In Book 3, Sections 133-134, there
is a story of a contest between Ashtavakra and a priest in King Janaka’s court,
by the name of Vandin. Ashtavakra was
the son of Kahoda, a disciple of the famous Uddalaka of Upanishad fame and
Sujata, Uddalaka’s daughter.
Ashtavakra goes to the court of King
Janaka to regain his father’s life which was taken by Vandin. Vandin had a
habit of punishing those whom he defeated in philosophical arguments by
drowning them in water. The gate-keepers did not let Ashtavakra in since he was
a child. Ashtavakra tells them that he
has mastered all the Vedas and reminds them that one should not ignore fire even if
it be small, because it is capable of consuming everything. He also says: “True
growth cannot be inferred from the mere development of the body”. Also, “ One
does not become knowledgeable just because his hair is gray. Even a child can be possessed of knowledge . A man's merit consists in not years, or gray hair, or wealth, or
friends. He is great who is versed in the Vedas”. He is admitted to the
king’s court.
Ashtavakra then addresses the king
and says that he came to defeat Vandin in arguments and get him drowned. The
king cautions him but Ashtavakra says Vandin has not met with anyone who is
superior to him. “That is why he is so arrogant”.
The king wanted to test Ashtavakra
and so asked a few questions. When he asked: “What has thirty divisions, twelve
part, 24 joints and 360 spokes?”, Ashtavakra identified it as the wheel of
time.
Janaka asked: “who among the gods
bears those two who are yoked to a car and sweep like a hawk and what do they
give birth to?”. Ashtavakra answered: “Thunder and lightning with cloud (as the
base); or misery and death and mind (as the base)”.
Janaka asked: “What is that which
does not close its eyes when asleep? What is it that does not move when born?
What is it that has no heart? What increases its own speed?” Ashtavakra answered: “Fish, egg, stone and a
river.
Janaka was pleased and invited
Vandin to face the challenge from Ashtavakra. The contest is for Ashtavakra to
establish that there is only one Supreme Being (advaita). Ashtavakra said “You answer my questions and I will answer
yours”. Vandin starts with “Only one fire takes various shapes. Only one sun
illuminates this world. Only one hero, Indra destroys enemies. Only one Yama is
the Lord of pitris (ancestors)”. The hidden idea is that just the one intellect
guides the senses and gives us perception.
Ashtavakra says: “Indra and Agni
move together. Narada and Parvata are two sages; Aswins are twins; there are
two wheels to a car; a husband and wife make a couple”. He means that there is
another faculty besides intellect which is consciousness and the two of them
have to act together to guide the senses.
Vandin says: “Three is the number of
words; three are the number of divine lights; three kinds of beings are born;
three Vedas are needed to perform Vajapeya yagna; the Adhwaryus commence
sacrificial rites three different times”. The suggested meaning is that
intellect and consciousness are subservient to acts.
Ashtavakra points out the four
ashramas, the four orders who perform sacrifices; four cardinal directions and
the four legs of a cow. Even if acts are important, when the fourth, namely the
Supreme Being becomes manifest to the individual Atman, It stands on Its own
and without any need to act.
Vandin says: “there are five fires;
the poetic meter called pankti has
five feet; there are five sacrifices; and there are five sacred rivers”. He is
now referring to the five senses which are capable of cognizing their
respective objects. Ashtavakra counters with the custom of donating six cows at
the start of a sacred fire, the six seasons, six senses, the six stars in the
constellation krithika. The implication is that the five senses cannot do
anything without the mind, and mind is considered a sense organ in the Vedic
philosophy.
Vandin now counts all seven:
domestic animals, wild animals, seven rishis, seven ways of paying homage and
seven strings of the Veena. The point is that although the five senses and the
mind are needed to perceive, the intellect is involved in the happiness or misery
generated by those perceptions.
It is now Ashtavakra’s turn for
listing number eight: eight legs of a mythical animal called Sarabha which is
said to be an enemy or lion; eight Vasus; and eight angles of a sacrificial
stake. This leads to the eight items in Samkhya philosophy, namely five senses,
the mind, intellect and ego. Vandin answers with nine mantras used to kindle
fire in sacrifices to the ancestors, functions in the process of creation, the
meter (chandas) called brahati and the maximum single digit.
(Incidentally, this number is important in the Bahai faith)
I could not understand the hidden
meanings beyond number eight. Only thing I am sure is that they refer to
arguments based on the differences between Samkhya philosophy and Advaita.
Ashtavakra lists 10 cardinal points,
10 months of pregnancy and 10 big teachers of the past. Vandin lists 11 objects
of enjoyment and 11 stages in the life cycle of animals. Ashtavakra lists the
following items for number 12: months of a year; number of feet in the meter (chandas) Jagati and the number of Adityas (which includes Vishnu and the
Sun). The number 12 also includes a list of 12 virtues such as truth,
self-restraint, tapas, forgiveness and charity.
Vandin starts with 13, but is not able to complete the list. Ashtavkara does
(13th month, 13 special sacrifices and 13 long poetic meters) and
thus wins the contest.
No comments:
Post a Comment