Vaishampayana said: Ashtaka, impelled by curiosity, again asked his maternal grandfather, who was like Indra himself, “O king, I ask you, tell me truly, whence have you come? Who are you? and whose son are you?
वैशम्पायन उवाच मातामहं कौतुकेनेन्द्रकल्पम्॥ पृच्छामि त्वां नृपते ब्रूहि सत्यं कुतश्च कश्चासि सुतश्च कस्य। कृतं त्वया यद्धि न तस्य कर्ता लोके त्वदन्यः क्षत्रियो ब्राह्मणो वा॥