Shloka 53
Aṣṭāvakra’s Visit to Kubera: Hospitality, Temptation, and the Ethics of Restraint (अष्टावक्र-वैश्रवणोपाख्यानम्)
अब्रवीन्मां ततो माता दुःखिता रुदती भृशम् | कौशिकेनाभ्यनुज्ञातं पुत्र वेदविभूषितम्
abravīn māṃ tato mātā duḥkhitā rudatī bhṛśam | kauśikenābhyanujñātaṃ putra vedavibhūṣitam
Bấy giờ mẹ ta, lòng ngập sầu khổ, khóc nức nở, nói với ta: “Con ơi, Kauśika đã cho phép con, và con được trang nghiêm bằng học vấn Veda.”
गालव उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.