculation).
अष्टावक्र उवाच दिशो दशोक्ताः पुरुषस्य लोके सहस्रमाहुर्दशपूर्णं शतानि। दशैव मासान् बिभ्रति गर्भवत्यो दशैरका दश दाशा दशार्हाः॥
Ashtavakra said : Ten is the number of the cardinal points; ten times hundred make a thousand; ten is the number of months of a woman's conception, ten are the teachers of true knowledge and ten are the haters of knowledge and ten again who are capable of obtaining it.
बन्धुवाच मेकादशैवात्र भवन्ति यूपाः। एकादश प्राणभृतां विकारा एकादशोक्ता दिवि देवेषु रुद्राः॥
Eleven are the enjoyable objects, eleven is the number of Yupas (sacrificial stake), eleven are the natural states of all living creatures, eleven are the Rudras among the celestials in heaven.
अष्टावक्र उवाच जगत्याः पादो द्वादशैवाक्षराणि। द्वादशाहः प्राकृतो यज्ञ उक्तो द्वादशादित्यान् कथयन्तीहधीराः॥
Twelve are the months in a year; twelve letters compose a foot of Yayati (a meter) twelve are the sacrifices and the learned say twelve is the number of the Adityas.
बन्धुवाच त्रयोदशी तिथिरुक्ता प्रशस्ता त्रयोदशद्वीपवती मही च।
Bandi said : Thirteen lunar days are most auspicious and thirteen islands exist on earth.
लोमश उवाच एतावदुक्त्वा विरराम बन्दी। श्लोकस्यार्धं व्याजहाराष्टवक्रः।
Lomasha said : Having said this Bandi stopped. Thereupon Ashtavakra supplied the other half of the Sloka.
अष्टावक्र उवाच त्रयोदशाहानि ससार केशी त्रयोदशादीन्यतिच्छन्दांसि चाहुः॥
Ashtavakra said: Thirteen sacrifices are presided over by Keshi and thirteen are devoured by Atichandas of the Vedas.
स्तूष्णीभूतं सूतपुत्रं निशम्या मष्टावक्रं चाप्युदीर्यन्तमेव॥ तस्मिंस्तथा संकुले वर्तमाने स्फीते यज्ञे जनकस्योत राज्ञः। विप्राः सर्वे प्राञ्जलयः प्रतीताः॥
Lomasha said: Having seen Ashtavakra speaking and Suta's son sitting silent and pensive and with head down-cast, all men raised up great uproar in the assembly. When the tumult thus rose in the king Janaka's great sacrifice, the Brahmanas i became very much pleased and with joined hands they came to Ashtavakra and paid him homage.
अष्टावक्र उवाच अनेनैव ब्राह्मणाः शुश्रुवांसो वादे जित्वा सलिले मज्जिताः प्राक्। तानेवधर्मानयमद्य बन्दी प्राप्नोतु गृह्याप्सु निमज्जयैनम्॥
Defeating the Brahmanas in controversy Bandi threw them into the waters. Let Bandi meet with the same fate to day. Seize him and drown him in the water.
बन्धुवाच स्तत्रास सत्रं द्वादशवार्षिकं वै। सत्रेण ते जनक तुल्यकालं तदर्थं ते प्रहिता मे द्विजाच्याः॥
O Janaka, I am the son of king Varuna. Simultaneously with your sacrifice, there (underneath the sea) has been commenced (by Varuna) a sacrifice extending over twelve years. Therefore I have sent there those chief Brahmanas.
ते तु सर्वे वरुणस्योत यज्ञं द्रष्टुं गता इह आयान्ति भूयः। अष्टावक्रं पूजये पूजनीयं यस्य हेतोर्जनितारं समेष्ये॥
They had all gone to see Varuna's sacrifice. Behold they are (all) coming. I pay homage to the revered Ashtavakra by whose favour I shall today join him who has begotten me.
अष्टावक्र उवाच विप्राः समुद्राम्भसि मज्जिता ये वाचा जिता मेधया वा विदानाः। तां मेधया वाचमथोज्जहार यथा वाचमवचिन्वन्ति सन्तः॥
Ashtavakra said: Defeating the Brahmanas either by words or subtlety, he has thrown them into the waters of the sea. By dint of my intellect I have to day have rescued them.
अग्निर्दहञ्जातवेदाः सतां गृहान् विसर्जयस्तेजसा न स्मधाक्षीत्। बालेषु पुत्रेषु कृपणं वदत्सु तथा वाचमवचिन्वन्ति सन्तः॥
As Agni (fire) who knows the character of both the good and the bad, leaves unscorched those that are honest, so do good men judge the assertions of even boys, though they lack in the power of speech.
