King Janaka of Mithila had hosted the best brains of
the day whose words of wisdom have been immortalised in Upanishads and Epics. One
among them was Ashtavakra
who as a 12 year old lad won over a seasoned debater called Vandin in Janaka’s
court. Vandin was notorious for having got the losers in the debate killed by
drowning. Ashtavakra’s father, Kahoda was one such loser who was drowned to
death. It happened just before Ashtavakra was born. Ashtavakra grew up without
knowing what happened to his father. But when he came to know, he could not
remain quiet. He was just 12 years then but decided to avenge the death of his
father, in the same way that Vandin did. So he reached Janaka’s court
accompanied with his uncle, another famous sage, Swetaketu, who was of his same
age then.
(19th-century painting of Aṣṭāvakra
who was born with physical handicap and
grows
up into a celebrated sage of Vedic culture)
The first argument was with the gate keeper who
stopped them for the reason that lads were not old enough to debate with
Vandin. This
argument is around who is old or what makes one old.
Gate keeper:
Only old people are eligible to enter the court (and into argument with Vandin)
Ashtavakra:
Who is old? What makes one old?
Old are those who
· observe
sacred vows,
· served
the superiors,
· subdued
their passions, and
(Ashtavakra fulfilled all these criteria,
so old enough)
It is said that even boys are not
to be slighted, for a fire, small though it be, burns on being touched.
Gate keeper:
Well, I still consider you as a boy. If you are old enough, you must be able to
recite the verse demonstrating the existence of the Supreme Being,
and adored by the divine sages, and which, although composed of one letter, is
yet multifarious.
Ashtavakra:
‘True growth cannot be inferred from the mere development of the body, as the
growth of the knots of the Salmali tree cannot signify its age. That tree is called full-grown which although slender
and short, beareth fruits. But that which doth
not bear fruits, is not considered as grown'
Gate keeper:
Boys receive instruction from the old and they also in time grow old. Knowledge certainly is not attainable in a short time.
(indirectly hinting that his knowledge was not in-depth but only a case of
repeating what he had heard)
Ashtavakra:
‘One is not old because his head is gray. But
the gods regard him as old who, although a child in years, is yet possessed of
knowledge’. One’s merit does not depend on his age or gray hair or wealth or friends.
***********
After this Ashtavakra was allowed to meet King
Janaka to whom he expressed his wish to trounce Vandin in an argument. Looking
at his age, King Janaka wanted to test his knowledge. Some of what they spoke
is difficult to understand, and I have given my interpretation along with, in blue colour fonts and in brackets.
Janaka:
‘He alone is a truly learned man who understandeth the significance of the
thing that hath thirty divisions, twelve parts twenty four joints, and three
hundred and sixty spokes'
(Seems to refer to the scale of Time
at macro level, i.e., for a year when the earth completes one revolution. A
month of 30 days, 12 months and 24 pakshas (phases of moon) and 360 days in a
year. Similar ideas are found in Rig Veda 1.164)
Ashtavakra:
‘May that ever-moving wheel that hath twenty four joints, six naves, twelve
peripheries, and sixty spokes protect thee'
(Seems to refer to the scale of Time
at micro level, i.e., for a day. The wheel of Time (earth’s rotation) completes
one round in a day wherein 24 minutes make one ghati / Nazhigai, 6 ghati make 1
Jaamam, the wheel passes through 12 lagnas and 60 ghatis)
Janaka: ‘Who amongst
the gods beareth those two which go together like two mares yoked to a car, and
sweep like a hawk, and to what also do they give birth'
Ashtavakra:
‘May God, O king, forfend the presence of these two in thy house; aye,
even in the house of thine enemies. He who
appeareth, having for his charioteer the wind begetteth them, and they also
produce him'
(The answer is ‘Wind’ (vayu). The two
mares must be Indra (rain) and Agni (fire), as is known from an answer later in
the debate with Vandin. The wind bears the two mares, rain and fire, sweeps
like a hawk and is a life giver.)
