Shloka 74
Aṣṭāvakra–Strī-saṃvāda: Dhṛti, hospitality, and a dispute on autonomy
Devanagari script
ततः प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य कन्यास्तास्तमृषिं तदा
Transliteration
tataḥ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya kanyās tāstam ṛṣiṃ tadā
Translation
Luego aquellas doncellas circunvalaron respetuosamente al sabio, conforme al debido rito.
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततस्
FormAvyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')
प्रदक्षिणीकृत्यhaving circumambulated (reverentially)
प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रदक्षिणीकृ (धातु: कृ)
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable; 'having made pradakṣiṇā'
कन्याःthe maidens
कन्याः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकन्या
FormFeminine, nominative, plural
ताःthose (they)
ताः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, nominative, plural
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, accusative, singular
ऋषिम्the sage
ऋषिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, accusative, singular
तदाat that time, then
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
FormAvyaya (temporal adverb)
Speaker
सअद्टावक्र उवाच
Characters & Entities
K
kanyāḥ (maidens)Ṛ
ṛṣi (sage)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic etiquette: showing reverence to a sage through pradakṣiṇā, a culturally sanctioned act of honoring spiritual and moral authority.
In the flow of the episode, the maidens approach the sage and, at that moment, perform a respectful circumambulation of him, signaling acceptance of his status and their adherence to proper conduct.