Shloka 4
Aṣṭāvakra–Bandi Vāda at Janaka’s Assembly
Numerical Cosmology and Restitution
ऐन्द्रद्ुम्ने यज्ञद्शाविहावां विवक्षू वै जनकेन्द्रं दिदृक्षू । तौ वै क्रोधव्याधिना दहामाना- वयं च नौ द्वारपालो रुणद्धि,इन्द्रद्यममकुमार जनक! हम दोनों यहाँ यज्ञ देखनेके लिये आये हैं और आप जनकराजसे मिलना तथा बात करना चाहते हैं, परंतु यह द्वारपाल हमें रोकता है; अत: हम क्रोधरूप व्याधिसे दग्ध हो रहे हैं
aindradyumne yajñadarśāvihāvāṁ vivakṣū vai janakendraṁ didṛkṣū | tau vai krodhavyādhinā dahyamānāv ayaṁ ca nau dvārapālo ruṇaddhi ||
Aṣṭāvakra said: “O son of Indradyumna, we have come here eager to see the sacrifice; and we also wish to see King Janaka and speak with him. Yet this gatekeeper is barring our entry. Because of this obstruction we are being scorched by the ‘disease’ of anger.”
अष्टावक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Anger is portrayed as a ‘disease’ that burns the mind when one’s desires are obstructed; the ethical ideal is to recognize this inner affliction and respond with restraint rather than letting anger govern speech and action.
Aṣṭāvakra tells Indradyumna’s son that he and his companion have come to witness a sacrifice and seek an audience with King Janaka, but a gatekeeper is stopping them, causing them to feel tormented by anger.