The Old Woman Becomes a Maiden; Ashtavakra Holds to Restraint

Verse 1 (13.51.1)

अथ सा स्त्री तमुवाच विप्रमेवं भवत्विति । तैलं दिव्यमुपादाय स्नानशाटीमुपानयत् ॥

atha sā strī tamuvāca vipramevaṃ bhavatviti | tailaṃ divyamupādāya snānaśāṭīmupānayat

Then the woman said to the Brahmin, 'So be it,' and taking divine oil she brought a bathing cloth.

Verse 2 (13.51.2)

अनुज्ञाता च मुनिना सा स्त्री तेन महात्मना । अथास्य तैलेनाङ्गानि सर्वाण्येवाभ्यमृक्षत ॥

anujñātā ca muninā sā strī tena mahātmanā | athāsya tailenāṅgāni sarvāṇyevābhyamṛkṣata

With leave from the great-souled sage, the woman then anointed all his limbs with the oil.

Verse 3 (13.51.3)

शनैश्चाच्छादितस्तत्र स्नानशालामुपागमत् । भद्रासनं ततश्चित्रमृषिरन्वगमन्नवम् ॥

śanaiścācchāditastatra snānaśālāmupāgamat | bhadrāsanaṃ tataścitramṛṣiranvagamannavam

Gently covered, he went to the bathing hall, and the sage then came to a handsome new seat of honour.

Note on the text: Differs from CE 13.21.3a ('śanaiś cotsāditas tatra snānaśālām upāgamat'): Wikisource reads शनैश्चाच्छादितस्तत्र; the page's own commentary records the CE-like variant (ड.झ. पाठ). Wikisource's reading is kept (recension variant). Second line = CE 13.21.3c.

Verse 4 (13.51.4)

अथोपविष्टश्च यदा तस्मिन्भद्रासने तदा । स्नापयामास शनकैस्तमृषिं सुखहस्तवत् । दिव्यं च विधिवच्चक्रे सोपचारं मुनेस्तदा ॥

athopaviṣṭaśca yadā tasminbhadrāsane tadā | snāpayāmāsa śanakaistamṛṣiṃ sukhahastavat | divyaṃ ca vidhivaccakre sopacāraṃ munestadā

When he was seated on that seat of honour, she bathed the sage gently, with a soothing touch of the hands, and rendered the divine service to the sage in due form, with every attention.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed (13-51-4a,b,c) = CE 13.21.4a, 4c and 4e.

Verse 5 (13.51.5)

जलेन सुसुखोष्णेन तस्या हस्तसुखेन च । व्यतीतां रजनीं कृत्स्नां नाजानात्स महाव्रतः ॥

jalena susukhoṣṇena tasyā hastasukhena ca | vyatītāṃ rajanīṃ kṛtsnāṃ nājānātsa mahāvrataḥ

With the pleasantly warm water and the comfort of her hands, that man of great vows did not notice the whole night pass.

Verse 6 (13.51.6)

तत उत्थाय स मुनिस्तदा परमविस्मितः । पूर्वस्यां दिशि सूर्यं च सोऽपश्यदुदितं दिवि ॥

tata utthāya sa munistadā paramavismitaḥ | pūrvasyāṃ diśi sūryaṃ ca so'paśyaduditaṃ divi

Then the sage rose, greatly astonished, and saw the sun risen in the sky in the east.

Verse 7 (13.51.7)

सन्ध्योपासनमित्येव सर्वपापहरं न मे । तस्य बुद्धिरियं किन्तु मोहस्तत्त्वमिदं भवेत् ॥

sandhyopāsanamityeva sarvapāpaharaṃ na me | tasya buddhiriyaṃ kintu mohastattvamidaṃ bhavet

He thought, 'The twilight worship, which removes all sin, has not been done by me.' And this doubt came to him: 'Is this delusion, or is it real?'

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick and closing quote from the first line. First line = CE star line 13,021.006d*0195_01 ('saṃdhyopāsanam ity āho sarvapāpaharaṃ name'); second line = CE 13.21.7a. A thought of Ashtavakra, kept with the narrator.

Verse 8 (13.51.8)

अथोपास्य सहस्रांशुं किं करोमीत्युवाच ताम् । सा चामृतरसप्रख्यं ऋषेरन्नमुपाहरत् ॥

athopāsya sahasrāṃśuṃ kiṃ karomītyuvāca tām | sā cāmṛtarasaprakhyaṃ ṛṣerannamupāharat

Then, having worshipped the sun of a thousand rays, he said to her, 'What shall I do?' And she brought the sage food that tasted like nectar.

