Shloka 23
Aṣṭāvakra and the Woman: Disclosure, Permission, and Marital Resolution (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय २२)
स्त्री बोली--विप्रवर! मैं कुमारावस्थासे ही ब्रह्मचारिणी हूँ; अतः कन्या ही हूँ--इसमें संशय नहीं है। अब आप मुझे पत्नी बनाइये। मेरी श्रद्धाका नाश न कीजिये ।।
strī uvāca—vipravara! ahaṁ kumārāvasthāta eva brahmacāriṇī; ataḥ kanyā eva asmi—atra na saṁśayaḥ. adhunā tvaṁ māṁ patnīṁ kuru. mama śraddhā-nāśaṁ mā kārṣīḥ. aṣṭāvakra uvāca—yathā mama tathā tubhyaṁ, yathā tubhyaṁ tathā mama. jिज्ञासेयam ṛṣes tasya—vighnaḥ satyaṁ nu kiṁ bhavet?
ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ କହିଲା—ହେ ବିପ୍ରବର, କୌମାର୍ୟରୁ ମୁଁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚାରିଣୀ; ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ କନ୍ୟା ହିଁ—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ। ଏବେ ମୋତେ ପତ୍ନୀ କରନ୍ତୁ; ମୋର ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାକୁ ନଷ୍ଟ କରନ୍ତୁ ନାହିଁ। ଅଷ୍ଟାବକ୍ର କହିଲେ—ଯେପରି ମୋର ଅବସ୍ଥା, ସେପରି ତୁମର; ଯେପରି ତୁମର, ସେପରି ମୋର। ଏହା କି ସେ ଦାନଶୀଳ ଋଷିଙ୍କ ରଚିତ ପରୀକ୍ଷା, ନା ସତ୍ୟସତ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ବିଘ୍ନ?
अष्टावक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights discernment in dharma: even when a proposal appears righteous (marriage requested by a self-declared celibate maiden), one should examine context and intention, guarding faith (śraddhā) while also suspecting possible deception or a deliberate test.
A woman asserts her lifelong celibacy and asks to be accepted as a wife, pleading that her faith not be harmed. Aṣṭāvakra responds cautiously, noting a symmetry in their situations and wondering whether a sage is testing him or whether the event is a genuine impediment meant to obstruct the proper path.