Shloka 15
Aṣṭāvakra–Bandi Vāda at Janaka’s Assembly
Numerical Cosmology and Restitution
पश्यन्तु विप्रा: परिपूर्णविद्या: सहैव राज्ञा सपुरोधमुख्या: । उताहो वाप्युच्चतां नीचतां वा तृष्णीं भूतेष्वेव सर्वेष्वथाद्य,आज सम्पूर्ण सभासद् चुपचाप बैठे रहें तथा राजा और उनके प्रधान पुरोहितोंके साथ पूर्णतः विद्वान् ब्राह्मण मेरी लघुता अथवा श्रेष्ठताको प्रत्यक्ष देखें
paśyantu viprāḥ paripūrṇa-vidyāḥ sahaiva rājñā sa-purodha-mukhyāḥ | utāho vāpy uccatāṁ nīcatāṁ vā tṛṣṇīṁ bhūteṣv eva sarveṣv athādya ||
Aṣṭāvakra said: “Let the Brahmins, perfected in learning, together with the king and his foremost priests, witness directly today whether I am to be deemed low or exalted. And let all present remain silent, without partiality toward any being.”
अष्टावक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
True assessment of a person should rest on direct discernment and impartial judgment, not on prejudice about status or appearance; the learned and the ruler should evaluate calmly and without bias.
Aṣṭāvakra addresses the royal assembly, asking the king, priests, and learned Brahmins to observe and decide—without interruption—whether he should be regarded as inferior or superior, setting the stage for a formal evaluation or debate.