Shloka 53

Aṣṭāvakra’s Visit to Kubera: Hospitality, Temptation, and the Ethics of Restraint (अष्टावक्र-वैश्रवणोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

अब्रवीन्मां ततो माता दुःखिता रुदती भृशम्‌ | कौशिकेनाभ्यनुज्ञातं पुत्र वेदविभूषितम्‌

Transliteration

abravīn māṃ tato mātā duḥkhitā rudatī bhṛśam | kauśikenābhyanujñātaṃ putra vedavibhūṣitam

Translation

แล้วมารดาของข้าพเจ้า ผู้ถูกความโศกครอบงำ ร่ำไห้อย่างหนัก ได้กล่าวแก่ข้าพเจ้าว่า “ลูกเอ๋ย เจ้าได้รับอนุญาตจากท่านเกาศิกะแล้ว และเจ้าก็ประดับด้วยความรู้แห่งพระเวท”

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दुःखिता: afflicted/sorrowful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• रुदती: weeping
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भृशम्: excessively/very much
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)

• कौशिकेन: by Kaushika
• कौशिकेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अभ्यनुज्ञातम्: permitted/approved
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-ज्ञा (धातु) / अभ्यनुज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्र: O son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वेदविभूषितम्: adorned with the Veda(s)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

गालव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गालव (Gālava)
• माता (mother of Gālava)
• कौशिक (Kauśika)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when a course of action is dharmically authorized by a respected authority and supported by sacred learning, it can still cause human sorrow—especially within family ties. The verse highlights the ethical tension between rightful duty and the pain of separation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Gālava reports that his mother, distressed and crying intensely, addressed him, noting that Kauśika has granted him permission and that he is equipped with Vedic knowledge—implying a sanctioned departure or undertaking that nonetheless grieves her.