Ashtavakra at Janaka's Gate

Verse 1 (3.135.1)

अन्धस्य पन्था बधिरस्य पन्थाः । स्त्रियः पन्था भारवाहस्य पन्थाः । राज्ञः पन्था ब्राह्मणेनासमेत्य । समेत्य तु ब्राह्मणस्यैव पन्थाः ॥

andhasya panthā badhirasya panthāḥ | striyaḥ panthā bhāravāhasya panthāḥ | rājñaḥ panthā brāhmaṇenāsametya | sametya tu brāhmaṇasyaiva panthāḥ

"The road belongs to the blind man and to the deaf, to a woman and to one who carries a load. The road is the king's so long as he has not met a brahmin; but once he meets one, the road belongs to the brahmin alone."

Verse 2 (3.135.2)

पन्था अयं तेऽद्य मया निसृष्टो । येनेच्छसे तेन कामं व्रजस्व । न पावको विद्यते वै लघीया- । निन्द्रोपि नित्यं नमते ब्राह्मणानाम् ॥

panthā ayaṃ te'dya mayā nisṛṣṭo | yenecchase tena kāmaṃ vrajasva | na pāvako vidyate vai laghīyā- | nindropi nityaṃ namate brāhmaṇānām

"I now yield this road to you; go freely whichever way you wish. No fire is too small to be respected, and even Indra always bows to brahmins."

Verse 3 (3.135.3)

स एवमुक्तो मातुलेनैव सार्धं । यथेष्टमार्गो यज्ञनिवेशनं तत् । संप्राप्य धर्मेण निवारितः सन् । द्वारि द्वाःस्थं वाक्यमिदं बभाषे ॥

sa evamukto mātulenaiva sārdhaṃ | yatheṣṭamārgo yajñaniveśanaṃ tat | saṃprāpya dharmeṇa nivāritaḥ san | dvāri dvāḥsthaṃ vākyamidaṃ babhāṣe

So addressed, he went freely on his way with his uncle and reached the sacrificial enclosure. Stopped there at the gate, as the rule required, he spoke these words to the doorkeeper:

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (an opening backtick and a closing "।।'") from the Wikisource text. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: it is passage 653* of the apparatus, after 3.133.2.

Verse 4 (3.135.4)

यज्ञं द्रष्टुं प्राप्तवन्तौ स्म तात । कौतूहलं बलवद्वै विवृद्धम् । आवां प्राप्तावतिथी संप्रवेशं । काङ्क्षावहे द्वारपते तवाज्ञाम् ॥

yajñaṃ draṣṭuṃ prāptavantau sma tāta | kautūhalaṃ balavadvai vivṛddham | āvāṃ prāptāvatithī saṃpraveśaṃ | kāṅkṣāvahe dvārapate tavājñām

"We two have come to see the sacrifice, sir, and a strong curiosity has grown in us. We have come as guests seeking entry, and we await your leave, keeper of the gate."

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from लोमश to अष्टावक्र: Lomasha's heading covers only the preceding verse; this is Ashtavakra's own speech to the doorkeeper (the critical edition heads it aṣṭāvakra uvāca).

Verse 5 (3.135.5)

ऐन्द्रद्युम्नेर्यज्ञदृशाविहावां । विवक्षू वै जनकेन्द्रं दिदृक्षू । न वै क्रुध्यो वन्दिना चोत्तमेन । संयोजय द्वारपाल क्षणेन ॥

aindradyumneryajñadṛśāvihāvāṃ | vivakṣū vai janakendraṃ didṛkṣū | na vai krudhyo vandinā cottamena | saṃyojaya dvārapāla kṣaṇena

"We two have come here to see the sacrifice of Indradyumna's son, eager to speak with Janaka, lord of men, and to see him. Do not be angry with us; bring us together at once, doorkeeper, with the eminent Bandi."

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from लोमश to अष्टावक्र (continuation of Ashtavakra's speech to the doorkeeper).

Verse 6 (3.135.6)

वन्देः समादेशकरा वयं स्म । निबोध वाक्यं च मयेर्यमाणम् । न वै बालाः प्रविशन्त्यत्र विप्रा । वृद्धा विदग्धाः प्रविशन्ति द्विजाग्र्याः ॥

vandeḥ samādeśakarā vayaṃ sma | nibodha vākyaṃ ca mayeryamāṇam | na vai bālāḥ praviśantyatra viprā | vṛddhā vidagdhāḥ praviśanti dvijāgryāḥ

"We carry out Bandi's orders. Listen to what I tell you: young brahmins do not enter here; only learned brahmins of ripe years, the foremost of the twice-born, may enter."

