Shloka 11

Aṣṭāvakra–Strī-saṃvāda: Dhṛti, hospitality, and a dispute on autonomy

Devanagari script

निर्वेष्टकामस्तु पुरा अष्टावक्रो महातपा: । ऋषेरथ वदान्यस्य वत्रे कन्यां महात्मन:,पूर्वकालकी बात है, महातपस्वी अष्टावक्र विवाह करना चाहते थे, उन्होंने इसके लिये महात्मा वदान्य ऋषिसे उनकी कन्या माँगी

Transliteration

nirveṣṭakāmas tu purā aṣṭāvakro mahātapāḥ | ṛṣer atha vadānyasya vavre kanyāṁ mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: In alter Zeit begehrte der große Asket Aṣṭāvakra, da er zu heiraten wünschte, die Tochter des edlen Weisen Vadānya, eines großherzigen und freigebigen ṛṣi. Diese Begebenheit zeigt, wie selbst ein Leben der Askese sich dem häuslichen Pflichtweg gemäß dem Dharma zuwenden kann, und wie eine Ehe durch rechtmäßige Bitte und zustimmendes Einverständnis im Rahmen des Dharma angebahnt wird.

Word by Word

निर्वेष्टकामःdesirous of marriage (lit. having the desire to be unbound/loosed)

तुbut/indeed

पुराformerly/once

अष्टावक्रःAṣṭāvakra (name of a sage)

महातपाःgreat ascetic

ऋषेःof the sage

अथthen/and now

वदान्यस्यof the generous (one)

वत्रेin/at Vatra (place-name) / in the (so-called) Vatra

कन्याम्a daughter/maiden

महात्मनःof the great-souled (sage)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Aṣṭāvakra

Sage Vadānya

Vadānya's daughter (kanyā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames marriage as a dharmic transition: even a powerful ascetic may legitimately enter household life, but the step is taken through proper approach—formally seeking a bride from her guardian within accepted social and ethical norms.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins an old account: the ascetic Aṣṭāvakra wished to marry and therefore asked the sage Vadānya for his daughter, setting up the circumstances for the ensuing story and its moral implications.