Shloka 38
Gaṅgā-Tīrtha Darśana and the Prelude to the Yavakrīta–Indra Exemplum (लोमश-युधिष्ठिर संवादः)
अष्टावक्र: पितरं पूजयित्वा सम्पूजितो ब्राह्मणैस्तैर्यथावत् । प्रत्याजगामाश्रममेव चाग्रयं जित्वा सौतिं सहितो मातुलेन,अष्टावक्र अपने पिताकी पूजा करके स्वयं भी दूसरे ब्राह्मणोंद्वारा यथोचितरूपसे सम्मानित हुए; और इस प्रकार बन्दीपर विजय पाकर पिता एवं मामाके साथ अपने श्रेष्ठ आश्रमपर ही लौट आये
Aṣṭāvakraḥ pitaraṃ pūjayitvā sampūjito brāhmaṇais tair yathāvat | pratyājagāmāśramam eva cāgryaṃ jitvā sautiṃ sahito mātulena ||
Setelah terlebih dahulu menghormati ayahnya, Aṣṭāvakra pula dihormati sewajarnya oleh para brāhmaṇa itu. Kemudian, setelah menewaskan Bandin—anak si sais kereta—dalam perdebatan, dia kembali ke pertapaannya yang mulia bersama ayahnya dan bapa saudaranya sebelah ibu.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed as reverence toward one’s father and proper social-ritual conduct (yathāvat), showing that true victory is completed by humility, gratitude, and restoration of rightful honor—not merely by defeating an opponent.
After Aṣṭāvakra defeats the sauti (Bandin) in a learned contest, he honors his father, receives due respect from the assembled brāhmaṇas, and then returns to his hermitage accompanied by his father and maternal uncle.