Shloka 8

अष्टावक्र-प्रवेशः तथा ब्रह्मोद्य-प्रारम्भः

Aṣṭāvakra’s Entry and the Opening of the Brahmodya

Devanagari script

लोगश उवाच उद्दालकस्य नियत: शिष्य एको नाम्ना कहोड इति विश्लुतो5भूत्‌ । शुश्रूषुराचार्यवशानुवर्ती दीर्घ कालं सो5ध्ययनं चकार,लोमशजीने कहा--राजन्‌! महर्षि उद्दालकका कहोड नामसे विख्यात एक शिष्य था जो बड़े संयम-नियमसे रहकर आचार्यकी सेवा किया करता था। उसने गुरुकी आज्ञाके अंदर रहकर दीर्घकालतक अध्ययन किया

Transliteration

Lomaśa uvāca: uddālakasya niyataḥ śiṣya eko nāmnā kahoda iti viśrutaḥ abhūt | śuśrūṣur ācāryavaśānuvartī dīrgha-kālaṃ so 'dhyayanaṃ cakāra |

Translation

Lomaśa said: Uddālaka had a disciplined disciple named Kahoda, who became well known. Eager to serve, obedient to his teacher’s authority, he pursued study for a long time—living under restraint and faithfully attending to his preceptor’s commands.

Word by Word

• {'Lomaśa uvāca': 'Lomaśa said', 'uddālakasya': 'of Uddālaka (the sage/teacher)', 'niyataḥ': 'self-restrained, disciplined

• living under vows/rules', 'śiṣyaḥ': 'disciple, student', 'ekaḥ': 'one, a certain', 'nāmnā': 'by name', 'kahodaḥ': 'Kahoda (proper name)', 'iti': 'thus, so-called', 'viśrutaḥ': 'well-known, renowned', 'abhūt': 'was, became', 'śuśrūṣuḥ': 'desirous of serving/attending upon (the teacher)', 'ācārya': 'teacher, preceptor', 'vaśa': 'control, authority, command', 'anuvartī': 'following, compliant, obedient', 'dīrgha-kālam': 'for a long time', 'adhyayanam': 'study (especially Vedic study/recitation)', 'cakāra': 'did, performed'}

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• Uddālaka
• Kahoda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of the guru–śiṣya relationship: disciplined living (niyama), devoted service (śuśrūṣā), and long, patient study under the teacher’s guidance as the foundation of learning and character.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa introduces Kahoda as Uddālaka’s renowned student, emphasizing his self-control, his attentive service to the teacher, and his prolonged period of study while remaining obedient to the preceptor’s authority.