Verse 7 (3.135.7)

यद्यत्रवृद्धेषु कृतः प्रवेशो । युक्तं मया द्वारपाल प्रवेष्टुम् । वयं हि वृद्धाश्चरितव्रताश्च । वेदप्रभावेन समन्विताश्च ॥

yadyatravṛddheṣu kṛtaḥ praveśo | yuktaṃ mayā dvārapāla praveṣṭum | vayaṃ hi vṛddhāścaritavratāśca | vedaprabhāvena samanvitāśca

"If entry here is granted to elders, then it is right for me to enter, doorkeeper. For we are elders: we have kept our vows and possess the power of the Veda."

Verse 8 (3.135.8)

शुश्रूषवश्चापि जितेन्द्रियाश्च । ज्ञानागमे चापि गताः स्म निष्ठाम् । न बाल इत्येव मन्तव्यमाहु- । र्बालोऽप्यग्निर्दहति स्पृश्यमानः ॥

śuśrūṣavaścāpi jitendriyāśca | jñānāgame cāpi gatāḥ sma niṣṭhām | na bāla ityeva mantavyamāhu- | rbālo'pyagnirdahati spṛśyamānaḥ

"We are eager to learn and have mastered our senses, and we have reached certainty in the knowledge of the scriptures. It is said that no one should be dismissed as merely a boy: even a small fire burns when it is touched."

Verse 9 (3.135.9)

सरस्वतीमीरय वेद जुष्टा- । मेकाक्षरां बहुरूपां विराजम् । अङ्गात्मानं समवेक्षस्व बालं । किं श्लाघसे दुर्लभा वादसिद्धिः ॥

sarasvatīmīraya veda juṣṭā- | mekākṣarāṃ bahurūpāṃ virājam | aṅgātmānaṃ samavekṣasva bālaṃ | kiṃ ślāghase durlabhā vādasiddhiḥ

"If you know it, then recite the speech of Sarasvati that the Veda cherishes, single-syllabled, many-formed and resplendent. Look at yourself, my boy: you are a child. Why do you boast? Victory in debate is hard to win."

Verse 10 (3.135.10)

न ज्ञायते कायवृद्ध्या विवृद्धि- । र्यथाऽष्ठीला शाल्मलेः संप्रवृद्धा । ह्रस्वोऽल्पकायः फलितो विवृद्धो । यश्चाफलस्तस्य न वृद्धभावः ॥

na jñāyate kāyavṛddhyā vivṛddhi- | ryathā'ṣṭhīlā śālmaleḥ saṃpravṛddhā | hrasvo'lpakāyaḥ phalito vivṛddho | yaścāphalastasya na vṛddhabhāvaḥ

"Growth is not known by the growth of the body, just as the pod of the silk-cotton tree swells large and yet is empty. One who is short and slight but bears fruit has grown; one who bears no fruit has not truly grown."

Note on the text: Corrected संप्रवृद्धाः → संप्रवृद्धा (misprint in Wikisource; stray visarga, the participle agrees with the singular अष्ठीला; the critical edition reads saṃpravṛddhā).

Verse 11 (3.135.11)

वृद्धेभ्य एवेह मतिं स्म बाला । गृह्णन्ति कालेन भवन्ति वृद्धाः । न हि ज्ञातुमल्पकालेन शक्यं । कस्माद्बालः स्थविर इव प्रभाषसे ॥

vṛddhebhya eveha matiṃ sma bālā | gṛhṇanti kālena bhavanti vṛddhāḥ | na hi jñātumalpakālena śakyaṃ | kasmādbālaḥ sthavira iva prabhāṣase

"It is from their elders that the young gain understanding here, and in time they become elders themselves. Knowledge cannot be acquired in a short time. Why then, being a boy, do you talk like an old man?"

Verse 12 (3.135.12)

न तेन स्थविरो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः । बालोपि यः प्रजानाति तं देवाः स्थविरं विदुः ॥

na tena sthaviro bhavati yenāsya palitaṃ śiraḥ | bālopi yaḥ prajānāti taṃ devāḥ sthaviraṃ viduḥ

"A man is not old because his head is grey. The gods call him old who, though a boy, has understanding."

Verse 13 (3.135.13)

न हायनैर्न पलितैर्न वित्तैर्न च बन्धुभिः । ऋषयश्चक्रिरे धर्मं योऽनूचानः स नो महान् ॥

na hāyanairna palitairna vittairna ca bandhubhiḥ | ṛṣayaścakrire dharmaṃ yo'nūcānaḥ sa no mahān

"Not by years, not by grey hairs, not by wealth, not by kinsmen: the seers laid down this law, that among us he is great who has learned the Veda with its limbs."

