Shloka 10
प्रतीप–गङ्गा संवादः तथा शंतनु–गङ्गा विवाहशर्तिः
Pratīpa and Gaṅgā; Śaṃtanu’s marriage condition
अद्टक उवाच कथंस्विद् वसतो<रण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः । ग्रामे वा वसतो5रण्यं कथं भवति पृष्ठतः,अष्टकने पूछा--अरण्यमें निवास करनेवालेके लिये ग्राम और ग्राममें निवास करनेवालेके लिये अरण्य पीछे कैसे है?
Aṣṭaka uvāca: kathaṃ svid vasato ’raṇye grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ | grāme vā vasato ’raṇyaṃ kathaṃ bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ ||
Aṣṭaka fragte: „Wie kommt es, dass für den im Wald Wohnenden das Dorf ‘hinten’ sein soll? Und wie kommt es, dass für den im Dorf Wohnenden der Wald ‘hinten’ sein soll?“
अद्टक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse probes the idea that ‘behind’ can signify what one has relinquished or deprioritized: the forest-dweller leaves social life behind, while the village-dweller leaves solitude/renunciation behind—highlighting how one’s chosen dharma shapes one’s orientation and attachments.
Aṣṭaka poses a pointed question to clarify a prior statement or riddle-like teaching: he asks how the village can be ‘behind’ for a forest resident and how the forest can be ‘behind’ for a village resident, seeking the intended philosophical sense rather than mere geography.