महाभारत 3.133.16-27

देवनागरी

अष्टावक्र उवाच
भो भो राजञ् जनकानां वरिष्ठ; सभाज्यस् त्वं त्वयि सर्वं समृद्धम् ॥
त्वं वा कर्ता कर्मणां यज्ञियानां; ययातिर् एको नृपतिर् वा पुरस्तात् ॥
विद्वान् बन्दी वेदविदो निगृह्य; वादे भग्नान् अप्रतिशङ्कमानः ॥
त्वया निसृष्टैः पुरुषैर् आप्तकृद्भिर्; जले सर्वान् मज्जयतीति नः श्रुतम् ॥
स तच् छ्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणानां सकाशाद्; ब्रह्मोद्यं वै कथयितुम् आगतो ऽस्मि ॥
क्वासौ बन्दी यावद् एनं समेत्य; नक्षत्राणीव सविता नाशयामि ॥
राजोवाच
आशंससे बन्दिनं त्वं विजेतुम्; अविज्ञात्वा वाक्यबलं परस्य ॥
विज्ञातवीर्यैः शक्यम् एवं प्रवक्तुं; दृष्टश् चासौ ब्राह्मणैर् वादशीलैः ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
विवादितो ऽसौ न हि मादृशैर् हि; सिंहीकृतस् तेन वदत्य् अभीतः ॥
समेत्य मां निहतः शेष्यते ऽद्य; मार्गे भग्नं शकटम् इवाबलाक्षम् ॥
राजोवाच
षण्णाभेर् द्वादशाक्षस्य चतुर्विंशतिपर्वणः ॥
यस् त्रिषष्टिशतारस्य वेदार्थं स परः कविः ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
चतुर्विंशतिपर्व त्वां षण्णाभि द्वादशप्रधि ॥
तत् त्रिषष्टिशतारं वै चक्रं पातु सदागति ॥
राजोवाच
वडवे इव संयुक्ते श्येनपाते दिवौकसाम् ॥
कस् तयोर् गर्भम् आधत्ते गर्भं सुषुवतुश् च कम् ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
मा स्म ते ते गृहे राजञ् शात्रवाणाम् अपि ध्रुवम् ॥
वातसारथिर् आधत्ते गर्भं सुषुवतुश् च तम् ॥
राजोवाच
किं स्वित् सुप्तं न निमिषति किं स्विज् जातं न चोपति ॥
कस्य स्विद् धृदयं नास्ति किं स्विद् वेगेन वर्धते ॥
अष्टावक्र उवाच
मत्स्यः सुप्तो न निमिषत्य् अण्डं जातं न चोपति ॥
अश्मनो हृदयं नास्ति नदी वेगेन वर्धते ॥
राजोवाच
न त्वा मन्ये मानुषं देवसत्त्वं; न त्वं बालः स्थविरस् त्वं मतो मे ॥
न ते तुल्यो विद्यते वाक्प्रलापे; तस्माद् द्वारं वितराम्य् एष बन्दी ॥

लिप्यंतरण (IAST)

aṣṭāvakra uvāca
bho bho rājañ janakānāṃ variṣṭha; sabhājyas tvaṃ tvayi sarvaṃ samṛddham ||
tvaṃ vā kartā karmaṇāṃ yajñiyānāṃ; yayātir eko nṛpatir vā purastāt ||
vidvān bandī vedavido nigṛhya; vāde bhagnān apratiśaṅkamānaḥ ||
tvayā nisṛṣṭaiḥ puruṣair āptakṛdbhir; jale sarvān majjayatīti naḥ śrutam ||
sa tac chrutvā brāhmaṇānāṃ sakāśād; brahmodyaṃ vai kathayitum āgato 'smi ||
kvāsau bandī yāvad enaṃ sametya; nakṣatrāṇīva savitā nāśayāmi ||
rājovāca
āśaṃsase bandinaṃ tvaṃ vijetum; avijñātvā vākyabalaṃ parasya ||
vijñātavīryaiḥ śakyam evaṃ pravaktuṃ; dṛṣṭaś cāsau brāhmaṇair vādaśīlaiḥ ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
vivādito 'sau na hi mādṛśair hi; siṃhīkṛtas tena vadaty abhītaḥ ||
sametya māṃ nihataḥ śeṣyate 'dya; mārge bhagnaṃ śakaṭam ivābalākṣam ||
rājovāca
ṣaṇṇābher dvādaśākṣasya caturviṃśatiparvaṇaḥ ||
yas triṣaṣṭiśatārasya vedārthaṃ sa paraḥ kaviḥ ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
caturviṃśatiparva tvāṃ ṣaṇṇābhi dvādaśapradhi ||
tat triṣaṣṭiśatāraṃ vai cakraṃ pātu sadāgati ||
rājovāca
vaḍave iva saṃyukte śyenapāte divaukasām ||
kas tayor garbham ādhatte garbhaṃ suṣuvatuś ca kam ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
mā sma te te gṛhe rājañ śātravāṇām api dhruvam ||
vātasārathir ādhatte garbhaṃ suṣuvatuś ca tam ||
rājovāca
kiṃ svit suptaṃ na nimiṣati kiṃ svij jātaṃ na copati ||
kasya svid dhṛdayaṃ nāsti kiṃ svid vegena vardhate ||
aṣṭāvakra uvāca
matsyaḥ supto na nimiṣaty aṇḍaṃ jātaṃ na copati ||
aśmano hṛdayaṃ nāsti nadī vegena vardhate ||
rājovāca
na tvā manye mānuṣaṃ devasattvaṃ; na tvaṃ bālaḥ sthaviras tvaṃ mato me ||
na te tulyo vidyate vākpralāpe; tasmād dvāraṃ vitarāmy eṣa bandī ||