Note on the text: Corrected कोरमीत्युवाच → करोमीत्युवाच (misprint in Wikisource; कोरमी is not a word; करोमि, 'what shall I do', as the CE reads (karomīty)). Corrected क्रषेरन्नम् → ऋषेरन्नम् (misprint in Wikisource; क्र for ऋ; ऋषेरन्नम्, the sage's food, as the CE reads (ṛṣer annam)). Lines = CE 13.21.7c and 8a.

Verse 9 (13.51.9)

तस्य स्वादुतयाऽन्नस्य न प्रभूतं चकार सः । व्यगमच्चाप्यहःशेषं ततः सन्ध्याऽऽगमत्पुनः ॥

tasya svādutayā'nnasya na prabhūtaṃ cakāra saḥ | vyagamaccāpyahaḥśeṣaṃ tataḥ sandhyā''gamatpunaḥ

So sweet was the food that he never called it enough. The rest of the day passed, and then twilight came again.

Note on the text: Corrected व्यगमच्चाप्यहःशेष → व्यगमच्चाप्यहःशेषं (misprint in Wikisource; अहःशेष is not a valid form here; the accusative अहःशेषं, 'the rest of the day', as the CE reads (ahaḥśeṣaṃ)). Lines = CE 13.21.8c and 8e.

Verse 10 (13.51.10)

अथ सा स्त्री भगवन्तं सुप्यतामित्यचोदयत् । तत्र वै शयने दिव्ये तस्य तस्याश्च कल्पिते ॥

atha sā strī bhagavantaṃ supyatāmityacodayat | tatra vai śayane divye tasya tasyāśca kalpite

Then the woman urged the venerable one, 'Sleep.' In that divine chamber beds had been laid for him and for her.

Verse 11 (13.51.11)

पृथक्चैव तथा सुप्तौ सा स्त्री स च मुनिस्तदा । तथाऽर्धरात्रे सा स्त्री तु शयनं तदुपागमत् ॥

pṛthakcaiva tathā suptau sā strī sa ca munistadā | tathā'rdharātre sā strī tu śayanaṃ tadupāgamat

The woman and the sage lay apart; and then at midnight the woman came to his bed.

Note on the text: Corrected पृथक्र्वैव → पृथक्चैव (misprint in Wikisource; र्व for च; पृथक् चैव, 'and apart', as the CE reads (pṛthak caiva)). Corrected तथाऽर्थरात्रे → तथाऽर्धरात्रे (misprint in Wikisource; र्थ for र्ध; अर्धरात्रे, 'at midnight', as the CE reads (ardharātre)). Removed the editor's square brackets ([ … ]) and the stray ।।] after the last word. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13,021.009d*0197_01-02.

Verse 12 (13.51.12)

न भद्रे परदारेषु मनो मे सम्प्रसज्जति । उत्तिष्ठ भद्रे भद्रं ते स्वापं वै विरमस्व च ॥

na bhadre paradāreṣu mano me samprasajjati | uttiṣṭha bhadre bhadraṃ te svāpaṃ vai viramasva ca

Good lady, my mind does not cling to another man's wife. Get up, fair one; blessings on you. Go back to sleep, and desist.

Verse 13 (13.51.13)

सा तदा तेन विप्रेण तथा धृत्या निवर्तिता । स्वतन्त्राऽस्मीत्युवाचर्षिं न धर्मच्छलमस्ति ते ॥

sā tadā tena vipreṇa tathā dhṛtyā nivartitā | svatantrā'smītyuvācarṣiṃ na dharmacchalamasti te

Checked then by the Brahmin through his steadiness, she said to the sage, 'I am free; there is no deceit against dharma in this for you.'

Verse 14 (13.51.14)

नास्ति स्वतन्त्रता स्त्रीणामस्वतन्त्रा हि योषितः । प्रजापतिमतं ह्येतन्न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हति ॥

nāsti svatantratā strīṇāmasvatantrā hi yoṣitaḥ | prajāpatimataṃ hyetanna strī svātantryamarhati

Women have no independence; women are dependent. This is the teaching of Prajapati: a woman does not deserve independence.

