Shloka 3
अष्टावक्र उवाच प्राप्तौ स्व यज्ञ नृप संदिदृक्षू कौतूहलं नौ बलवन्नरेन्द्र । प्राप्ताविहावामतिथी प्रवेशं काडक्षावहे द्वारपतेस्तवाज्ञाम्,अष्टावक्र बोले--राजन्! हम दोनों आपका यज्ञ देखनेके लिये आये हैं। नरेन्द्र! इसके लिये हम दोनोंके हृदयमें प्रबल उत्कण्ठा है। हम दोनों यहाँ अतिथिके रूपमें उपस्थित हैं और इस यज्ञमें प्रवेश करनेके लिये हम तुम्हारे द्वारपालकी आज्ञा चाहते हैं
aṣṭāvakra uvāca | prāptau sva-yajña nṛpa saṃdidṛkṣū kautūhalaṃ nau balavan narendra | prāptāv ihāvām atithī praveśaṃ kāṅkṣāvahē dvārapates tavājñām ||
Aṣṭāvakra said: “O King, we have come to see your sacrifice. O lord of men, a powerful curiosity and eagerness has arisen in us. We have arrived here as guests, and we seek your gatekeeper’s permission to enter this sacrificial rite.”
अष्टावक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds atithi-dharma and royal order: guests approach respectfully, while the king’s household (through the gatekeeper) must regulate access to a yajña without violating hospitality and propriety.
Aṣṭāvakra, accompanied by another person (indicated by dual forms), arrives at a king’s sacrificial venue, expresses eagerness to witness the rite, and requests authorization—via the gatekeeper—to enter the yajña enclosure.