महाभारत 3.133.3-15

देवनागरी

अष्टावक्र उवाच
यज्ञं द्रष्टुं प्राप्तवन्तौ स्व तात; कौतूहलं नौ बलवद् वै विवृद्धम् ॥
आवां प्राप्ताव् अतिथी संप्रवेशं; काङ्क्षावहे द्वारपते तवाज्ञाम् ॥
ऐन्द्रद्युम्नेर् यज्ञदृशाव् इहावां; विवक्षू वै जनकेन्द्रं दिदृक्षू ॥
न वै क्रोधाद् व्याधिनैवोत्तमेन; संयोजय द्वारपाल क्षणेन ॥
द्वारपाल उवाच
बन्देः समादेशकरा वयं स्म; निबोध वाक्यं च मयेर्यमाणम् ॥
न वै बालाः प्रविशन्त्य् अत्र विप्रा; वृद्धा विद्वांसः प्रविशन्ति द्विजाग्र्याः ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
यद्य् अत्र वृद्धेषु कृतः प्रवेशो; युक्तं मम द्वारपाल प्रवेष्टुम् ॥
वयं हि वृद्धाश् चरितव्रताश् च; वेदप्रभावेन प्रवेशनार्हाः ॥
शुश्रूषवश् चापि जितेन्द्रियाश् च; ज्ञानागमे चापि गताः स्म निष्ठाम् ॥
न बाल इत्य् अवमन्तव्यम् आहुर्; बालो ऽप्य् अग्निर् दहति स्पृश्यमानः ॥
द्वारपाल उवाच
सरस्वतीम् ईरय वेदजुष्टाम्; एकाक्षरां बहुरूपां विराजम् ॥
अङ्गात्मानं समवेक्षस्व बालं; किं श्लाघसे दुर्लभा वादसिद्धिः ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
न ज्ञायते कायवृद्ध्या विवृद्धिर्; यथाष्ठीला शाल्मलेः संप्रवृद्धा ॥
ह्रस्वो ऽल्पकायः फलितो विवृद्धो; यश् चाफलस् तस्य न वृद्धभावः ॥
द्वारपाल उवाच
वृद्धेभ्य एवेह मतिं स्म बाला; गृह्णन्ति कालेन भवन्ति वृद्धाः ॥
न हि ज्ञानम् अल्पकालेन शक्यं; कस्माद् बालो वृद्ध इवावभाषसे ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
न तेन स्थविरो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः ॥
बालो ऽपि यः प्रजानाति तं देवाः स्थविरं विदुः ॥
न हायनैर् न पलितैर् न वित्तेन न बन्धुभिः ॥
ऋषयश् चक्रिरे धर्मं यो ऽनूचानः स नो महान् ॥
दिदृक्षुर् अस्मि संप्राप्तो बन्दिनं राजसंसदि ॥
निवेदयस्व मां द्वाःस्थ राज्ञे पुष्करमालिने ॥
द्रष्टास्य् अद्य वदतो द्वारपाल; मनीषिभिः सह वादे विवृद्धे ॥
उताहो वाप्य् उच्चतां नीचतां वा; तूष्णीं भूतेष्व् अथ सर्वेषु चाद्य ॥
द्वारपाल उवाच
कथं यज्ञं दशवर्षो विशेस् त्वं; विनीतानां विदुषां संप्रवेश्यम् ॥
उपायतः प्रयतिष्ये तवाहं; प्रवेशने कुरु यत्नं यथावत् ॥

लिप्यंतरण (IAST)

