Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 10
Aṣṭāvakra and the Woman: Disclosure, Permission, and Marital Resolution (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय २२)
अथ सा स्त्री भगवन्तं सुप्यतामित्यचोदयत् । तत्र वै शयने दिव्ये तस्य तस्याश्ष कल्पिते
atha sā strī bhagavantaṁ supyatām ity acodayat | tatra vai śayane divye tasya tasyāś ca kalpite |
भीष्म बोले—तब उस स्त्री ने भगवान् अष्टावक्र से कहा, “अब आप शयन कीजिए।” वहीं उसी स्थान पर दिव्य शय्या पर उनके लिए और उस स्त्री के लिए अलग-अलग दो शय्याएँ बिछा दी गईं।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights atithi-dharma (the duty of honoring a guest): a revered visitor is respectfully invited to rest, and proper arrangements are made. Ethical emphasis lies on courteous care, restraint, and propriety in hosting.
A woman addresses the revered sage Aṣṭāvakra, requesting him to sleep. In the same place, two fine beds are prepared—one for the sage and one for the woman—marking a transition in the episode to the night’s rest and the norms of hospitality.