इत्युक्त्वा भूमिपतये तस्मै दत्त्वा यथेप्सितम्। प्रशस्य जग्मतू राजन्निन्द्राग्री तुष्टमानसौ
Having spoken thus to the king, and giving him whatever he desired, praising him, Indra and Agni departed, their minds satisfied.
उशीनरोऽपिधर्मात्मा धर्मेणावृत्यरोदसी। विभ्राजमानो वपुषाऽप्यारुरोह त्रिविष्टपम्
Uśīnara, righteous in soul, having enveloped earth and heaven with virtue, shining with his form, ascended to the abode of the gods.
तदेतत्सदनं राजन्राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः। पश्यस्वैतन्मया सार्धं पुण्यं पापप्रमोचनम्
This is the residence, O king, of that great-souled monarch; behold it with me, sacred and freeing from sin.
तत्र वै सततं देवा मुनयश्च सनातनाः। दृश्यन्ते ब्राह्मणै राजन्पुण्यवद्भिर्महात्मभिः
There, always, gods and ancient sages are seen, O king, together with Brahmins who are virtuous and great-hearted.
यः कथ्यते मन्त्रविदग्र्यबुद्धि- रौद्दालकिः श्वेतकेतुः पृथिव्याम्। तस्याश्रमं पश्यत पाण्डवेया सदाफलैरुपपन्नं महीजैः
He who is spoken of as a master of mantras and keen intellect, Uddālaka's son Śvetaketu, on earth—behold his hermitage, O sons of Pandu, ever fruitful and endowed with plants.
साक्षादत्र श्वेतकेतुर्ददर्श सरस्वतीं मानुषदेहरूपाम्। वेत्स्यामि वाणीमिति संप्रवृत्तां सरस्वतीं श्वेतकेतुर्बभाषे
Here Śvetaketu himself saw Sarasvatī in human form; as she began to speak, Śvetaketu addressed Sarasvatī.
अस्मिन्युगे ब्रह्मकृतां वरिष्ठा- वास्तां मुनी मातुलभागिनेयौ। अष्टावक्रश्चैव कहोलसूनु- रौद्दालकिः श्वेतकेतुः पृथिव्याम्
In this age, the most eminent sages born of Brahma reside here: the maternal uncle and nephew, Aṣṭāvakra and Kahola's son, Uddālaka's Śvetaketu, on earth.
विदेहराजस् समीपतस्तौ घीरावुभौ मातुलभागिनेयौ। प्रविश्य यज्ञायतनं विवादे वन्दिं निजग्राहतुरप्रमेयौ
Near the king of Videha, those two, uncle and nephew, entered the sacrificial hall and, in debate, seized the bard, immeasurable in wisdom.
वादे भङ्क्त्वा मज्जयामास नद्याम्
In debate, having defeated him, they immersed him in the river.
कथंप्रभावः स बभूव विप्र- स्तथाभूतं यो निजग्राह वन्दिम्। `किंचाधिकृत्याथ तयोर्विवादो विदेहराजस् समीप आसीत्
How did that Brahmin become so powerful, who seized the bard thus? What was the subject of their debate before the king of Videha?
अष्टावक्रः केन चासौ बभूव तत्सर्वं मे लोमश शंस तत्त्वम्
How did Aṣṭāvakra come to be so? Tell me all this truthfully, Lomasha.
उद्दालकस्य नियतः शिष्य एको नाम्ना कहोळेति बभूव राजन्। शुश्रूषुराचार्यवशानुवर्ती दीर्घ कालं सोऽध्ययनं चकार
Uddālaka had a devoted disciple named Kahola, O king; obedient to his teacher, he studied for a long time.
तं वै विप्राः पर्यभवंस्तु शिखा- स्तं च ज्ञात्वा विप्रकारं गुरुः सः। तस्मै प्रादात्सद्य एव श्रुतं च भार्यां च वै दुहितरं स्वां सुजाताम्
The Brahmins mocked him for his tuft; knowing this insult, the teacher gave him at once both knowledge and his own virtuous daughter as wife.
तस्यां गर्भः समभवदग्निकल्पः सोऽधीयानं पितरमथाभ्युवाच। सर्वां रात्रिमध्ययनं करोषि नेदं पितः सम्यगिवोपवर्तते
In her, a child was conceived, fiery as Agni; while studying, he addressed his father: 'You study all night, but this, father, is not properly conducted.'
उपालब्धः शिष्यमध्ये महर्षिः स तं कोपादुदरस्थं शशाप। यस्माद्वक्रं वर्तमानो ब्रवीषि तस्माद्वक्रो भवितास्यष्टधैव
Rebuked among the disciples, the great sage cursed him in anger, saying: 'Since you speak crookedly while dwelling in the womb, you shall be crooked in eight ways.'
स वै तथा वक्र एवाभ्यजाय- दष्टावक्रः प्रथितो मानवेषु। अस्यासीद्वै मातुलः श्वेतकेतुः स तेन तुल्यो वयसा बभूव
Thus he was born crooked, known as Aṣṭāvakra among men; his maternal uncle was Śvetaketu, and he became equal to him in age.