Verse 14 (3.135.14)

दिदृक्षुरस्मि संप्राप्तो बन्दिनं राजसंसदि । निवेदयस्व मां द्वाःस्थ राज्ञे पुष्करमालिने ॥

didṛkṣurasmi saṃprāpto bandinaṃ rājasaṃsadi | nivedayasva māṃ dvāḥstha rājñe puṣkaramāline

"I have come wishing to see Bandi in the king's assembly. Announce me, doorkeeper, to the king who wears the lotus garland."

Verse 15 (3.135.15)

द्रष्टास्यद्य वदतोऽस्मान्द्वारपाल मनीषिभिः । सह वादे विवृद्धे तु वन्दिनं चापि निर्जितम् ॥

draṣṭāsyadya vadato'smāndvārapāla manīṣibhiḥ | saha vāde vivṛddhe tu vandinaṃ cāpi nirjitam

"Today, doorkeeper, you will see me speak among the learned when the debate grows heated, and you will see Bandi defeated."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: it is passage 655* of the apparatus, a variant of 3.133.14ab.

Verse 16 (3.135.16)

पश्यन्तु विप्राः परिपूर्णविद्याः । सहैव राज्ञा सपुरोधमुख्याः । उताहो वाऽप्युच्चतां नीचतां वा । तूष्णींभूतेष्वेव सर्वेष्वथाद्य ॥

paśyantu viprāḥ paripūrṇavidyāḥ | sahaiva rājñā sapurodhamukhyāḥ | utāho vā'pyuccatāṃ nīcatāṃ vā | tūṣṇīṃbhūteṣveva sarveṣvathādya

"Let the brahmins perfect in learning look on, together with the king and his chief priests, and see today whether I rise or fall, once all the others have fallen silent."

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are not in the critical edition's constituted text (apparatus passage 656*); lines 3–4 match 3.133.14cd.

Verse 17 (3.135.17)

कथं यज्ञं दशवर्षो विशेस्त्वं । विनीतानां विदुषां संप्रवेशम् । उपायतः प्रयतिष्ये तवाहं । प्रवेशने कुरु यत्नं यथावत् ॥

kathaṃ yajñaṃ daśavarṣo viśestvaṃ | vinītānāṃ viduṣāṃ saṃpraveśam | upāyataḥ prayatiṣye tavāhaṃ | praveśane kuru yatnaṃ yathāvat

"How could you, a ten-year-old, enter the sacrifice, which only the disciplined and learned may enter? Still, I will try by some means to get you in; you too must make a proper effort to enter."

Verse 18 (3.135.18)

एष राजा संश्रवणे स्थितस्ते । स्तुह्येनं त्वं वचसा संस्कृतेन । स चानुज्ञां दास्यति प्रीतियुक्तः । प्रवेशने यच्च किंचित्तवेष्टम् ॥

eṣa rājā saṃśravaṇe sthitaste | stuhyenaṃ tvaṃ vacasā saṃskṛtena | sa cānujñāṃ dāsyati prītiyuktaḥ | praveśane yacca kiṃcittaveṣṭam

"Here is the king, within earshot of you. Praise him in polished speech; pleased, he will give you leave to enter, and whatever else you wish."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) from the Wikisource text. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: it is passage 658* of the apparatus, after 3.133.15.

Verse 19 (3.135.19)

भोभो राजञ्जनकानां वरिष्ठ । त्वं वै सम्राट् त्वयि सर्वं समृद्धम् । त्वं वा कर्ता कर्मणां यज्ञियानां । ययातिरेको नृपतिर्वा पुरस्तात् ॥

bhobho rājañjanakānāṃ variṣṭha | tvaṃ vai samrāṭ tvayi sarvaṃ samṛddham | tvaṃ vā kartā karmaṇāṃ yajñiyānāṃ | yayātireko nṛpatirvā purastāt

"Ho, O king, foremost of the Janakas! You are a sovereign, and in you all things flourish. You are the performer of sacrificial rites; only King Yayati of old was your like."

