लोमश उवाच ।
३.१३२.१
यः कथ्यते मन्त्रविदग्र्यबुद्धि
रौद्दालकिः श्वेतकेतुः पृथिव्याम् ।
तस्याश्रमं पश्य नरेन्द्र पुण्यं
सदाफलैरुपपन्नं महीजैः ॥
रौद्दालकिः श्वेतकेतुः पृथिव्याम् ।
तस्याश्रमं पश्य नरेन्द्र पुण्यं
सदाफलैरुपपन्नं महीजैः ॥
M N Dutt
Lomasha said: O ruler of men, behold the sacred hermitage of Shvatakatu, the son of Uddalka, whose fame as an expert in Mantras is so widely spread all over the world. It always abounds in fruit trees.
३.१३२.२
साक्षादत्र श्वेतकेतुर्ददर्श
सरस्वतीं मानुषदेहरूपाम् ।
वेत्स्यामि वाणीमिति संप्रवृत्तां
सरस्वतीं श्वेतकेतुर्बभाषे ॥
सरस्वतीं मानुषदेहरूपाम् ।
वेत्स्यामि वाणीमिति संप्रवृत्तां
सरस्वतीं श्वेतकेतुर्बभाषे ॥
M N Dutt
Here did Shvatakatu see Sarasvati herself in her heavenly form. Shvatakatu said to Sarasvati when she appeared, “Make me endued with the gift of speech.”
३.१३२.४
विदेहराजस्य महीपतेस्तौ
विप्रावुभौ मातुलभागिनेयौ ।
प्रविश्य यज्ञायतनं विवादे
बन्दिं निजग्राहतुरप्रमेयम् ॥
विप्रावुभौ मातुलभागिनेयौ ।
प्रविश्य यज्ञायतनं विवादे
बन्दिं निजग्राहतुरप्रमेयम् ॥
M N Dutt
These two Brahmanas of matchless energy went to the sacrificial ground of the king of Videha and defeated Bandi (in a controversy).
युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।
३.१३२.५
कथंप्रभावः स बभूव विप्र
स्तथायुक्तं यो निजग्राह बन्दिम् ।
अष्टावक्रः केन चासौ बभूव
तत्सर्वं मे लोमश शंस तत्त्वम् ॥
स्तथायुक्तं यो निजग्राह बन्दिम् ।
अष्टावक्रः केन चासौ बभूव
तत्सर्वं मे लोमश शंस तत्त्वम् ॥
M N Dutt
Yudhishthira said : O Lomasha, tell me all about the power of this Brahmana who had thus defeated Bandi. Why was he born as Ashtavakra (crooked in cight parts of his body)?
लोमश उवाच ।
३.१३२.६
उद्दालकस्य नियतः शिष्य एको
नाम्ना कहोडेति बभूव राजन् ।
शुश्रूषुराचार्यवशानुवर्ती
दीर्घं कालं सोऽध्ययनं चकार ॥
नाम्ना कहोडेति बभूव राजन् ।
शुश्रूषुराचार्यवशानुवर्ती
दीर्घं कालं सोऽध्ययनं चकार ॥
M N Dutt
Lomasha said : Udhalaka had a self-controlled disciple who was known by the name of Kohada. He was entirely devoted to the service of his preceptor and he continued his studies for a long time.
३.१३२.७
तं वै विप्राः पर्यभवंश्च शिष्या
स्तं च ज्ञात्वा विप्रकारं गुरुः सः ।
तस्मै प्रादात्सद्य एव श्रुतं च
भार्यां च वै दुहितरं स्वां सुजाताम् ॥
स्तं च ज्ञात्वा विप्रकारं गुरुः सः ।
तस्मै प्रादात्सद्य एव श्रुतं च
भार्यां च वै दुहितरं स्वां सुजाताम् ॥
M N Dutt
That Brahmana served his preceptor for a long time. Recognising it his preceptor gave him a mastery over the Shastras and also bestowed upon him his own daughter Sujata.
३.१३२.८
तस्या गर्भः समभवदग्निकल्पः; सोऽधीयानं पितरमथाभ्युवाच । सर्वां रात्रिमध्ययनं करोषि; नेदं पितः सम्यगिवोपवर्तते ॥
M N Dutt
She became with child as cffulgent as fire and the child while engaged in study spoke thus to his father, “O father, you have been reading for the whole night, but your reading does not seem to me correct.
३.१३२.९
उपालब्धः शिष्यमध्ये महर्षिः
स तं कोपादुदरस्थं शशाप ।
यस्मात्कुक्षौ वर्तमानो ब्रवीषि
तस्माद्वक्रो भवितास्यष्टकृत्वः ॥
स तं कोपादुदरस्थं शशाप ।
यस्मात्कुक्षौ वर्तमानो ब्रवीषि
तस्माद्वक्रो भवितास्यष्टकृत्वः ॥
M N Dutt
Through your grace I have become even in my this fatal state learned in all the Shastras and in the Vedas and in the Vedangas. But O father, I tell you what proceeds from your lips is not correct."
३.१३२.१०
स वै तथा वक्र एवाभ्यजाय
दष्टावक्रः प्रथितो वै महर्षिः ।
तस्यासीद्वै मातुलः श्वेतकेतुः
स तेन तुल्यो वयसा बभूव ॥
दष्टावक्रः प्रथितो वै महर्षिः ।
तस्यासीद्वै मातुलः श्वेतकेतुः
स तेन तुल्यो वयसा बभूव ॥
M N Dutt
Having been thus insulted before his disciples, the great Rishi cursed in anger the child in the womb. “As you speak from the womb, so will you be crooked in eight parts of your body." Thus the child was born crooked and the great Rishi was ever afterwards known by the name of Ashtavakra. He had an uncle, named Shvatakatu who was of the same age as himself.
