Ashtavakra Encounters King Janaka on the Road
Ashtavakra and Shvetaketu set out for King Janaka's sacrifice. On the road, Ashtavakra encounters the king himself and is restrained. He speaks words to Janaka — words that will set the stage for a confrontation with Bandi, the man who drowned his father.
Uddalaka learned that Kahoda had been defeated by a suta (charioteer's son) and drowned in the waters. He told Sujata: "This must be kept a secret from Ashtavakra."
She kept the secret extremely well. Ashtavakra grew up knowing nothing. He thought Uddalaka was his father and Shvetaketu was his brother.
When Ashtavakra was twelve years old, Shvetaketu saw him seated on Uddalaka's lap. He grasped him by the hand and told the weeping boy: "This is not your father's lap."
The words pierced his heart and remained there, making him extremely unhappy. Weeping, he went home and asked his mother: "Where is my father?"
Sujata was extremely distressed. Scared of being cursed, she told him everything.
Having learned the truth from his mother, Ashtavakra spoke to Shvetaketu. "Let us go to King Janaka's sacrifice. It has been heard that his sacrifice has many extraordinary things. We will hear debates among the brahmanas. We will also eat excellent food. We will become wiser. The chants of the brahman are auspicious and pacifying."
Thus the maternal uncle and nephew went to King Janaka's prosperous sacrifice. On the road, Ashtavakra encountered the king and was restrained. He spoke these words to him. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 429