Verse 20 (3.135.20)

विद्वान्वन्दी वादविदो निगृह्य । वादे भग्नानप्रतिशङ्कमानः । त्वयाऽभिसृष्टैः पुरुषैराप्तकृद्भि- । र्जले सर्वान्मज्जयतीति नः श्रुतम् ॥

vidvānvandī vādavido nigṛhya | vāde bhagnānapratiśaṅkamānaḥ | tvayā'bhisṛṣṭaiḥ puruṣairāptakṛdbhi- | rjale sarvānmajjayatīti naḥ śrutam

"We have heard that the learned Bandi overpowers men skilled in debate, and when they are beaten he has them all drowned in the water, without a qualm, by trusted men whom you send."

Verse 21 (3.135.21)

सोऽहं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणानां सकाशे । ब्रह्माद्य वै कथयितुमागतोस्मि । क्वासौ वन्दी यावदेनं समेत्य । नक्षत्राणीव सविता नाशयामि ॥

so'haṃ śrutvā brāhmaṇānāṃ sakāśe | brahmādya vai kathayitumāgatosmi | kvāsau vandī yāvadenaṃ sametya | nakṣatrāṇīva savitā nāśayāmi

"Having heard this in the presence of brahmins, I have come today to speak of Brahman. Where is this Bandi? Let me meet him and put him out, as the sun puts out the stars."

Note on the text: Corrected वनदी → वन्दी (misprint in Wikisource; transposed letters, the name is spelled वन्दी throughout; the critical edition reads bandī).

Verse 22 (3.135.22)

आशंससे वन्दिनं वै विजेतु- । मविज्ञाय त्वं वाक्यबलं परस्य । विज्ञातवीर्यैः शक्यमेवं प्रवक्तुं । दृष्टश्चासौ ब्राह्मणैर्वादशीलैः ॥

āśaṃsase vandinaṃ vai vijetu- | mavijñāya tvaṃ vākyabalaṃ parasya | vijñātavīryaiḥ śakyamevaṃ pravaktuṃ | dṛṣṭaścāsau brāhmaṇairvādaśīlaiḥ

"You hope to defeat Bandi without knowing the power of your opponent's speech. Only men of proven strength can talk like this. Brahmins practised in debate have faced him before."

Verse 23 (3.135.23)

आशंसमाना वन्दिनं वै विजेतु- । मविज्ञात्वा तु बलं वन्दिनोऽस्य । समागता ब्राह्मणास्तेन पूर्वं । न शोभन्ते भास्करेणेव ताराः ॥

āśaṃsamānā vandinaṃ vai vijetu- | mavijñātvā tu balaṃ vandino'sya | samāgatā brāhmaṇāstena pūrvaṃ | na śobhante bhāskareṇeva tārāḥ

"Brahmins who hoped to defeat Bandi, not knowing his strength, have met him before, and beside him they lose their lustre, as the stars do beside the sun."

Note on the text: Corrected बिजेतु- → विजेतु- (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व, as in the same phrase in the previous verse). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: it is passage 659* (lines 1–4) of the apparatus, after 3.133.19.

Verse 24 (3.135.24)

आशानुबन्धो हि तवात्र यत्नः । स वन्दिमासाद्यतथा विनश्यति । विज्ञानवन्तो निकृतास्तु तात । कथं सदस्तर्तुमिदं समर्थः ॥

āśānubandho hi tavātra yatnaḥ | sa vandimāsādyatathā vinaśyati | vijñānavanto nikṛtāstu tāta | kathaṃ sadastartumidaṃ samarthaḥ

"Your effort here rests on hope alone; whoever comes up against Bandi perishes in this way. Even men of great learning have been humbled, my son; how could you get the better of this assembly?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); compare apparatus passage 659* lines 5–8, a differently worded version of the same thought.

Verse 25 (3.135.25)

विवादितोऽसौ न हि मादृशैर्हि । सिंहीकृतस्तेन वदत्यभीतः । समेत्य मां निहतः शेष्यतेऽद्य । मार्गे भग्नं शकटमिवाबलाक्षम् ॥

vivādito'sau na hi mādṛśairhi | siṃhīkṛtastena vadatyabhītaḥ | sametya māṃ nihataḥ śeṣyate'dya | mārge bhagnaṃ śakaṭamivābalākṣam

"He has never debated with men like me; that is why he has become a lion and speaks without fear. Once he meets me he will be struck down and lie here today, like a cart on the road with a broken axle."

Note on the text: Corrected वदन्यभीतः → वदत्यभीतः (misprint in Wikisource; न for त, leaving no verb; the critical edition reads vadaty abhītaḥ).