श्लेष्मातकी क्षीणवर्चाः शृणोषि उताहो त्वां स्तुतयो मादयन्ति। हस्तीव त्वं जनक विनुद्यमानो न मामिकां वाचमिमां शृणोषि।॥
O Janaka, you are hearing my words as if you have been stupified by eating the fruit of Sleshmataki tree. You have been robbed of your sense by flattery. Therefore though you are pierced by my words as an elephant by the goad, you do not heed them.
जनक उवाच ममानुषी दिव्यरूपोऽसि साक्षात्। अजैषीर्यद् बन्दिनं त्वं विवादे निसृष्ट एष तव कामोऽद्य बन्दी॥
Janaka said: I listen to your words which are excellent and superhuman. Your appearance also appears to me as superhuman. As you "have to day defeated Bandi, I place even him at your disposal.
अष्टावक्र उवाच नानेन जीवता कश्चिदर्थो मे बन्दिना नृप। पिता यद्यस्व वरुणो मज्जयैनं जलाशये॥
Ashtavakra said : O king, if Bandi remains alive, he would come to no use of mine. If his father is really Varuna, let him be drowned in the sea.
बन्धुवाच अहं पुत्रो वरुणस्योत राज्ञो न मे भयं विद्यते मज्जितस्य। मष्टावक्रश्चिरनष्टं कहोडम्॥
Bandi said: I am the son of the king Varuna. I have therefore no fear to be drowned. Even at this very moment Ashtavakra would see his longlost father Kahoda.
लोमश उवाच ततस्ते पूजिता विप्रा वरुणेन महात्मना। उदतिष्ठंस्ततः सर्वे जनकस्य समीपतः॥
Lomasha said : Then rose before Janaka all the Brahmanas, after they been duly worshipped by the illustrious Varuna.
कहोड उवाच इत्यर्थमिच्छन्ति सुताञ्जना जनक कर्मणा। यदहं नाशकं कर्तुं तत् पुत्रः कृतवान् मम॥
Kahoda said: O Janaka, it is for this reason men desire for sons by performing virtuous acts. That in which I failed has been done by my son.
उताबलस्य बलवानुत बालस्य पण्डितः। उत वाविदुषो विद्धान् पुत्रो जनक जायते॥
O Janaka, weak men may have strong sons, fools may have intelligent sons and the illiterate may have learned sons.
शितेन ते परशुना स्वयमेवान्तको नृप। शिरांस्यपाहरत्वाजौ रिपूणां भद्रमस्तु ते॥
Bandi said: O king, it is with your sharp axe that Yama severs the heads of his enemies. May prosperity attend you.
महदौक्थ्यं गीयते साम चावयं सम्यक् सोमः पीयते चात्र सत्रे। शुचीन् भगान् प्रतिजगृहुश्च हृष्टाः साक्षाद् देवा जनकस्योत राज्ञः॥
In this sacrifice of king Janaka, the chief hymns relating to the Uktha rites are sung and the Soma juice is properly drunk. The celestials themselves with cheerful hearts accept their sacred portions.
लोमश उवाच समुत्थितेष्वथ सर्वेषु राजन् विप्रेषु तेष्वधिकं सुप्रभेषु। अनुज्ञातो जनकेनाथ राज्ञा विवेश तोयं सागरस्योत बन्दी॥
Lomasha said: O king, when all the Brahmanas rose (from the waters), their splendour was much enhanced; Bandi with the permission of king Janaka then entered the ocean.
अष्टावक्र: पितरं पूजयित्वा सम्पूजितो ब्राह्मणैस्तैर्यथावत्। प्रत्याजगामाश्रममेव चावयं जित्वा सौतिं सहितो मातुलेन॥
Ashtavakra then worshipped his father and he himself was (also) worshipped by the Brahmanas. Having thus defeated Suta's son, he returned with his uncle to his excellent hermitage.
ततोऽष्टावक्रमातुरथान्तिके पिता नदीं समङ्गां शीघ्रमिमां विशस्व। प्रोवाच चैनं स तथा विवेश समैरङ्गैश्चापि बभूव सद्यः॥
Thereupon in the presence of his mother, his father said, "Speedily enter into the water of this river Samanga." Being thus told, he entered. And immediately all his (crooked) limbs were made straight.
नदी समङ्गा च बभूव पुण्या यस्यां स्नातो मुच्यते किल्बिषाद्धिा त्वमप्येनां स्नानपानावगाहैः सभ्रातृकः सहभार्यो विशस्व॥
From that day that river became known by the name of Samanga and it became capable of cleansing sins. He who bathes in it is cleansed of all sins. Therefore enter with your brothers and wife into its water.
अत्र कौन्तेय सहितो भ्रातृभिस्त्वं सुखोषितः सह विप्रैः प्रतीतः। र्मया साधू चरितस्याजमीढ॥
O son of Kunti, O descendant of Ajamira, being intent on good deeds, you will perform many other virtuous acts by living happily here with your brothers and the Brahmanas.