Verse 15 (13.51.15)

बाधते मैथुनं विप्र मम भक्तिं च पश्य वै । अधर्मं प्राप्स्यसे विप्र यन्मां त्वं नाभिनन्दसि ॥

bādhate maithunaṃ vipra mama bhaktiṃ ca paśya vai | adharmaṃ prāpsyase vipra yanmāṃ tvaṃ nābhinandasi

Desire for union afflicts me, Brahmin; and see my devotion. You will incur sin, Brahmin, if you do not welcome me.

Note on the text: Corrected बाधने → बाधते (misprint in Wikisource; बाधने is not a verb form; बाधते, 'afflicts', as the CE reads (bādhate)).

Verse 16 (13.51.16)

हरन्ति दोषजातानि नरमिन्द्रियकिङ्करम् । प्रभवामि सदा धृत्या भद्रे स्वशयनं व्रज ॥

haranti doṣajātāni naramindriyakiṅkaram | prabhavāmi sadā dhṛtyā bhadre svaśayanaṃ vraja

Faults carry off a man who is the servant of his senses. I always rule myself by steadiness, good lady; go back to your own bed.

Note on the text: Differs in the first line from CE 13.21.14a ('haranti doṣajātāni naraṃ jātaṃ yathecchakam'): Wikisource reads नरमिन्द्रियकिङ्करम् for the CE's 'naraṃ jātaṃ yathecchakam'; the second line is the CE's 14c. Wikisource's reading is kept (recension variant).

Verse 17 (13.51.17)

शिरसा प्रणमे विप्र प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि । भूमौ निपतमानायाः शरणं भव मेऽनघ ॥

śirasā praṇame vipra prasādaṃ kartumarhasi | bhūmau nipatamānāyāḥ śaraṇaṃ bhava me'nagha

I bow my head, Brahmin; you ought to show me grace. I fall to the ground before you; be my refuge, sinless one.

Verse 18 (13.51.18)

यदि वा दोषजातं त्वं परदारेषु पश्यसि । आत्मानं स्पर्शयाम्यद्य पाणिं गृह्णीष्व मे द्विज ॥

yadi vā doṣajātaṃ tvaṃ paradāreṣu paśyasi | ātmānaṃ sparśayāmyadya pāṇiṃ gṛhṇīṣva me dvija

Or if you see some fault in going to another man's wife, I give myself to you today; take my hand, Brahmin.

Verse 19 (13.51.19)

न दोषो भविता चैव सत्येनैतद्ब्रवीम्यहम् । स्वतन्त्रां मां विजानीहि यो धर्मः सोस्तु वै मयि । त्वय्यावेशितचित्ता च स्वतन्त्राऽस्मि भजस्व माम् ॥

na doṣo bhavitā caiva satyenaitadbravīmyaham | svatantrāṃ māṃ vijānīhi yo dharmaḥ sostu vai mayi | tvayyāveśitacittā ca svatantrā'smi bhajasva mām

There will be no fault; I say this by the truth. Know me to be free; whatever dharma there is in this, let it rest upon me. With my heart fixed on you, I am free; accept me.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed (13-51-19a,b,c) = CE 13.21.17a, 17c and the star line 13,021.017d*0198_01. The line 'यो धर्मः सोस्तु वै मयि' keeps the page's reading (the CE has 'yo ’dharmaḥ so ’stu vai mayi'); the page's commentary glosses धर्म as the marriage rite.

Verse 20 (13.51.20)

स्वतन्त्रा त्वं कथं भद्रे ब्रूहि कारणमत्र वै । नास्ति त्रिलोके स्त्री काचिद्या वै स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हति ॥

svatantrā tvaṃ kathaṃ bhadre brūhi kāraṇamatra vai | nāsti triloke strī kācidyā vai svātantryamarhati

How are you free, good lady? Tell me the reason in this matter. There is no woman in the three worlds who deserves independence.

Note on the text: First line = CE 13.21.18a; the second line differs from the CE (18c 'nāsti loke hi kā cit strī yā vai svātantryam arhati'); Wikisource's reading is kept (recension variant). The CE's star line 13,021.018*0199_01 is not in Wikisource.

Verse 21 (13.51.21)

पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने । पुत्रस्तु स्थाविरे भावे न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हति । न वृद्धामक्षतां मन्ये न चेच्छा त्वयि मेऽनघे ॥

pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvane | putrastu sthāvire bhāve na strī svātantryamarhati | na vṛddhāmakṣatāṃ manye na cecchā tvayi me'naghe

A father protects her in childhood, a husband in youth, and sons in old age; a woman does not deserve independence. I do not take you for one who is old and yet unharmed, and I have no wish for you, sinless one.

