Vandi

Vandi was a son of Varuṇa. He served at the court of King Janaka of Videha as the royal scholar and champion in debate. He had set up a custom: any scholar who came to Janaka’s court and took up the challenge had to debate him, and whoever lost was thrown into the ocean. In this way Vandi defeated and drowned many great scholars, among them Kahoḍa, the father of Ashṭāvakra.

Vandi was finally defeated in debate by Ashṭāvakra, who was then twelve years old. Then Vandi told the true purpose behind it all. The drowned scholars had been taken alive to Varuṇa’s realm under the water to take part in a divine yajña. When the yajña was complete, all the scholars were released from the ocean.

The custom at Janaka’s court

The Mahābhārata tells of Vandi in the Vana Parva, Chapter 132. He was a formidable scholar, the son of Varuṇa, placed at the court of King Janaka. His custom was hard. Any scholar in Bhārata could come to Janaka’s court and challenge Vandi to a formal debate. Whoever lost was to be put into the ocean. The debate was a contest of words, and the one who could not answer lost.

Over time Vandi defeated many great paṇḍitas. One was Kahoḍa, the student and son-in-law of Uddālaka. He had gone to Janaka’s court to seek support and had accepted the challenge. Kahoḍa lost and was put into the ocean.

Kahoḍa’s son Ashṭāvakra was born with eight bends in his body, because Kahoḍa had laid a śāpa (a curse) on him in the womb for correcting his Vedic recitation. Ashṭāvakra grew up without knowing what had happened to his father. (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 132)

The debate with Ashṭāvakra

At the age of twelve, Ashṭāvakra learned the truth. He came to Janaka’s court with his uncle Śvetaketu. He argued his way past the doorkeepers and into the assembly. He silenced those who laughed at his crooked body. Janaka received him with respect, and then Ashṭāvakra took up the debate with Vandi. It was a formal contest of thought. Ashṭāvakra won, because Vandi could not answer his last challenge. (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 134)

Vandi tells the truth

Then Vandi told the whole truth. He was not an ordinary human scholar. He was the son of Varuṇa, sent to Janaka’s court for a divine purpose. Varuṇa had been performing a great yajña in his realm under the water. He needed the most learned scholars of the human world to complete it.

The scholars who had been “drowned” were not dead. They had been taken alive to take part in Varuṇa’s rite. Now that the yajña was complete, they were all being set free, and the ocean gave them back. (Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 134)

Vandi left to go back to Varuṇa’s realm. Kahoḍa was among those who were restored.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapters 132–134