न मोक्ष्यसे वै वदमानो निमज्जन् जलं प्रपन्नः सरितामिवाधनः। हुताशनस्येव समिद्धतेजसः स्थिरो भवस्वेह ममाद्य वन्दिन्
You will not escape by arguing, just as a poor man who has entered the water cannot avoid sinking; like fire blazing with fuel, remain steadfast before me today, O bard.
व्याघ्रं शयानं प्रति मा प्रबोध आशीविषं सृक्विणी संलिहानम्। पदा हतस्येह शिरोभिहत्य नादष्टो वै मोक्ष्यसे तन्निबोध
Do not awaken a sleeping tiger, nor touch a licking venomous snake; having struck one with your foot or head, you will not escape being bitten—know this.
यो वै दर्पात्संहननोपपन्नः सुदुर्बलः पर्वतमाविहन्ति। तस्यैव पाणिः सनखो विदीर्यते न चैव शैलस्य हि दृश्यते व्रणः
He who, out of pride and with weak strength, attacks a mountain, only wounds his own hand and nails, but no injury is seen on the mountain.
सर्वे राज्ञो मैथिलस्य मैनाकस्येव पर्वताः। निकृष्टभूता राजानो वत्सा ह्यनडुहो यथा
All the kings are inferior to the king of Mithila, just as all mountains are to Mainaka, or as calves are to the cow.
यथा महेन्द्रः प्रवरः सुराणां नदीषु गङ्गा प्रवरा यथैव। तथा नृपाणां प्रवरस्त्वमेको वन्दिं समभ्यानय मत्सकाशम्
As Mahendra is foremost among the gods, and the Ganga among rivers, so you alone are the foremost among kings; bring the bard before me.
एवमष्टावक्रः समितौ हि गर्ज- ञ्जातक्रोधो वन्दिनमाह राजन्। उक्ते वाक्ये चोत्तरं मे ब्रवीहि वाक्यस्य चाप्युत्तरं ते ब्रवीमि
Thus Ashtavakra, angered, thundered in the assembly, saying to the bard: 'Answer my words, and I will answer yours in turn.'
एक एवाग्निर्बहुधा समिध्यते एकः सूर्यः सर्वमिदं विभाति। एकोऽवीरो देवराजोऽरिहन्ता यमः पितृणामीश्वरश्चैक एव
There is only one fire, kindled in many ways; one sun that illumines all this; one Indra, the slayer of foes; and Yama alone is lord of the ancestors.
द्वाविन्द्राग्नी चरतो वै सखायौ द्वौ देवर्षी नारदपर्वतौ च। द्वावश्विनौ द्वे रथस्यापि चक्रे भार्यापती द्वौ विहितौ विधात्रा
Indra and Agni are two, moving together as friends; two are the divine sages, Narada and Parvata; two are the Ashvins; two are the wheels of a chariot; and two, ordained by the Creator, are husband and wife.
त्रिः सूयते कर्मणा वै प्रजेयं त्रयो युक्ता वाजपेयं वहन्ति। अध्वर्यवस्त्रिसवनानि तन्वते त्रयो लोकास्त्रीणि ज्योतींषि चाहुः
By action, offspring is produced threefold; three yoked horses draw the Vājapeya; three Adhvaryus perform the three Soma sacrifices; three worlds and three lights are spoken of.
चतुष्टयं ब्राह्मणानां निकेतं चत्वारो वर्णा यज्ञमिमं वहन्ति। दिशश्चतस्रो वर्णचतुष्टयं च चतुष्पदा गौरपि शश्वदुक्ता
Four are the abodes of Brahmins; four castes bear this sacrifice; four directions and four castes are spoken of; the cow is always said to have four feet.
पञ्चाग्नयः पञ्चपदा च पङ्क्ति- र्यज्ञाः पञ्चैवाप्यथ पञ्चेनद्रियाणि। दृष्ट्वा वेदे पञ्चचूडाप्सराश्च लोके ख्यातं पञ्चनदं च पुण्यम्
The five fires, the five-footed metre, the Paṅkti, the five sacrifices, and the five senses—having seen in the Veda the five-tressed Apsarases, the renowned and holy land of five rivers in the world,
षडाधाने दक्षिणामाहुरेके षट् चैवेमे ऋतवः कालचक्रम्। षडिन्द्रियाण्युत षट् कृत्तिकाश्च षट् साद्यस्काः सर्ववेदेषु दृष्टाः
Some declare six acts of giving as prescribed; these six are also the seasons, the wheel of time; six senses as well, and the six Kṛttikās, and six Sādyaskas are seen in all the Vedas.
सप्त ग्राम्याः पशवः सप्त वन्याः सप्त च्छन्दांसि क्रतुमेकं वहन्ति। सप्तर्षयः सप्त चाप्यर्हणानि सप्तन्त्री प्रथिता चैव वीणा
Seven domestic animals, seven wild ones, seven metres carry a single sacrifice; seven seers, and seven offerings, and the seven-stringed vīṇā is also renowned.
अष्टौ शाणाः शतमानं वहन्ति तथाष्टपादः शरभः सिंहघाती। अष्टौ वसूञ्शुश्रुम देवतासु यूपश्चाष्टास्रिर्विहितः सर्वयज्ञे
Eight threads bear a hundred measures; likewise, the eight-footed śarabha, the lion-slayer; I have heard of eight Vasus among the gods, and the sacrificial post with eight corners is prescribed in every sacrifice.
नवैवोक्ताः सामिधेन्यः पितॄणां तथा प्राहुर्नवयोगं विसर्गम्। नवाक्षरा बृहती संप्रदिष्टा नवैव योगो गणनामेति शश्वत्
Nine are declared as the kindling sticks for the ancestors; likewise, they speak of the ninefold conjunction in the offering; the Bṛhatī metre is taught as having nine syllables, and nine is ever said to be the number for reckoning.