Note on the text: Corrected च चेच्छा → न चेच्छा (misprint in Wikisource; च for न; the line needs a negation, 'nor have I desire', as the CE reads (na cecchā)). Removed a stray backtick and closing quote from the third line. Lines 1-2 = CE 13.21.19a and 19c; line 3 = CE star line 13,021.019d*0200_01 (the CE reads अक्षमाम् for अक्षताम् here; Wikisource's word is kept).

Verse 22 (13.51.22)

कौमारं ब्रह्मचर्यं मे कन्यैवास्मि न संशयः । पत्नीं कुरुष्व मां विप्र श्रद्धां विजहि मा मम ॥

kaumāraṃ brahmacaryaṃ me kanyaivāsmi na saṃśayaḥ | patnīṃ kuruṣva māṃ vipra śraddhāṃ vijahi mā mama

My chastity is that of girlhood; I am a maiden, without doubt. Make me your wife, Brahmin, and do not shatter my hope.

Note on the text: First line = CE 13.21.20a; second line differs from the CE (20c 'kuru mā vimatiṃ vipra śraddhāṃ vijahi mā mama'): Wikisource has पत्नीं कुरुष्व मां विप्र for the CE's first half; Wikisource's reading is kept (recension variant).

Verse 23 (13.51.23)

यथा मम तथा तुभ्यं यथा तुभ्यं तथा मम । जिज्ञासेयमृषेस्तस्य विघ्नः सत्यं नु किं भवेत् ॥

yathā mama tathā tubhyaṃ yathā tubhyaṃ tathā mama | jijñāseyamṛṣestasya vighnaḥ satyaṃ nu kiṃ bhavet

'What is so for me is so for you, and what is so for you is so for me.' Then he thought: 'This may be a testing of the sage; or can it be a real obstacle?'

Note on the text: First line is Ashtavakra's speech, second line his thought; the verse is kept with him as the printed speaker. Lines = CE 13.21.21a and 21c (the CE's star line 21b*0201_01 is not in Wikisource).

Verse 24 (13.51.24)

आश्चर्यं परमं हीदं किन्नु श्रेयो हि मे भवेत् । दिव्याभरणवस्त्रा हि कन्येयं मामुपस्थिता ॥

āścaryaṃ paramaṃ hīdaṃ kinnu śreyo hi me bhavet | divyābharaṇavastrā hi kanyeyaṃ māmupasthitā

'This is the greatest wonder. What would be best for me? This maiden in divine ornaments and garments has come before me.'

Note on the text: Ashtavakra's unspoken thought, so kept with the narrator; the page prints it under Ashtavakra's heading carried over from the previous verse.

Verse 25 (13.51.25)

किं त्वस्याः परमं रूपं जीर्णमासीत्कथं पुनः । कन्यारूपमिहाद्यैवं किमिवात्रोत्तरं भवेत् ॥

kiṃ tvasyāḥ paramaṃ rūpaṃ jīrṇamāsītkathaṃ punaḥ | kanyārūpamihādyaivaṃ kimivātrottaraṃ bhavet

'But her supreme beauty was aged; how, then, is it a maiden's form here and now? What can the answer to this be?'

Note on the text: Ashtavakra's unspoken thought, so kept with the narrator; the page prints it under Ashtavakra's heading carried over.

Verse 26 (13.51.26)

यथा मे परमा शक्तिर्न व्युत्थाने कथंचन । न रोचते हि व्युत्थानं सत्येनासादयाम्यहम् ॥

yathā me paramā śaktirna vyutthāne kathaṃcana | na rocate hi vyutthānaṃ satyenāsādayāmyaham

'Since my power of restraint is supreme, I shall never deviate from it. Transgression pleases me not; I shall gain my end by truth.'

Note on the text: Ashtavakra's unspoken thought, so kept with the narrator; the page prints it under Ashtavakra's heading carried over. Input had no automatic match; the lines are CE 13.21.24a and 24c (CE 'yathā paraṃ śaktidhṛter na vyutthāsye kathaṃ cana / na rocaye hi vyutthānaṃ dhṛtyaivaṃ sādhayāmy aham'); Wikisource's reading is kept (recension variant).