Shloka 12

Aṣṭāvakra and the Woman: Disclosure, Permission, and Marital Resolution (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय २२)

Devanagari script

अष्टावक्र उवाच न भठद्रे परदारेषु मनो मे सम्प्रसज्जति । उत्तिष्ठ भद्रे भद्रं ते स्वयं वै विरमस्व च

Transliteration

aṣṭāvakra uvāca na bhadre paradāreṣu mano me samprasajjati | uttiṣṭha bhadre bhadraṁ te svayaṁ vai viramasva ca ||

Translation

अष्टावक्र उवाच—न भद्रे परदारेषु मनो मे सम्प्रसज्जति। उत्तिष्ठ भद्रे, भद्रं ते; स्वयं वै विरमस्व च॥

Word by Word

• अष्टावक्रः: Aṣṭāvakra
• अष्टावक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टावक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady / O good one
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• परदारेषु: in others' wives
• परदारेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परदार
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मे: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सम्प्रसज्जति: becomes attached / clings
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उत्तिष्ठ: rise, stand up
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भद्रे: O good lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• भद्रम्: good fortune / welfare
• भद्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• स्वयम्: yourself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विरमस्व: desist, refrain
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

अष्टावक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aṣṭāvakra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches restraint and fidelity to dharma: one should not let the mind become attached to another’s spouse, and one should voluntarily withdraw from actions recognized as sinful.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aṣṭāvakra addresses a woman who is attempting an improper advance or urging an illicit relationship. He refuses, affirms his non-attachment to another’s wife, and instructs her to leave and abandon the wrongful intention.