शब्दशः अर्थ

संस्कृतIASTअर्थ

अष्टावक्र उवाच भो भो राजञ् जनकानां वरिष्ठ; सभाज्यस् त्वं त्वयि सर्वं समृद्धम् ॥ त्वं वा कर्ता कर्मणां यज्ञियानां; ययातिर् एको नृपतिर् वा पुरस्तात् ॥ विद्वान् बन्दी वेदविदो निगृह्य; वादे भग्नान् अप्रतिशङ्कमानः ॥ त्वया निसृष्टैः पुरुषैर् आप्तकृद्भिर्; जले सर्वान् मज्जयतीति नः श्रुतम् ॥ स तच् छ्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणानां सकाशाद्; ब्रह्मोद्यं वै कथयितुम् आगतो ऽस्मि ॥ क्वासौ बन्दी यावद् एनं समेत्य; नक्षत्राणीव सविता नाशयामि ॥ राजोवाच आशंससे बन्दिनं त्वं विजेतुम्; अविज्ञात्वा वाक्यबलं परस्य ॥ विज्ञातवीर्यैः शक्यम् एवं प्रवक्तुं; दृष्टश् चासौ ब्राह्मणैर् वादशीलैः ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच विवादितो ऽसौ न हि मादृशैर् हि; सिंहीकृतस् तेन वदत्य् अभीतः ॥ समेत्य मां निहतः शेष्यते ऽद्य; मार्गे भग्नं शकटम् इवाबलाक्षम् ॥ राजोवाच षण्णाभेर् द्वादशाक्षस्य चतुर्विंशतिपर्वणः ॥ यस् त्रिषष्टिशतारस्य वेदार्थं स परः कविः ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच चतुर्विंशतिपर्व त्वां षण्णाभि द्वादशप्रधि ॥ तत् त्रिषष्टिशतारं वै चक्रं पातु सदागति ॥ राजोवाच वडवे इव संयुक्ते श्येनपाते दिवौकसाम् ॥ कस् तयोर् गर्भम् आधत्ते गर्भं सुषुवतुश् च कम् ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच मा स्म ते ते गृहे राजञ् शात्रवाणाम् अपि ध्रुवम् ॥ वातसारथिर् आधत्ते गर्भं सुषुवतुश् च तम् ॥ राजोवाच किं स्वित् सुप्तं न निमिषति किं स्विज् जातं न चोपति ॥ कस्य स्विद् धृदयं नास्ति किं स्विद् वेगेन वर्धते ॥ अष्टावक्र उवाच मत्स्यः सुप्तो न निमिषत्य् अण्डं जातं न चोपति ॥ अश्मनो हृदयं नास्ति नदी वेगेन वर्धते ॥ राजोवाच न त्वा मन्ये मानुषं देवसत्त्वं; न त्वं बालः स्थविरस् त्वं मतो मे ॥ न ते तुल्यो विद्यते वाक्प्रलापे; तस्माद् द्वारं वितराम्य् एष बन्दी ॥aṣṭāvakra uvāca bho bho rājañ janakānāṃ variṣṭha; sabhājyas tvaṃ tvayi sarvaṃ samṛddham || tvaṃ vā kartā karmaṇāṃ yajñiyānāṃ; yayātir eko nṛpatir vā purastāt || vidvān bandī vedavido nigṛhya; vāde bhagnān apratiśaṅkamānaḥ || tvayā nisṛṣṭaiḥ puruṣair āptakṛdbhir; jale sarvān majjayatīti naḥ śrutam || sa tac chrutvā brāhmaṇānāṃ sakāśād; brahmodyaṃ vai kathayitum āgato 'smi || kvāsau bandī yāvad enaṃ sametya; nakṣatrāṇīva savitā nāśayāmi || rājovāca āśaṃsase bandinaṃ tvaṃ vijetum; avijñātvā vākyabalaṃ parasya || vijñātavīryaiḥ śakyam evaṃ pravaktuṃ; dṛṣṭaś cāsau brāhmaṇair vādaśīlaiḥ || aṣṭāvakra uvāca vivādito 'sau na hi mādṛśair hi; siṃhīkṛtas tena vadaty abhītaḥ || sametya māṃ nihataḥ śeṣyate 'dya; mārge bhagnaṃ śakaṭam ivābalākṣam || rājovāca ṣaṇṇābher dvādaśākṣasya caturviṃśatiparvaṇaḥ || yas triṣaṣṭiśatārasya vedārthaṃ sa paraḥ kaviḥ || aṣṭāvakra uvāca caturviṃśatiparva tvāṃ ṣaṇṇābhi dvādaśapradhi || tat triṣaṣṭiśatāraṃ vai cakraṃ pātu sadāgati || rājovāca vaḍave iva saṃyukte śyenapāte divaukasām || kas tayor garbham ādhatte garbhaṃ suṣuvatuś ca kam || aṣṭāvakra uvāca mā sma te te gṛhe rājañ śātravāṇām api dhruvam || vātasārathir ādhatte garbhaṃ suṣuvatuś ca tam || rājovāca kiṃ svit suptaṃ na nimiṣati kiṃ svij jātaṃ na copati || kasya svid dhṛdayaṃ nāsti kiṃ svid vegena vardhate || aṣṭāvakra uvāca matsyaḥ supto na nimiṣaty aṇḍaṃ jātaṃ na copati || aśmano hṛdayaṃ nāsti nadī vegena vardhate || rājovāca na tvā manye mānuṣaṃ devasattvaṃ; na tvaṃ bālaḥ sthaviras tvaṃ mato me || na te tulyo vidyate vākpralāpe; tasmād dvāraṃ vitarāmy eṣa bandī ||Ashtavakra addresses Janaka, the best of the Janakas: he is worthy of honor, all things prosper in him; he is the performer of sacrificial rites, as once was King Yayati alone; he has heard that the learned Bandi, having defeated knowers of the Veda in debate, fearlessly drowns all of them through men sent by the king; having heard this from the brahmanas, he has come to speak the brahmodya; where is Bandi, so that, having met him, he may destroy him as Savitar destroys the stars; the king says that Ashtavakra hopes to defeat Bandi without knowing the strength of his speech, and only those who have learned his power can speak thus; Ashtavakra replies that Bandi has not debated with the likes of him, and that is why he speaks fearlessly, as though he had become a lion, and having met him, he will lie struck down, like a cart with a broken axle; the king poses riddles about the wheel with six naves, twelve axles, twenty-four joints, and three hundred and sixty spokes, then about two mares joined at the falcon-swoop of the gods, then about what sleeps and does not blink, what is born and does not move, what has no heart, and what grows by speed; Ashtavakra replies: may the wheel of the year, with twenty-four joints, six naves, twelve rims, and three hundred and sixty spokes, always protect the king; as for the two mares, may this never happen even in the house of enemies -- he whose charioteer is the wind plants the seed, and they bring him forth; a fish sleeps and does not blink, an egg, once laid, does not move, a stone has no heart, a river grows by speed; the king says that he does not consider him a human but a divine being, not a boy but an elder, and none is equal to him in the play of words, therefore the door is open and here is Bandi.

