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Updated: June 17, 2025
Ashtavakra said, "Twelve months compose the year; twelve letters go to the composition of a foot of the metre called Jagati; twelve are the minor sacrifices; and twelve, according to the learned, is the number of the Adityas." Vandin said, "The thirteenth lunar day is considered the most auspicious; thirteen islands exist on earth."
Ashtavakra said, "Four are the Asramas of the Brahmanas; the four orders perform sacrifices; four are the cardinal points; four is the number of letters; and four also, as is ever known, are the legs of a cow."
Vandin admits the existence of the six senses but says that the soul experiences happiness and misery through those as well as through the intellect. Ashtavakra advances an eighth element, namely, the knowledge of the ego. Thus is proved the eternity of prakriti or nature and is also established the doctrine of duality. Prakriti does not really create.
It is for this that I have despatched the principal Brahmanas thither. They have gone to witness Varuna's sacrifice. Lo! there they are returning. I pay homage to the worshipful Ashtavakra, by whose grace to-day I shall join him who hath begot me." "'Ashtavakra said, "Defeating the Brahmanas either by words or subtlety. Vandin had cast them into the waters of the sea. Now let candid men judge.
""Ashtavakra said, 'O blessed lady, I never approach one that is another's spouse. One's congress with another man's wife is condemned by persons conversant with the scriptures on morality. I am an utter stranger to enjoyments of every kind. O blessed lady, know that I have become desirous of wedlock for obtaining offspring. I swear by truth itself.
Even Indra himself boweth unto the Brahmanas. At this Ashtavakra said, 'We have come, O ruler of men, to witness thy sacrificial ceremony and our curiosity, O king, is very great. And we have come here as guests. And, O son of Indradyumna, we have come, desirous of seeing the sacrifice, and to meet king Janaka and speak to him.
"Lomasa said, 'Having proceeded thus far, Vandin stopped. Thereupon Ashtavakra supplied the latter half of the sloka. And seeing Ashtavakra speaking and the Suta's son silent, and pensive, and with head downcast, the assembly broke into a long uproar.
"Ashtavakra said, 'O king, O leader of fierce legions, in this assembly of monarchs of unrivalled power who have met together, I am unable to find out Vandin, chief of the controversialists. But I am searching for him, even as one doth for a swan on a vast expanse of water. O Vandin, thou regardest thyself as the foremost of controversialists.
Ashtavakra said, 'The two friends, Indra and Agni, ever move together; the two celestial sages are Narada and Parvata; twins are the Aswinikumaras; two is the number of the wheels of a car; and it is as a couple that husband and wife live together, as ordained by the deity. Vandin said, 'Three kinds of born beings are produced by acts; the three Vedas together perform the sacrifice, Vajapeya; at three different times, the Adhwaryus commence sacrificial rites; three is the number of words: and three also are the divine lights. Ashtavakra said, 'Four are the Asramas of the Brahmanas; the four orders perform sacrifices; four are the cardinal points; four is the number of letters; and four also, as is ever known, are the legs of a cow. Vandin said, 'Five is the number of fires; five are the feet of the metre called Punki; five are the sacrifices; five locks, it is said in the Vedas, are on the heads of the Apsaras; and five sacred rivers are known in the world. Ashtavakra said.
The recitation of the sacred Vedas is sweet to hear and is fraught with blessings. Then they both uncle and nephew went unto the splendid sacrifice of king Janaka. And on being driven from the entrance, Ashtavakra met the king and addressed him in the following words."
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