Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

अष्टावक्र उवाच किं द्रष्टव्यं मया तत्र वक्तुमहति मे भवान्‌ | तथेदानीं मया कार्य यथा वक्ष्यति मां भवान्‌,अष्टावक्रने पूछा--महर्षे! उत्तर दिशामें जाकर मुझे किसका दर्शन करना होगा? आप यह बतानेकी कृपा करें तथा उस समय मुझे क्या और किस प्रकार करना चाहिये, यह भी आप ही बतायेंगे

Transliteration

Aṣṭāvakra uvāca: kiṁ draṣṭavyaṁ mayā tatra vaktum arhati me bhavān | tathā idānīṁ mayā kāryaṁ yathā vakṣyati māṁ bhavān ||

Translation

Aṣṭāvakra berkata: “Apakah yang harus aku lihat di sana? Mohon tuan berkenan memberitahuku. Dan sekarang, apakah yang harus aku lakukan, dan dengan cara bagaimana—sebagaimana tuan akan mengajar, demikianlah aku akan bertindak.”

Word by Word

• अष्टावक्रः: Aṣṭāvakra (the sage)
• अष्टावक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टावक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्रष्टव्यम्: is to be seen / should be seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• वक्तुम्: to tell / to say
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• अर्हति: is able / is fit / should
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive/Dative, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• इदानीम्: now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम्

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• कार्यम्: what is to be done / duty
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as / in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वक्ष्यति: will tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), 3rd, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अष्टावक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• अष्टावक्र (Aṣṭāvakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined receptivity: a seeker asks not only what is to be known or seen, but also how to act, committing to follow the teacher’s guidance—an ethical posture of humility and obedience to dharmic instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aṣṭāvakra, preparing to go to a previously indicated place (implied by “there”), asks his revered interlocutor to specify whom/what he must see and what actions he should perform, signaling that his next steps will be governed by the sage’s directions.