aṣṭāvakra uvāca
yajñaṃ draṣṭuṃ prāptavantau sva tāta; kautūhalaṃ nau balavad vai vivṛddham ||
āvāṃ prāptāv atithī saṃpraveśaṃ; kāṅkṣāvahe dvārapate tavājñām ||
aindradyumner yajñadṛśāv ihāvāṃ; vivakṣū vai janakendraṃ didṛkṣū ||
na vai krodhād vyādhinaivottamena; saṃyojaya dvārapāla kṣaṇena ||
dvārapāla uvāca
bandeḥ samādeśakarā vayaṃ sma; nibodha vākyaṃ ca mayeryamāṇam ||
na vai bālāḥ praviśanty atra viprā; vṛddhā vidvāṃsaḥ praviśanti dvijāgryāḥ ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
yady atra vṛddheṣu kṛtaḥ praveśo; yuktaṃ mama dvārapāla praveṣṭum ||
vayaṃ hi vṛddhāś caritavratāś ca; vedaprabhāvena praveśanārhāḥ ||
śuśrūṣavaś cāpi jitendriyāś ca; jñānāgame cāpi gatāḥ sma niṣṭhām ||
na bāla ity avamantavyam āhur; bālo 'py agnir dahati spṛśyamānaḥ ||
dvārapāla uvāca
sarasvatīm īraya vedajuṣṭām; ekākṣarāṃ bahurūpāṃ virājam ||
aṅgātmānaṃ samavekṣasva bālaṃ; kiṃ ślāghase durlabhā vādasiddhiḥ ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
na jñāyate kāyavṛddhyā vivṛddhir; yathāṣṭhīlā śālmaleḥ saṃpravṛddhā ||
hrasvo 'lpakāyaḥ phalito vivṛddho; yaś cāphalas tasya na vṛddhabhāvaḥ ||
dvārapāla uvāca
vṛddhebhya eveha matiṃ sma bālā; gṛhṇanti kālena bhavanti vṛddhāḥ ||
na hi jñānam alpakālena śakyaṃ; kasmād bālo vṛddha ivāvabhāṣase ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
na tena sthaviro bhavati yenāsya palitaṃ śiraḥ ||
bālo 'pi yaḥ prajānāti taṃ devāḥ sthaviraṃ viduḥ ||
na hāyanair na palitair na vittena na bandhubhiḥ ||
ṛṣayaś cakrire dharmaṃ yo 'nūcānaḥ sa no mahān ||
didṛkṣur asmi saṃprāpto bandinaṃ rājasaṃsadi ||
nivedayasva māṃ dvāḥstha rājñe puṣkaramāline ||
draṣṭāsy adya vadato dvārapāla; manīṣibhiḥ saha vāde vivṛddhe ||
utāho vāpy uccatāṃ nīcatāṃ vā; tūṣṇīṃ bhūteṣv atha sarveṣu cādya ||
dvārapāla uvāca
kathaṃ yajñaṃ daśavarṣo viśes tvaṃ; vinītānāṃ viduṣāṃ saṃpraveśyam ||
upāyataḥ prayatiṣye tavāhaṃ; praveśane kuru yatnaṃ yathāvat ||