दिशो दशोक्ताः पुरुषस्य लोके सहस्रमाहुर्दशपूर्णं शतानि। दशैव मासान्बिभ्रति भर्गवत्यो दशैरका दशदाशा दशार्हाः
Ten directions are spoken of in the world of men; a thousand is said to be ten times a hundred; the Bhārgava women bear ten months, and there are ten fingers, ten gifts, and ten worthy ones.
एकादशैकादशिनः पशूना- मेकादशैवात्र भवन्ति यूपाः। एकादश प्राणभृतां विकारा एकादशोक्ता दिवि देवेषु रुद्राः
Eleven are the animals called Ekādaśins; here, too, eleven sacrificial posts exist; eleven are the modifications of living beings, and eleven Rudras are spoken of among the gods in heaven.
संवत्सरं द्वादशमासमाहु- र्जगत्याः पादो द्वादशैवाक्षराणि। द्वादशाहः प्राकृतो यज्ञ उक्तो द्वादशादित्यान्कथयन्तीह घीराः
A year is said to have twelve months; the Jagatī metre has twelve syllables; the natural sacrifice is said to last twelve days, and the hymns here speak of the twelve Ādityas.
एतावदुक्त्वा विरराम वन्दी श्लोकस्यार्धं व्याजहाराष्टवक्रः
Having spoken thus far, the bard paused; Aṣṭāvakra recited half a verse.
ततो महानुदतिष्ठन्निनाद- स्तूष्णींभूतं सूतपुत्रं निशम्य। अधोमुखं ध्यानपरं तदानी- मष्टावक्रं चाप्युदीर्यन्तमेव
Then, as the great sound arose, hearing the charioteer's son fall silent, his head bowed and absorbed in meditation, Aṣṭāvakra began to speak.
तस्मिंस्तथा संकुले वर्तमाने स्फीते यज्ञे जनकस्योत राज्ञः। अष्टावक्रं पूजयन्तोऽभ्युपेयु- र्विप्राः सर्वे प्राञ्जलयः प्रतीताः
While this tumult prevailed at the prosperous sacrifice of King Janaka, all the delighted Brahmins, with joined palms, approached Aṣṭāvakra to honor him.
अनेनैव ब्राह्मणाः शुश्रुवांसो वादे जित्वा सलिले मज्जिताः प्राक्। तानेव धर्मानयमद्य वन्दी प्राप्नोतु गृह्याशु निमज्जयैनम्
By this very means, Brahmins who listened, having won debates, were formerly immersed in water; these same principles today the bard should attain—quickly immerse him as is customary.
अहं पुत्रो वरुणस्योत राज्ञ- स्तत्रास सत्रं द्वादशवार्षिकं वै। सत्रेण ते जनक तुल्यकालं तदर्थं ते प्रहिता मे द्विजाग्र्याः
I am the son of Varuṇa, O king; there was a twelve-year sacrifice there. At the same time as your sacrifice, Janaka, my foremost Brahmins were sent for that purpose.
ते तु सर्वे वरुणस्योत यज्ञं द्रष्टुं गता इम आयान्ति भूयः। अष्टावक्रं पूजये पूजनीयं यस्य हेतोर्जनितारं समेष्ये
All of them went to see Varuṇa's sacrifice and now return again; I honor Aṣṭāvakra, who is worthy of honor, for whose sake I will meet his father.
विप्राः समुद्राम्भसि मज्जिता ये वाचा जिता मेधया वा विदानाः। तां मेधया वाचमथोज्जहार यथा वाचमवचिन्वन्ति सन्तः
The Brahmins who were immersed in the ocean's water, conquered by speech or by wisdom—he raised that speech again by wisdom, just as the wise gather speech.
अग्निर्दहञ्जातवेदाः सतां, गृहान् विसर्जयंस्तेजसा न स्म धाक्षीत्। बालेषु पुत्रेषु कृपणं वदत्सु तथा वाचमवचिन्वन्ति सन्तः
Fire, burning, Jātavedas, does not consume the houses of the good with its energy; so too, when children or the sorrowful speak, the wise gather speech in that way.
श्लेष्मातकी क्षीणवर्चाः शृणोषि उताहो त्वां स्तुतयो मादयन्ति। हस्तीव त्वं स्तुतयो मादयन्ति। न मामिकां वाचमिमां शृणोषि
Are you exhausted, like a Śleṣmātakī tree with withered leaves, or do praises delight you? Like an elephant, do praises delight you? You do not listen to this speech of mine.
शृणोमि वाचं तव दिव्यरूपा- ममानुषीं दिव्यरूपोऽसि साक्षात्। अजैषीर्यद्वन्द्विनं त्वं विवादे निसृष्ट एष तव कामोऽद्य वन्दी
I hear your speech, divine in form, not human; you are visibly divine. You have conquered your opponent in debate; today, bard, your desire is granted.
नानन जीवता कश्चिदर्थो मे वन्दिना नृप। पिता यद्यस्य वरुणो मज्जयैनं जलाशये
No purpose is served for me by the bard while he is alive, O king; if his father is Varuna, then submerge him in the waters.
अहं पुत्रो वरुणस्योत राज्ञो न मे भयं विद्यते मज्जितस्य। इमं मुहूर्तं पितरं द्रक्ष्यतेऽय- मष्टावक्रश्चिरनष्टं कहोळम्
I am the son of Varuna and also of the king; I have no fear even if submerged. In this moment, Ashtavakra will see his father Kahola, long lost.