संपीड्यमाना तु तदा सुजाता विवर्धमानेन सुतेन कुक्षौ। उवाच भर्तारमिदं रहोगता प्रसाद्य हीना वसुना धनार्थिनी
Then Sujata, pressed in her womb by her growing son, sought out her husband in private, and, humbly, being destitute and in need of wealth, spoke to him thus.
कथं करिष्याम्यधुना महर्षे मासश्चायं दशमो वर्तते मे। नैवास्ति मे वसु किंचित्प्रदाता येंनाहमेतामापदं निस्तरेयम्
How shall I manage now, O great sage? This is my tenth month, and I have nothing at all—no wealth, no one to give me anything by which I might escape this hardship.
उक्तस्त्वेवं भार्यया वै कहोळो वित्तस्यार्थे जनकमथाभ्यगच्छत्। स वै तदा वादविदा निगृह्य निमज्जितो वन्दिनेहाप्सु विप्रः
Thus addressed by his wife, Kahola, seeking wealth, went to her father; but there, bested in debate by the learned, the Brahmin was seized by bards and plunged into the water.
उद्दालकस्तं तु तदा निशम्य सूतेन वादेऽप्सु निमज्जितं तथा। उवाच तां तत्रततः सुजात- मष्टवक्रे गूहितव्योऽयमर्थः
Hearing from the charioteer that Kahola had been submerged in debate and water, Uddalaka said to Sujata, 'This matter must be kept secret from Ashtavakra.'
ररक्ष सा चापि तमस् मन्त्रं जातोऽप्यसौ नैव शुश्राव विप्रः। उद्दालकं पितरं सोऽभिमेने तथाऽष्टावक्रो भ्रातरं श्वेतकेतुम्
She guarded that secret as a mantra, and though the boy was born, the Brahmin did not hear of it; Ashtavakra regarded Uddalaka as his father, and considered Shvetaketu his brother.
ततो वर्षे द्वादशे श्वेतकेतु- रष्टावक्रं पितुरङ्के निषण्णम्। अपाकर्षद्गृह्यपाणौ रुदन्तं नायं तवाङ्कः पितुरित्युक्तवांश्च
Then, in the twelfth year, Shvetaketu, seeing Ashtavakra seated on his father's lap, pulled him away by the hand, saying, 'This is not your father's lap.'
यत्तेनोकतं दुरुक्तं तत्तदानीं हृदि स्थितं तस्य सुदुःखमासीत्। गृहं गत्वा मातरं सोऽथ विग्रः पप्रच्छेदं क्व नु तातो ममेति
Those harsh words spoken then remained in his heart and caused him great sorrow; returning home, he questioned his mother in distress, 'Where is my father?'
ततः सुजाता परमार्तरूपा शापाद्भीता तत्त्वमस्याचचक्षे। तद्वै तत्त्वंसर्वमाज्ञाय रात्रा- वित्यब्रवीच्छ्वेतकेतुं स विप्रः
Then Sujata, overwhelmed with grief and fearful of a curse, revealed the truth; learning all that had happened, the Brahmin spoke to Shvetaketu at night.
गच्छाव यज्ञं जनकस्य राज्ञो बह्वाश्चर्यः श्रूयते तस्य यज्ञः। श्रोष्यावोऽत्र ब्राह्मणानां विवाद- मन्नं चाग्र्यं तत्रभोक्ष्यावहे च
Let us go to the sacrifice of King Janaka, for his sacrifice is said to be full of wonders; there we shall hear the debates of Brahmins and partake of excellent food.
विचक्षणत्वं च भविष्यते नौ शिवश्च सौम्यश्च हि ब्रह्मघोषः
There, discernment will arise for us, and the auspicious and gentle sound of Brahman will be heard.
तौ जग्मतुर्मातुलभागिनेयौ यज्ञं समृद्धं जमकस्य राज्ञः। अष्टावक्रः पथि राज्ञा समेत्य प्रोत्सार्यमाणो वाक्यमिदं जगाद
The nephew and uncle set out together for the splendid sacrifice of King Janaka; on the way, Ashtavakra, being turned away by the king, spoke these words.
अन्धस्य पन्था बधिरस्य पन्थाः स्त्रियः पन्था भारवाहस्य पन्थाः। राज्ञः पन्था ब्राह्मणेनासमेत्य समेत्य तु ब्राह्मणस्यैव पन्थाः
There is a path for the blind, a path for the deaf, a path for women, and a path for those who bear burdens; the king's path is yielded to a Brahmin, but the Brahmin's path is never to be obstructed.
पन्था अयं तेऽद्य मया निसृष्टो येनेच्छसे तेन कामं व्रजस्व। न पावको विद्यते वै लघीया- निन्द्रोपि नित्यं नमते ब्राह्मणानाम्
Today I yield you this path; go as you wish. There is no fire swifter, and even Indra always bows to Brahmins.
स एवमुक्तो मातुलेनैव सार्धं यथेष्टमार्गो यज्ञनिवेशनं तत्। संप्राप्य धर्मेण निवारितः सन् द्वारि द्वाःस्थं वाक्यमिदं बभाषे
Thus addressed, he, together with his uncle, took the path as he wished to the site of the sacrifice; but, stopped at the entrance by the doorkeeper, he spoke these words.