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

Aṣṭāvakra nói: “Hỡi phu nhân cao quý, tâm ta không vướng mắc nơi vợ của người khác. Cầu điều lành đến với nàng—hãy đứng dậy khỏi đây, và tự mình dứt bỏ hành vi tội lỗi này.”

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.