Janaka:
‘What is that doth not close its eyes even while sleeping; what is it that doth
not move, even when born; what is it that hath no heart; and what doth increase
even in its own speed'
Ashtavakra:
‘It is a fish that doth not close its eye-lids, while sleeping; and it is an a
egg that doth not move when produced; it is stone that hath no heart; and it is
a river that increase in its own speed'
The king was pleased with these answers and permitted
him to debate with Vandin.
**************
The debate with Vandin is interesting as it involves
numbers in increasing order. Each of them must compose a verse having relevant
ones for a number. When one begins with a number, the other must continue with
the succeeding number. It seems that a minimum of 4 ideas have to be given by
each debater in a verse- form to continue the debate. It also appears that the debater
challenging Vandin would not have any clue on how the debate would be like.
Vandin decides how to test the challenger and begins the debate with a verse on
number 1.
This particular debate with Ashtavakra, though looks
simple at the outset, cannot be continued unless one is widely read. In the end
Vandin himself falls into the trap he laid for Ashtavakra as he could not
produce 4 ideas relevant to number 13. Ashtavakra completes the verse with ease
and wins the debate.
Vandin: One – only one fire blazeth
forth in various shapes; only one sun illumineth this whole world; only one hero, Indra,
the lord of celestials, destroyeth enemies; and only one Yama is the
sole lord of the Pitris
Ashtavakra:
Two - The
two friends, Indra and Agni, ever move together; the two
celestial sages are Narada and Parvata; twins are the Aswinikumaras;
two is the number of the wheels of a car; and it is as a couple that husband
and wife live together, as ordained by the deity.
Vandin: Three - Three kinds
of born beings are produced by acts; the three Vedas together perform
the sacrifice, Vajapeya; at three different times, the Adhwaryus commence
sacrificial rites; three is the number of words: and three also are the divine
lights.
Ashtavakra:
Four - Four are
the Asramas of the Brahmanas; the four orders perform
sacrifices; four are the cardinal points; four is the number of letters; and
four also, as is ever known, are the legs of a cow.
Vandin:
Five - Five is
the number of fires; five are the feet of the metre called Punki; five are
the sacrifices; five locks, it is said in the Vedas, are on the heads of
the Apsaras; and five sacred rivers are known in the world
Ashtavakra:
Six - Six cows, it is asserted by some, and paid as a
gratuity on the occasion of establishing the sacred fire; six are the seasons
belonging to the wheel of time; six is the number of the senses; six stars
constitute the constellation Kirtika; and six, it is found in all
the Vedas, is the number of the Sadyaska sacrifice
Vandin: Seven - Seven is
the number of the domesticated animals; seven are the wild animals; seven
metres are used in completing a sacrifice; seven are the Rishis, seven
forms of paying homage are extant in the world; and seven, it is known, are the
strings of the Vina
Ashtavakra:
Eight - Eight are
the bags containing a hundred fold; eight is the number of the legs of
the Sarabha, which preyeth upon lions; eight Vasus, as we hear, are
amongst the celestials; and eight are the angles of yupa stake, in all
sacrificial rites
Vandin:
Nine - Nine is
the number of the mantras used in kindling the fire in sacrifices to the Pitris;
nine are the appointed functions in the processes of creation; nine letters
compose the foot of the metre, Vrihati; and nine also is ever the number
of the figures in calculation
Ashtavakra:
Ten - Ten is
said to be the number of cardinal points, entering into the cognition of men in
this world; ten times hundred make up a thousand; ten is the number of months,
during which women bear; and ten are the teachers of true knowledge, and ten,
the haters thereof, and ten again are those capable of learning it.
Vandin: Eleven - Eleven are
the objects enjoyable by beings; eleven is the number of the yupas; eleven are
the changes of the natural state pertaining to those having life; and eleven
are the Rudras among the gods in heaven.
Ashtavakra:
Twelve - Twelve months
compose the year; twelve letters go to the composition of a foot of the metre
called Jagati; twelve are the minor sacrifices; and twelve, according to
the learned, is the number of the Adityas.
Vandin: Thirteen - The thirteenth
lunar day is considered the most auspicious; thirteen islands exist on earth.......
(pause)
Ashtavakra:
(continues) Thirteen sacrifices
are presided over by Kesi; and thirteen are devoured by Atichhandas,
the longer metres of the Veda.
{Source: Mahabharata -3: 132-133}
