Shloka 5

Gaṅgā-Tīrtha Darśana and the Prelude to the Yavakrīta–Indra Exemplum (लोमश-युधिष्ठिर संवादः)

Devanagari script

अद्टावक्र उवाच सर्वे राज्ञो मैथिलस्य मैनाकस्येव पर्वता: । निकृष्टभूता राजानो वत्सा अनडुहो यथा,अष्टावक्र बोले--जैसे सब पर्वत मैनाकसे छोटे हैं, सारे बछड़े बैलोंसे लघुतर हैं, उसी प्रकार भूमण्डलके समस्त राजा मिथिलानरेश महाराज जनककी अपेक्षा निम्न श्रेणीमें हैं

Transliteration

aṣṭāvakra uvāca sarve rājño maithilasya mainākasyeva parvatāḥ | nikṛṣṭabhūtā rājāno vatsā anaḍuho yathā ||

Translation

アシュターヴァクラは言った。「すべての山がマイナーカ山より小さく、子牛が成牛の牡牛に力で及ばぬように、この地上の諸王はみな、ミティラーの王ジャナカに比べれば位が下である。」

Word by Word

अष्टावक्रःAṣṭāvakra (the sage)

उवाचsaid

सर्वेall

राज्ञःkings

मैथिलस्यof the king of Mithilā (Janaka)

मैनाकस्यof Maināka (mountain)

इवlike, as

पर्वताःmountains

निकृष्टभूताःbecome inferior; inferior

राजानःkings

वत्साःcalves

अनडुहःfrom a bull/ox

यथाjust as

Speaker

अद्टावक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

Aṣṭāvakra

Maithila (King of Mithilā—Janaka implied)

Mithilā

Maināka (mountain)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that genuine superiority in rulership is grounded in inner excellence—wisdom, restraint, and dharmic integrity—rather than mere political power; Janaka is held up as the exemplar.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aṣṭāvakra is praising the Maithila king (Janaka), using vivid similes—Maināka among mountains and bulls among calves—to declare that other kings are comparatively lesser.