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.
ततस्ते पूजिता विप्रा वरुणेन महात्मना। उदतिष्ठंस्ततः सर्वे जनकस्य समीपतः
Then those revered Brahmins, honored by the great-souled Varuna, all rose and went to the presence of Janaka.
इत्यर्थमिच्छन्ति सुताञ्जना जननकर्मणा। यदहं नाशकं कर्तुं तत्पुत्रः कृतवान्मम
Thus people desire sons for the sake of performing the duties of parenthood; what I could not accomplish, my son has done for me.
उताबलस्य क्लवानुत बालस्य पण्डितः। उत वाऽविदुषो विद्वान्पुत्रो जनक जायते
Sometimes a coward is born to a brave man, sometimes a wise son to a child, or a learned son to an ignorant father, O Janaka.
शितेन ते परशुना स्वयमेवान्तको नृप। शिरांस्यपाहरन्नाजौ रिपूणां भद्रमस्तु ते
With your sharp axe, O king, you yourself struck off the heads of your enemies in battle; may good fortune be yours.
महदैक्थ्यं गीयते साम चाग्र्यं सम्यक्सोमः पीयते चात्र सत्रे। शुचीन्भागान्प्रतिजगृहुश्च हृष्टाः साक्षाद्देवा जनकस्येह राज्ञः
Great unity is sung here, and the foremost Sama hymns; the Soma is properly consumed in this sacrifice, and the delighted gods themselves received pure shares from King Janaka.
समुत्थितेष्वथ सर्वेषु राजन् विप्रेषु तेष्वधिकं सुप्रभेषु। अनुज्ञातो जनकेनाथ राज्ञा विवेश तोयं सागरस्योत वन्दी
When all the Brahmins had arisen, O king, radiant and splendid, and were permitted by Janaka, then the bard entered the waters of the ocean.
अष्टावक्रः पितरं पूजयित्वा संपूजितो ब्राह्मणैस्तैर्यथावत्। प्रत्याजगामाश्रममेव चाग्र्यं जित्वा वन्दिं सहितो मातुलेन
Ashtavakra, having honored his father and been duly honored by those Brahmins, returned to the foremost hermitage, having defeated the bard and accompanied by his uncle.
ततोऽष्टावक्रं मातुरथान्तिके पिता नदीं समङ्गां शीघ्रमिमां विशस्व। प्रोवाच चैनं स तथा विवेश समैरङ्गैश्चापि बभूव पुण्या
Then Ashtavakra's father, near his mother, said to him: 'Quickly enter this river Samaṅgā.' He spoke thus, and Ashtavakra entered, and his limbs became whole and auspicious.
नदी समङ्गा च बभूव पुण्या यस्यां स्नातो मुच्यते किल्बिषाद्धि। त्वमप्येनां स्नानपानावगाहैः सभ्रातृकः सहभार्यो विशश्व
The river Samaṅgā became auspicious; one who bathes in it is freed from sin. You too, with your brothers and wife, should enter it for bathing and drinking.
अत्र कौन्तेय सहितो भ्रातृभिस्त्वं सुखोषितः सह विप्रैः प्रतीतः। पुण्यान्यन्यानि शुचिकर्मैकभक्ति- र्मया सार्धं चरितास्याजमीढ
Here, O son of Kunti, together with your brothers, you have dwelt happily with the Brahmins, well pleased. Other auspicious deeds, pure and devoted, have been performed here with me, O Ajamīḍha.
एषा मधुविला नाम समङ्गा संप्रकाशते। एतत्कर्दमिलं नाम भरतस्याभिषेचनम्
This river is called Madhuvilā, and Samaṅgā shines forth; this is Kardamila, the consecration place of Bharata.
अलक्ष्म्या किल संयुक्तो वृत्रं हत्वा शचीपतिः। आप्लुतः सर्वपापेभ्यः समङ्गायां व्यमुच्यत
Having been afflicted by misfortune, Indra, after slaying Vṛtra, bathed in Samaṅgā and was freed from all sins.
एतद्विनशनं कुक्षौ मैनाकस्य नरर्षभ। अदितिर्यत्रपुत्रार्थं तदन्नमपचत्पुरा
This is the place of destruction in the womb of Mainaka, O best of men; here Aditi once cooked food for the sake of her son.
एनं पर्वतराजानमारुह्य भरतर्षभाः। अयशस्यामसंशब्द्यामलक्ष्मीं व्यपनोत्स्यथ
Ascending this king of mountains, O Bharata's descendant, you will dispel ill fame and misfortune that cannot be spoken.
एते कनखला राजन्नृषीणां दयिता नगाः। एषा प्रकाशते गङ्गा युधिष्ठिर यशस्विनी
These Kanakhala mountains, O king, are beloved by the sages; here the renowned Ganga shines forth, O Yudhishthira.
सनत्कुमारो भगवानत्र सिद्धिमगात्पुरा। आजमीढावगाह्यैनां सर्वपापैः प्रमोक्ष्यसे
Here, the venerable Sanatkumara once attained perfection; by bathing in this river, O Ajamīḍha, you will be freed from all sins.
अपां ह्रदं च पुण्याख्यं भृगुतुन्दं च पर्वतम्। तूष्णीं गङ्गां च कौन्तेय सानुजः समुपस्पृश
O son of Kunti, together with your brothers, you silently touched the sacred pond, the mountain called Bhṛgutunda, and the Ganges.
आश्रमः स्थूलशिरसो रमणीयः प्रकाशते। अत्र मानं च कौन्तेय क्रोधं चैव विवर्जय
Here shines the beautiful hermitage of Sthūlaśiras; O son of Kunti, in this place, abandon pride and anger.
एष रैभ्याश्रमः श्रीमान्पाण्डवेय प्रकाशते। भारद्वाजो यत्रकविर्यवक्रीतो व्यनश्यत
Here appears the splendid hermitage of Raibhya, O son of Pandu, where the sage Bhāradvāja, deceived by Yavakrīta, perished.
कथं युक्तोऽभवदृषिर्भरद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। किमर्थं च यवक्रीतः पुत्रोऽनश्यत वै मुनेः
How did the powerful sage Bhāradvāja become so afflicted, and for what reason did Yavakrīta, his son, perish, O sage?