तान्होवाच, ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो, यो वो ब्रह्मिष्ठः स एता गा उदजतामिति । ते ह ब्राह्मणा न दधृषुः; अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्यः स्वमेव ब्रह्मचारिणमुवाच, एताः एतास् सोम्योदज सामश्रवा3 इति; ता होदाचकार; ते ह ब्राह्मणाश्चुक्रुधुः, कथं नो ब्रह्मिष्ठो ब्रुवीतेति; अथ ह जनकस्य वैदेहस्य होताश्वलो बभूव; स हैनं पप्रच्छ, त्वं नु खलु नो याज्ञवल्क्य ब्रह्मिष्ठो’सी3 इति; स होवाच, नमो वयं ब्रह्मिष्ठाय कुर्मः, गोकामा एव वयं स्म इति; तं ह तत एव प्रष्टुं दध्रे होताश्वलः ॥ २ ॥
tānhovāca, brāhmaṇā bhagavanto, yo vo brahmiṣṭhaḥ sa etā gā udajatāmiti | te ha brāhmaṇā na dadhṛṣuḥ; atha ha yājñavalkyaḥ svameva brahmacāriṇamuvāca, etāḥ etās somyodaja sāmaśravā3 iti; tā hodācakāra; te ha brāhmaṇāścukrudhuḥ, kathaṃ no brahmiṣṭho bruvīteti; atha ha janakasya vaidehasya hotāśvalo babhūva; sa hainaṃ papraccha, tvaṃ nu khalu no yājñavalkya brahmiṣṭho’sī3 iti; sa hovāca, namo vayaṃ brahmiṣṭhāya kurmaḥ, gokāmā eva vayaṃ sma iti; taṃ ha tata eva praṣṭuṃ dadhre hotāśvalaḥ || 2 ||
2. He said to them, ‘Revered Brāhmaṇas, let him who is the best Vedic scholar among you drive these cows (home).’ None of the Brāhmaṇas dared. Then Yājñavalkya said to a pupil of his, ‘Dear Sāmaśravas, please drive these cows (home).’ He drove them. The Brāhmaṇas were enraged. ‘How does he dare to call himself the best Vedic scholar among us?’ There was a Hotṛ of Emperor Janaka of Videha named Aśvala. He now asked Yājñavalkya, ‘Yājñavalkya, are you indeed the best Vedic scholar among us?’ Yājñavalkya replied, ‘I bow to the best Vedic scholar, I just want the cows.’ Thereupon the Hotṛ Aśvala determined to interrogate him.
Having the cows thus confined, he said addressing those Brāhmaṇas, ‘Revered Brāhmaṇas, you are all Vedic scholars; let him who is specially so among you drive these cows home.’ None of the Brāhmaṇas thus addressed dared to announce his surpassing Vedic scholarship. When they were thus silenced Yājña-valkya said to a pupil of his, ‘Dear Sāmaśravas, please drive these cows home.’ ‘Sāmaśravas’ means one who learns how to chant the Sāman. Hence by implication Yājñavalkya is made out to be versed in all the four Vedas. He drove the cows towards his teacher’s home. Yājñavalyka, by accepting the prize meant for the best Vedic scholar, indirectly declared himself as such; so the Brāhmaṇas were enraged. The reason for their anger is being stated: How does he dare to call himself the best Vedic scholar among us who are each a great scholar? Among the Brāhmaṇas thus enraged, there was a Hotṛ of Janaka, the sacrificer, named Aśvala. He prided himself upon being the greatest Vedic scholar, and was insolent owing to royal patronage. So he challenged Yāiṅavalkva as follows: ‘Yājñavalkya, are you indeed the best Vedic scholar among us?’ The prolonged accent signifies censure. Yājñavalkya replied: ‘I bow to the best Vedic scholar, now I just want the cows.’ Thereupon, i.e. when he accepted the prize meant for the best Vedic scholar and thereby declared himself to be one, the Hotṛ Aśvala determined to interrogate him.