Shloka 583
Aṣṭāvakra’s Visit to Kubera: Hospitality, Temptation, and the Ethics of Restraint (अष्टावक्र-वैश्रवणोपाख्यानम्)
दिष्ट्या दृष्टोडसि मे पुत्र कृतविद्य इहागत: । पाण्डुनन्दन! उन्हें देखते ही मैं उनके चरणोंमें पड़ गया; फिर पिताजीने भी उन समिधा आदि वस्तुओंको अलग रखकर मुझे हृदयसे लगा लिया और मेरा मस्तक सूँघकर नेत्रोंसे आँसू बहाते हुए मुझसे कहा--“बेटा! बड़े सौभाग्यकी बात है कि तुम विद्वान होकर घर आ गये और मैंने तुम्हें भर आँख देख लिया”
diṣṭyā dṛṣṭo’si me putra kṛtavidya ihāgataḥ | pāṇḍunandana! tān dṛṣṭvaiva ahaṃ teṣāṃ caraṇeṣu nipatya; tataḥ pitāpi tāḥ samidhādyā vastūni pṛthak kṛtvā māṃ hṛdayena pariṣvajya mama mastakaṃ ghrātvā netrābhyāṃ aśrūṇi muñcan mām uvāca— “vatsa! mahāsaubhāgyam idaṃ yat tvaṃ vidvān bhūtvā gṛham āgataḥ, ahaṃ ca tvāṃ pūrṇanetrābhyāṃ dṛṣṭavān” iti |
Wika ni Gālava: “Sa mabuting kapalaran, anak ko, nakauwi ka matapos ganap na matapos ang iyong pag-aaral, at nakita kita. O inapo ni Pāṇḍu, nang makita ko sila, agad akong nagpatirapa sa kanilang paanan. Pagkaraan, isinantabi ng aking ama ang panggatong at iba pang kagamitang pang-ritwal, niyakap niya ako nang buong puso, inamoy ang aking ulo bilang tanda ng pag-ibig, at habang lumuluha ay sinabi sa akin: ‘Anak! Napakalaking pagpapala na nakabalik ka bilang isang taong may karunungan—at nakita kita nang lubos sa sarili kong mga mata.’”
गालव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharma through reverence and gratitude: learning is to be completed with discipline, and its fruition is honored through humility (falling at the feet) and affectionate, ethical family bonds that recognize education as a blessing.
Gālava narrates a reunion scene: upon seeing the returning, educated son, there is immediate reverence and then intimate parental affection—ritual items are set aside, the son is embraced, the father smells his head, and speaks tearfully about the good fortune of seeing him return learned.