Shloka 18
Aṣṭāvakra and the Woman: Disclosure, Permission, and Marital Resolution (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय २२)
यदि वा दोषजातं त्वं परदारेषु पश्यसि । आत्मानं स्पर्शयाम्यद्य पार्णिं गृह्ीष्व मे द्विज
yadi vā doṣajātaṃ tvaṃ paradāreṣu paśyasi | ātmānaṃ sparśayāmy adya pāṇiṃ gṛhṇīṣva me dvija-brahman ||
Aṣṭāvakra nói: “Nếu ngài thấy có lỗi trong việc giao hợp với vợ của người khác, thì hôm nay ta xin tự hiến mình cho ngài—hãy nắm lấy tay ta làm lễ thành hôn, hỡi bà-la-môn song sinh (dvija).”
अद्टावक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds sexual ethics within dharma: approaching another man’s wife is treated as a moral fault (doṣa). The speaker frames a remedy consistent with social-religious norms—legitimate union through pāṇigrahaṇa (marriage)—thereby contrasting illicit desire with sanctioned commitment.
Aṣṭāvakra addresses a brāhmaṇa and, anticipating or responding to concern about the wrongdoing of relations with another’s wife, offers herself and urges him to accept her hand in marriage. The speech functions as a moral pivot: if ‘paradāra’ is blameworthy, then the relationship should be regularized through lawful marriage.