शब्दशः अर्थ

संस्कृतIASTअर्थ

अष्टावक्र उवाच यज्ञं द्रष्टुं प्राप्तवन्तौ स्व तात; कौतूहलं नौ बलवद् वै विवृद्धम् ॥ आवां प्राप्ताव् अतिथी संप्रवेशं; काङ्क्षावहे द्वारपते तवाज्ञाम् ॥ ऐन्द्रद्युम्नेर् यज्ञदृशाव् इहावां; विवक्षू वै जनकेन्द्रं दिदृक्षू ॥ न वै क्रोधाद् व्याधिनैवोत्तमेन; संयोजय द्वारपाल क्षणेन ॥ द्वारपाल उवाच बन्देः समादेशकरा वयं स्म; निबोध वाक्यं च मयेर्यमाणम् ॥ न वै बालाः प्रविशन्त्य् अत्र विप्रा; वृद्धा विद्वांसः प्रविशन्ति द्विजाग्र्याः ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच यद्य् अत्र वृद्धेषु कृतः प्रवेशो; युक्तं मम द्वारपाल प्रवेष्टुम् ॥ वयं हि वृद्धाश् चरितव्रताश् च; वेदप्रभावेन प्रवेशनार्हाः ॥ शुश्रूषवश् चापि जितेन्द्रियाश् च; ज्ञानागमे चापि गताः स्म निष्ठाम् ॥ न बाल इत्य् अवमन्तव्यम् आहुर्; बालो ऽप्य् अग्निर् दहति स्पृश्यमानः ॥ द्वारपाल उवाच सरस्वतीम् ईरय वेदजुष्टाम्; एकाक्षरां बहुरूपां विराजम् ॥ अङ्गात्मानं समवेक्षस्व बालं; किं श्लाघसे दुर्लभा वादसिद्धिः ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच न ज्ञायते कायवृद्ध्या विवृद्धिर्; यथाष्ठीला शाल्मलेः संप्रवृद्धा ॥ ह्रस्वो ऽल्पकायः फलितो विवृद्धो; यश् चाफलस् तस्य न वृद्धभावः ॥ द्वारपाल उवाच वृद्धेभ्य एवेह मतिं स्म बाला; गृह्णन्ति कालेन भवन्ति वृद्धाः ॥ न हि ज्ञानम् अल्पकालेन शक्यं; कस्माद् बालो वृद्ध इवावभाषसे ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच न तेन स्थविरो भवति येनास्य पलितं शिरः ॥ बालो ऽपि यः प्रजानाति तं देवाः स्थविरं विदुः ॥ न हायनैर् न पलितैर् न वित्तेन न बन्धुभिः ॥ ऋषयश् चक्रिरे धर्मं यो ऽनूचानः स नो महान् ॥ दिदृक्षुर् अस्मि संप्राप्तो बन्दिनं राजसंसदि ॥ निवेदयस्व मां द्वाःस्थ राज्ञे पुष्करमालिने ॥ द्रष्टास्य् अद्य वदतो द्वारपाल; मनीषिभिः सह वादे विवृद्धे ॥ उताहो वाप्य् उच्चतां नीचतां वा; तूष्णीं भूतेष्व् अथ सर्वेषु चाद्य ॥ द्वारपाल उवाच कथं यज्ञं दशवर्षो विशेस् त्वं; विनीतानां विदुषां संप्रवेश्यम् ॥ उपायतः प्रयतिष्ये तवाहं; प्रवेशने कुरु यत्नं यथावत् ॥aṣṭāvakra uvāca yajñaṃ draṣṭuṃ prāptavantau sva tāta; kautūhalaṃ nau balavad vai vivṛddham || āvāṃ prāptāv atithī saṃpraveśaṃ; kāṅkṣāvahe dvārapate tavājñām || aindradyumner yajñadṛśāv ihāvāṃ; vivakṣū vai janakendraṃ didṛkṣū || na vai krodhād vyādhinaivottamena; saṃyojaya dvārapāla kṣaṇena || dvārapāla uvāca bandeḥ samādeśakarā vayaṃ sma; nibodha vākyaṃ ca mayeryamāṇam || na vai bālāḥ praviśanty atra viprā; vṛddhā vidvāṃsaḥ praviśanti dvijāgryāḥ || aṣṭāvakra uvāca yady atra vṛddheṣu kṛtaḥ praveśo; yuktaṃ mama dvārapāla praveṣṭum || vayaṃ hi vṛddhāś caritavratāś ca; vedaprabhāvena praveśanārhāḥ || śuśrūṣavaś cāpi jitendriyāś ca; jñānāgame cāpi gatāḥ sma niṣṭhām || na bāla ity avamantavyam āhur; bālo 'py agnir dahati spṛśyamānaḥ || dvārapāla uvāca sarasvatīm īraya vedajuṣṭām; ekākṣarāṃ bahurūpāṃ virājam || aṅgātmānaṃ samavekṣasva bālaṃ; kiṃ ślāghase durlabhā vādasiddhiḥ || aṣṭāvakra uvāca na jñāyate kāyavṛddhyā vivṛddhir; yathāṣṭhīlā śālmaleḥ saṃpravṛddhā || hrasvo 'lpakāyaḥ phalito vivṛddho; yaś cāphalas tasya na vṛddhabhāvaḥ || dvārapāla uvāca vṛddhebhya eveha matiṃ sma bālā; gṛhṇanti kālena bhavanti vṛddhāḥ || na hi jñānam alpakālena śakyaṃ; kasmād bālo vṛddha ivāvabhāṣase || aṣṭāvakra uvāca na tena sthaviro bhavati yenāsya palitaṃ śiraḥ || bālo 'pi yaḥ prajānāti taṃ devāḥ sthaviraṃ viduḥ || na hāyanair na palitair na vittena na bandhubhiḥ || ṛṣayaś cakrire dharmaṃ yo 'nūcānaḥ sa no mahān || didṛkṣur asmi saṃprāpto bandinaṃ rājasaṃsadi || nivedayasva māṃ dvāḥstha rājñe puṣkaramāline || draṣṭāsy adya vadato dvārapāla; manīṣibhiḥ saha vāde vivṛddhe || utāho vāpy uccatāṃ nīcatāṃ vā; tūṣṇīṃ bhūteṣv atha sarveṣu cādya || dvārapāla uvāca kathaṃ yajñaṃ daśavarṣo viśes tvaṃ; vinītānāṃ viduṣāṃ saṃpraveśyam || upāyataḥ prayatiṣye tavāhaṃ; praveśane kuru yatnaṃ yathāvat ||Ashtavakra tells the gatekeeper that they have come to see the sacrifice, their curiosity has grown strong; they have come as guests and wish to enter, asking the gatekeeper's leave; they have come to see the sacrifice of Aindradyumni, wishing to speak with and see King Janaka, and the gatekeeper should not, out of anger, afflict them with the grievous malady of delay; the gatekeeper replies that they are carrying out Bandi's order: young brahmana boys do not enter here, only the old and learned, the best among the twice-born, enter; Ashtavakra says that if entrance is for the old, then it is right for him to enter, because they are old, have kept their vows, and are worthy of entrance by the power of the Veda; they are dutiful, have mastered their senses, and have attained firmness in the approach to knowledge; a boy must not be despised, for even a small fire burns at a touch; the gatekeeper tells him to utter Sarasvati, beloved of the Veda, single-syllabled, many-formed and radiant, to look at his own childish body, and not to boast, for victory in debate is hard; Ashtavakra replies that growth is not known by bodily increase: just as a huge pod of the shalmali tree is fruitless, so one small in body but fruitful has truly grown, while the fruitless one is not old; the gatekeeper says that boys receive understanding from their elders and in time become elders themselves, knowledge cannot come in a short time, why does the boy speak like an old man; Ashtavakra replies that a man is not old from the graying of his head; the gods reckon as an elder even a young one who knows; not by years, not by gray hair, not by wealth, not by kinsmen did the seers establish dharma, great is he who has studied; he has come to see Bandi in the royal assembly and asks the gatekeeper to announce him to the king; today the king will see him speak in a heated debate with the wise: either triumph, or disgrace, or the silence of all; the gatekeeper asks how a ten-year-old will enter the sacrifice of the learned and humble, and promises to try to arrange his entrance.

