Shloka 6
वादी विप्राग्रयो बाल एवाभिगम्य वादे भड़कत्वा मज्जयामास नद्याम्,कुन्तीनन्दन! विप्रशिरोमणि अष्टावक्र वाद-विवादमें बड़े निपुण थे। उन्होंने बाल्यावस्थामें ही महाराज जनकके यज्ञमण्डपमें पधारकर अपने प्रतिवादी बन्दीको पराजित करके नदीमें डलवा दिया था। वे अष्टावक्र मुनि जिन महात्मा उद्दालकके दौहित्र (नाती) बताये जाते हैं, उन््हींका यह परम पवित्र आश्रम है। तुम अपने भाइयोंसहित इसमें प्रवेश करके कुछ देरतक उपासना (भगवच्चिन्तन) करो
Lomāśa uvāca: Vādī viprāgrayo bāla evābhigamya vāde baddhatvā majjayāmāsa nadyām, Kuntīnandana! Vipraśiromaṇir Aṣṭāvakro vāda-vivādeṣu mahānipuṇaḥ. Sa bālye eva Mahārāja Janakasya yajñamaṇḍape samāgatya svapratipakṣaṃ Bandinaṃ parājitya nadyāṃ prapātayāmāsa. Yaḥ sa Aṣṭāvakra-muniḥ mahātmana Uddālakasyāpi dauhitra iti kathyate, tasyaivāyaṃ parama-pavitrāśramaḥ. Tvaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha atra praviśya kiñcit kālaṃ upāsanāṃ (bhagavac-cintanaṃ) kuru.
Lomasha said: “O son of Kunti, that foremost of Brahmins, though still a mere boy, approached the arena of debate and, having bound his opponent in argument, had him cast into the river. The crown-jewel among sages, Ashtavakra, was supremely skilled in disputation. Even in childhood he came to King Janaka’s sacrificial hall, defeated his adversary Bandi, and had him thrown into the water. This very Ashtavakra—said to be the grandson of the great Udālaka—belongs to this supremely holy hermitage. Enter here with your brothers and, for a while, practice worship: steady the mind in remembrance of the Lord.”
लोगमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
True excellence is not measured by age or outward form but by mastery of knowledge and steadiness of mind; yet the narrative also redirects attention from mere victory in debate toward sanctity and inner worship—entering a holy place and practicing upāsanā (devoted contemplation) as a dharmic discipline.
Lomasha points out Ashtavakra’s supremely holy hermitage to the son of Kunti and recounts Ashtavakra’s famed childhood victory in King Janaka’s sacrificial hall, where he defeated the debater Bandin and had him cast into the river; he then instructs the Pandavas to enter the hermitage with their brothers and spend some time in worshipful contemplation.