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Shloka 94

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

न भ्रातृनू न च भर्तारें न च पुत्रान्‌ न देवरान्‌ । लीलायन्त्य: कुलं घ्नन्ति कूलानीव सरिद्वरा: । दोषान्‌ सर्वाश्न मत्वा55शु प्रजापतिरभाषत

na bhrātṝnū na ca bhartāraṁ na ca putrān na devarān | līlāyantyaḥ kulaṁ ghnanti kūlānīva saridvarāḥ | doṣān sarvāśn matvāśu prajāpatir abhāṣata ||

„Sie schonen weder Brüder noch Gatten, weder Söhne noch Schwäger. Gleichsam spielend zerstören sie ein Geschlecht—wie ein mächtiger Strom seine Ufer unterwühlt. Als Prajāpati diese Fehler in ihrer ganzen Fülle erkannte, sprach er sogleich.“

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
भ्रातॄन्brothers
भ्रातॄन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभ्रातृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
नूनम्indeed, surely
नूनम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनूनम्
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
भर्तॄन्husbands
भर्तॄन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभर्तृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पुत्रान्sons
पुत्रान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
देवरान्brothers-in-law (husband's younger brothers)
देवरान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेवर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
लीलायन्त्यःsporting/playing (as if in play)
लीलायन्त्यः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootलीलायन्ती
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural, Present active participle (śatṛ), from denom. verb लीलायति
कुलम्family, lineage
कुलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
घ्नन्तिthey kill/destroy
घ्नन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
कूलानिbanks (river-banks)
कूलानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकूल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
सरित्river
सरित्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसरित्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
वराःexcellent, mighty
वराः:
TypeAdjective
Rootवर
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
दोषान्faults, defects
दोषान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदोष
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
सर्वान्all
सर्वान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
मत्वाhaving considered/knowing
मत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootमन्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा), Active
आशुquickly
आशु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआशु
प्रजापतिःPrajāpati (Lord of creatures)
प्रजापतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजापति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अभाषतspoke
अभाषत:
TypeVerb
Rootभाष्
FormAorist (luṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

अष्टावक्र उवाच

A
Aṣṭāvakra
P
Prajāpati
B
brothers
H
husbands
S
sons
B
brothers-in-law
F
family/lineage
R
river
R
riverbanks

Educational Q&A

Unchecked misconduct—portrayed as heedless ‘play’—can ruin an entire lineage, harming even the closest relations; therefore one should recognize such doṣas early and restrain them to protect dharma and family stability.

Aṣṭāvakra describes how destructive tendencies can sweep through a household, likening them to a strong river cutting away its banks; seeing these faults clearly, Prajāpati is said to respond immediately with instruction.