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?
Sinabi ng babae: “O pinakamainam sa mga brāhmaṇa, mula pa sa aking pagkadalaga ay namuhay ako sa brahmacarya; kaya ako’y tunay na dalaga—walang alinlangan. Ngayon, gawin mo akong asawa. Huwag mong wasakin ang aking pananampalataya.” Sumagot si Aṣṭāvakra: “Kung ano ang kalagayan ko, gayon din ang sa iyo; at kung ano ang sa iyo, gayon din ang sa akin. Iniisip ko kung ito ba’y isang pagsubok na inihanda ng mapagbigay na ṛṣi, o kung ito nga’y isang hadlang na naglalayong guluhin ang wastong landas.”
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.