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

อัษฏาวักระกล่าวว่า “ดุจดังความใคร่เป็นที่รักของสตรี และสตรีโดยสันดานย่อมเอนเอียงไปสู่ความรักและความแนบชิด ฉันนั้นแล ในหมู่สตรีนับพัน บางคราวจึงจะพบได้เพียงหนึ่งเดียวที่ได้มาอย่างแท้จริง—เป็นคู่ครองอันหาได้ยาก”

Word by Word

प्रियाःdear, beloved

स्त्रीणाम्of women

यथाas, just as

कामःdesire, love

रतिशीलाःgiven to pleasure (sexual enjoyment)

हिindeed, for

योषितःwomen

सहस्रेin a thousand

किलit is said, indeed

नारीणाम्of women

प्राप्यhaving obtained, having found

एकाone (single)

कदाचनsometimes, ever/at any time

Speaker

अष्टावक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

Aṣṭāvakra

women (striyaḥ/yoṣitaḥ/nāryaḥ)

kāma (desire)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores discernment in relationships: desire and attraction are common human impulses, but a truly fitting, exceptional partner is rare and is ‘attained’ only sometimes—implying the need for restraint, careful choice, and ethical conduct rather than being driven merely by kāma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aṣṭāvakra is speaking in a didactic context within Anuśāsana Parva, offering observations about human tendencies and the rarity of an ideal companion, as part of broader moral instruction on conduct and values.