Verse 26 (3.135.26)

षण्णाभेर्द्वादशाक्षस्य चतुर्विंशतिपर्वणः । यस्त्रिषष्टिशतारस्य वेदार्थं स परः कविः ॥

ṣaṇṇābherdvādaśākṣasya caturviṃśatiparvaṇaḥ | yastriṣaṣṭiśatārasya vedārthaṃ sa paraḥ kaviḥ

"He who knows the meaning of that which has six naves, twelve axles, twenty-four joints and three hundred and sixty spokes is the supreme seer."

Note on the text: Corrected षण्नाभेर् → षण्णाभेर् (misprint in Wikisource; broken sandhi, षट् + नाभि gives षण्णाभि; the critical edition reads ṣaṇṇābher).

Verse 27 (3.135.27)

चतुर्विंशतिपर्व त्वां षण्णाभि द्वादशप्रधि । तत्त्रिषष्टिशतारं वै चक्रं पातु सदागति ॥

caturviṃśatiparva tvāṃ ṣaṇṇābhi dvādaśapradhi | tattriṣaṣṭiśatāraṃ vai cakraṃ pātu sadāgati

"May that ever-turning wheel, with its twenty-four joints, six naves, twelve rims and three hundred and sixty spokes, protect you."

Note on the text: Corrected षणअनाभि → षण्णाभि and तत्रिषष्टि → तत्त्रिषष्टि (misprints in Wikisource; a broken conjunct and a dropped त्; the critical edition reads ṣaṇṇābhi and tat triṣaṣṭi-).

Verse 28 (3.135.28)

बडबे इव संयुक्ते श्येनपाते दिवौकसाम् । कस्तयोर्गर्भमाधत्ते गर्भं सुषुवतुश्च कम् ॥

baḍabe iva saṃyukte śyenapāte divaukasām | kastayorgarbhamādhatte garbhaṃ suṣuvatuśca kam

"Two that are yoked together like mares and swoop down like hawks: which of the gods sets the embryo in them, and what do the two bring forth?"

Verse 29 (3.135.29)

मा स्म भूः स्वगृहे राजञ्शात्रवाणामपि ध्रुवम् । वातसारथिराधत्ते गर्भं सुषुवतुश्च तम् ॥

mā sma bhūḥ svagṛhe rājañśātravāṇāmapi dhruvam | vātasārathirādhatte garbhaṃ suṣuvatuśca tam

"May they never fall upon your house, O king, but surely upon your enemies' houses. He whose charioteer is the wind sets the embryo in them, and it is he whom they bring forth."

Verse 30 (3.135.30)

किंस्वित्सुप्तं न निमिषति किंस्विज्जातं न चोपति । कस्यस्विद्धृदयं नास्ति किंस्विद्वेगेन वर्धते ॥

kiṃsvitsuptaṃ na nimiṣati kiṃsvijjātaṃ na copati | kasyasviddhṛdayaṃ nāsti kiṃsvidvegena vardhate

"What does not close its eyes when it sleeps? What does not move once it is born? What has no heart? And what grows by its own rushing force?"

Note on the text: Corrected किंस्वित्स्तुप्तं → किंस्वित्सुप्तं and कस्यखिद्धृदयं → कस्यस्विद्धृदयं (misprints in Wikisource; a stray त् and ख for स्; the critical edition reads kiṃ svit suptaṃ and kasya svid dhṛdayaṃ).

Verse 31 (3.135.31)

मत्स्यः सुप्तो न निमिषत्यण्डं जातं न चोपति । अश्मनो हृदयं नास्ति नदी वेगेन वर्धते ॥

matsyaḥ supto na nimiṣatyaṇḍaṃ jātaṃ na copati | aśmano hṛdayaṃ nāsti nadī vegena vardhate

"A fish does not close its eyes when it sleeps; an egg does not move once it is born; a stone has no heart; and a river grows by its rushing force."

Verse 32 (3.135.32)

न त्वां मन्ये मानुषं देवसत्त्व । न त्वं बालः स्थविरः संमतो मे । न ते तुल्यो विद्यते वाक्प्रलापे । तस्माद्द्वारं वितराम्येष विद्वन् ॥

na tvāṃ manye mānuṣaṃ devasattva | na tvaṃ bālaḥ sthaviraḥ saṃmato me | na te tulyo vidyate vākpralāpe | tasmāddvāraṃ vitarāmyeṣa vidvan

"I do not take you for a mere man; you have the nature of a god. You are no boy; I count you an elder. No one equals you in eloquent debate. Therefore, learned one, I open the door to you."

Note on the text: Corrected देवसत्व → देवसत्त्व (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त्, सत्त्व; the critical edition reads devasattvaṃ). The closing विद्वन् (critical edition: bandī) is a recension variant and is kept.