Shloka 92

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

Devanagari script

प्रिया: स्त्रीणां यथा कामो रतिशीला हि योषित: । सहस्रे किल नारीणां प्राप्पेतेका कदाचन

Transliteration

priyāḥ strīṇāṃ yathā kāmo ratiśīlā hi yoṣitaḥ | sahasre kila nārīṇāṃ prāpyate ekā kadācana ||

Translation

Aṣṭāvakra berkata: “Sebagaimana hasrat itu dicintai oleh para wanita, dan wanita pada tabiatnya condong pada cinta dan keintiman, demikian pula—di antara ribuan wanita—kadang-kadang hanya satu yang sungguh-sungguh diperoleh, sebagai pendamping yang langka.”

Word by Word

• प्रियाः: dear, beloved
• प्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• कामः: desire, love
• कामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रतिशीलाः: given to pleasure (sexual enjoyment)
• रतिशीलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रतिशील
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• योषितः: women
• योषितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सहस्रे: in a thousand
• सहस्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• किल: it is said, indeed
• किल: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल

• नारीणाम्: of women
• नारीणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• प्राप्य: having obtained, having found
• प्राप्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• एका: one (single)
• एका: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कदाचन: sometimes, ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन

Speaker

अष्टावक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aṣṭāvakra
• women (striyaḥ/yoṣitaḥ/nāryaḥ)
• kāma (desire)