अनुवाद

Ashtavakra said: 'Dear one, we have come to see the sacrifice; our curiosity has grown strong. We have come as guests and wish to enter. Gatekeeper, we await your leave. We have come to see the sacrifice of Aindradyumni; we wish to speak with and see King Janaka. Do not, out of anger, afflict us in this moment with the grievous malady of delay.' The gatekeeper said: 'We carry out Bandi's order. Hear the word I speak: young brahmana boys do not enter here. Only the old, the learned, the best among the twice-born enter.' Ashtavakra said: 'If entrance here is open to the old, gatekeeper, then it is right that I should enter. For we are old: we have kept our vows and are worthy of entrance by the power of the Veda. We are dutiful, we have mastered our senses, and we have attained firmness in the approach to knowledge. One must not despise, saying, "He is a boy"; even a small fire burns if touched.' The gatekeeper said: 'Utter Sarasvati, beloved of the Veda, single-syllabled, many-formed, radiant. Look at your childish body. What are you boasting of? Victory in debate is hard to attain.' Ashtavakra said: 'Growth is not known by growth of the body, just as a huge pod of the shalmali tree does not make it fruitful. He who is small and slight of body, yet bears fruit, has truly grown; but the fruitless one has no claim to seniority.' The gatekeeper said: 'Here boys receive understanding from their elders; in time they themselves become elders. Knowledge is not attained in a short time. Why do you, a boy, speak like an old man?' Ashtavakra said: 'A man does not become an elder merely because his head has turned gray. Even one who is young, if he possesses knowledge, is reckoned an elder by the gods. Not by years, not by gray hair, not by wealth, and not by kinsmen did the seers establish dharma. He who has studied is great in our eyes. I have come wishing to see Bandi in the royal assembly. Gatekeeper, announce me to the king adorned with lotuses. Today you will see me speak in a great debate together with the wise: either there will be triumph, or disgrace, or all will now fall silent.' The gatekeeper said: 'How will you, a ten-year-old, enter the sacrifice, where only the humble and learned enter? I will try to arrange your entrance; and you, for your part, make a proper effort.'

भाष्य

This exchange reveals Ashtavakra's central theme: the worth of knowledge is not measured by age, body, or outward status. True maturity is the fruit of the Veda and of mastered senses.

संस्करण

51331af66d8f · प्रकाशित 16 जुल॰ 2026, 5:06:19 pm UTC

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