अनुवाद

Ashtavakra said: 'O king, best of the Janakas, you are worthy of honor; all things prosper in you. You are the performer of sacrificial rites, as once was King Yayati alone. We have heard that the learned Bandi, having defeated knowers of the Veda in debate, fearlessly drowns all the vanquished in water through trusted men sent by you. Having heard this from the brahmanas, I have come to speak the brahmodya. Where is this Bandi? Having met him, I will destroy him, as Savitar destroys the stars.' The king said: 'You hope to defeat Bandi without knowing the strength of another's speech. Only those who have learned the opponent's power can speak thus; he has been seen by brahmanas accustomed to debate.' Ashtavakra said: 'He has not debated with the likes of me; that is why he speaks fearlessly, as though he had become a lion. Having met me, he will today lie struck down, like a cart with a broken axle upon the road.' The king said: 'He who knows the meaning of the wheel with six naves, twelve axles, twenty-four joints, and three hundred and sixty spokes -- he is the supreme sage.' Ashtavakra said: 'May this wheel, with twenty-four joints, six naves, twelve rims, and three hundred and sixty spokes, ever protect you in its turning.' The king said: 'Two mares are joined, as it were, at the falcon-swoop of the sky-dwellers: who plants the seed in them, and whom do they bring forth?' Ashtavakra said: 'May this never happen in your house, O king, nor even among your enemies. He whose charioteer is the wind plants the seed, and they bring him forth.' The king said: 'What sleeps and does not blink? What is born and does not move? What has no heart? What grows by speed?' Ashtavakra said: 'A fish sleeps and does not blink; an egg, once laid, does not move; a stone has no heart; a river grows by speed.' The king said: 'I do not think you human: you are a divine being. You are not a boy; I consider you an elder. In the play of words, none is your equal. Therefore I open the door: here is Bandi.'

भाष्य

Janaka tests not Ashtavakra's memory but his capacity to see the structure of the world: the year, the rain, life, the river. Knowledge answers a riddle not with ornament but with exact correspondence.

संस्करण

99beae346d9f · प्रकाशित 16 जुल॰ 2026, 5:06:19 pm UTC

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