३.१३२.११
संपीड्यमाना तु तदा सुजाता
विवर्धमानेन सुतेन कुक्षौ ।
उवाच भर्तारमिदं रहोगता
प्रसाद्य हीनं वसुना धनार्थिनी ॥
विवर्धमानेन सुतेन कुक्षौ ।
उवाच भर्तारमिदं रहोगता
प्रसाद्य हीनं वसुना धनार्थिनी ॥
M N Dutt
Having been much oppressed for the growth of the child in the womb, Sujata, who was desirous of obtaining wealth, conciliating her husband who had no wealth, spoke to him thus in private.
३.१३२.१२
कथं करिष्याम्यधना महर्षे
मासश्चायं दशमो वर्तते मे ।
न चास्ति ते वसु किंचित्प्रजाता
येनाहमेतामापदं निस्तरेयम् ॥
मासश्चायं दशमो वर्तते मे ।
न चास्ति ते वसु किंचित्प्रजाता
येनाहमेतामापदं निस्तरेयम् ॥
M N Dutt
"O great king, what shall I do now, as the tenth month of my pregnancy has come! Neither you nor I possess any wealth with which we can be delivered from this distress."
३.१३२.१३
उक्तस्त्वेवं भार्यया वै कहोडो
वित्तस्यार्थे जनकमथाभ्यगच्छत् ।
स वै तदा वादविदा निगृह्य
निमज्जितो बन्दिनेहाप्सु विप्रः ॥
वित्तस्यार्थे जनकमथाभ्यगच्छत् ।
स वै तदा वादविदा निगृह्य
निमज्जितो बन्दिनेहाप्सु विप्रः ॥
M N Dutt
Having been thus addressed by his wife, Kohada went to Janaka for wealth. That Brahmana was defeated (in a controversy) by Bandi who was learned in the science of arguments. The result was that he was drowned.
३.१३२.१४
उद्दालकस्तं तु तदा निशम्य
सूतेन वादेऽप्सु तथा निमज्जितम् ।
उवाच तां तत्र ततः सुजाता
मष्टावक्रे गूहितव्योऽयमर्थः ॥
सूतेन वादेऽप्सु तथा निमज्जितम् ।
उवाच तां तत्र ततः सुजाता
मष्टावक्रे गूहितव्योऽयमर्थः ॥
M N Dutt
Having heard that his sin-in-law had been defeated by Bandi and that he had been drowned, Udhalaka thus spoke to Sujata, “You must keep it a secret from Ashtavakra.”
३.१३२.१५
ररक्ष सा चाप्यति तं सुमन्त्रं
जातोऽप्येवं न स शुश्राव विप्रः ।
उद्दालकं पितृवच्चापि मेने
अष्टावक्रो भ्रातृवच्छ्वेतकेतुम् ॥
जातोऽप्येवं न स शुश्राव विप्रः ।
उद्दालकं पितृवच्चापि मेने
अष्टावक्रो भ्रातृवच्छ्वेतकेतुम् ॥
M N Dutt
She (accordingly) kept it a secret (from Ashtavakra). Thus that Brahmana heard nothing of it when he was born. He regarded Udhalaka as his father and Shvataketu as his brother.
३.१३२.१६
ततो वर्षे द्वादशे श्वेतकेतु;रष्टावक्रं पितुरङ्के निषण्णम् । अपाकर्षद्गृह्य पाणौ रुदन्तं; नायं तवाङ्कः पितुरित्युक्तवांश्च ॥
M N Dutt
When Ashtavakra was in his twelfth year, Shvataketu one day saw him on his father's lap. He dragged Ashtavakra by catching hold of his hand and when he (Ashtavakra) began to cry, he said, “This is not your father's lap.”
३.१३२.१७
यत्तेनोक्तं दुरुक्तं तत्तदानीं
हृदि स्थितं तस्य सुदुःखमासीत् ।
गृहं गत्वा मातरं रोदमानः
पप्रच्छेदं क्व नु तातो ममेति ॥
हृदि स्थितं तस्य सुदुःखमासीत् ।
गृहं गत्वा मातरं रोदमानः
पप्रच्छेदं क्व नु तातो ममेति ॥
M N Dutt
These cruel word went to his heart and he became greatly aggrieved. Going home and coming to his mother, he asked “Where is my father?"
३.१३२.१८
ततः सुजाता परमार्तरूपा
शापाद्भीता सर्वमेवाचचक्षे ।
तद्वै तत्त्वं सर्वमाज्ञाय मातु
रित्यब्रवीच्छ्वेतकेतुं स विप्रः ॥
शापाद्भीता सर्वमेवाचचक्षे ।
तद्वै तत्त्वं सर्वमाज्ञाय मातु
रित्यब्रवीच्छ्वेतकेतुं स विप्रः ॥
M N Dutt
Thereupon Sujata greatly afflicted and afraid of his curse told him all that had happened. Having heard all, that Brahmana (Ashtavakra) spoke in the night thus to Shvataketu.
३.१३२.२०
तौ जग्मतुर्मातुलभागिनेयौ
यज्ञं समृद्धं जनकस्य राज्ञः ।
अष्टावक्रः पथि राज्ञा समेत्य
उत्सार्यमाणो वाक्यमिदं जगाद ॥
यज्ञं समृद्धं जनकस्य राज्ञः ।
अष्टावक्रः पथि राज्ञा समेत्य
उत्सार्यमाणो वाक्यमिदं जगाद ॥
M N Dutt
Thereupon the uncle and the nephew went to the splendid sacrifice of the king Janaka. Having been driven away from the path, Ashtavakra on meeting the king thus spoke to him.
॥ इति ३.१३२ ॥
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