01.146
Core-Pancharatra:Lamentation of Brahmani and duties of wife.
ब्राह्मण्युवाच॥
The Brahmin woman said:
न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः प्राकृतेनेव कर्हिचित् । न हि सन्तापकालोऽयं वैद्यस्य तव विद्यते ॥१॥
You should not grieve like an ordinary man. This is not a time for grief for one such as you, a physician.
अवश्यं निधनं सर्वैर्गन्तव्यमिह मानवैः । अवश्यभाविन्यर्थे वै सन्तापो नेह विद्यते ॥२॥
Death must be faced by all humans here. For what is inevitable, grief indeed has no place.
भार्या पुत्रोऽथ दुहिता सर्वमात्मार्थमिष्यते । व्यथां जहि सुबुद्ध्या त्वं स्वयं यास्यामि तत्र वै ॥३॥
Wife, son, and daughter — all are desired for self-interest. Abandon your sorrow with wise understanding; I shall go there myself indeed.
एतद्धि परमं नार्याः कार्यं लोके सनातनम् । प्राणानपि परित्यज्य यद्भर्तृहितमाचरेत् ॥४॥
This indeed is the highest and eternal duty of a woman in the world — to even abandon her life if it is for the welfare of her husband.
तच्च तत्र कृतं कर्म तवापीह सुखावहम् । भवत्यमुत्र चाक्षय्यं लोकेऽस्मिंश्च यशस्करम् ॥५॥
That deed done there brings you happiness here, becomes imperishable in the hereafter, and brings fame in this world.
एष चैव गुरुर्धर्मो यं प्रवक्षाम्यहं तव । अर्थश्च तव धर्मश्च भूयानत्र प्रदृश्यते ॥६॥
This indeed is a great duty which I shall tell you — your benefit and righteousness are both greater and evident herein.
यदर्थमिष्यते भार्या प्राप्तः सोऽर्थस्त्वया मयि । कन्या चैव कुमारश्च कृताहमनृणा त्वया ॥७॥
The purpose for which a wife is desired has been fulfilled by you in me; both a daughter and a son have been given — I am made free from debt by you.
समर्थः पोषणे चासि सुतयो रक्षणे तथा । न त्वहं सुतयोः शक्ता तथा रक्षणपोषणे ॥८॥
You are capable in nourishing and protecting the children, but I am not capable like that in their protection and nourishment.
मम हि त्वद्विहीनायाः सर्वकामा न आपदः । कथं स्यातां सुतौ बालौ भवेयं च कथं त्वहम् ॥९॥
Indeed, for me deprived of you, even possessing all pleasures, there is only distress. How will the two sons, still children, be? How shall I be?
कथं हि विधवानाथा बालपुत्रा विना त्वया । मिथुनं जीवयिष्यामि स्थिता साधुगते पथि ॥१०॥
How indeed, as a widow without support and with young sons, shall I sustain the household, abiding in the noble path, without you?
अहङ्कृतावलिप्तैश्च प्रार्थ्यमानामिमां सुताम् । अयुक्तैस्तव सम्बन्धे कथं शक्ष्यामि रक्षितुम् ॥११॥
When this daughter is being solicited by arrogant and proud men, how shall I be able to protect her from unworthy suitors in relation to you?
उत्सृष्टमामिषं भूमौ प्रार्थयन्ति यथा खगाः । प्रार्थयन्ति जनाः सर्वे वीरहीनां तथा स्त्रियम् ॥१२॥
Just as birds seek abandoned flesh on the ground, so too do all men seek a woman who is bereft of her protector.
साहं विचाल्यमाना वै प्रार्थ्यमाना दुरात्मभिः । स्थातुं पथि न शक्ष्यामि सज्जनेष्टे द्विजोत्तम ॥१३॥
I, being shaken and solicited by wicked men, will not be able to remain in the path dear to the virtuous, O best of Brahmins.
कथं तव कुलस्यैकामिमां बालामसंस्कृताम् । पितृपैतामहे मार्गे नियोक्तुमहमुत्सहे ॥१४॥
How can I entrust this only untrained young girl of your lineage to the ancestral path?
कथं शक्ष्यामि बालेऽस्मिन्गुणानाधातुमीप्षितान् । अनाथे सर्वतो लुप्ते यथा त्वं धर्मदर्शिवान् ॥१५॥
How shall I be able to instill the desired virtues in this orphaned girl, bereft of all support, as you did being a seer of dharma?
इमामपि च ते बालामनाथां परिभूय माम् । अनर्हाः प्रार्थयिष्यन्ति शूद्रा वेदश्रुतिं यथा ॥१६॥
These unworthy men will disregard me and seek your orphaned young daughter, just as Śūdras seek the Vedic knowledge.
तां चेदहं न दित्सेयं त्वद्गुणैरुपबृंहिताम् । प्रमथ्यैनां हरेयुस्ते हविर्ध्वाङ्क्षा इवाध्वरात् ॥१७॥
If I do not give this girl, adorned with your virtues, those men would seize and carry her away like vultures snatching the oblation from a sacrifice.
सम्प्रेक्षमाणा पुत्रं ते नानुरूपमिवात्मनः । अनर्हवशमापन्नामिमां चापि सुतां तव ॥१८॥
Seeing your son as if unworthy of you, and this daughter too fallen under the sway of the unworthy…
अवज्ञाता च लोकस्य तथात्मानमजानती । अवलिप्तैर्नरैर्ब्रह्मन्मरिष्यामि न संशयः ॥१९॥
Disrespected by society and unaware of myself, oppressed by arrogant men — O Brahmin, I shall die without doubt.
तौ विहीनौ मया बालौ त्वया चैव ममात्मजौ । विनश्येतां न संदेहो मत्स्याविव जलक्षये ॥२०॥
My two sons, bereft of you and me, would surely perish like fish in a waterless place — there is no doubt of it.
त्रितयं सर्वथाप्येवं विनशिष्यत्यसंशयम् । त्वया विहीनं तस्मात्त्वं मां परित्यक्तुमर्हसि ॥२१॥
This trio will surely perish in every way if abandoned by you — therefore, you ought not to abandon me.
व्युष्टिरेषा परा स्त्रीणां पूर्वं भर्तुः परा गतिः । न तु ब्राह्मणपुत्राणां विषये परिवर्तितुम् ॥२२॥
This separation is the supreme path for women — the former and highest course is towards the husband, not to be altered for the sons of Brahmins.
परित्यक्तः सुतश्चायं दुहितेयं तथा मया । बान्धवाश्च परित्यक्तास्त्वदर्थं जीवितं च मे ॥२३॥
This son and this daughter have been forsaken by me; all kinsmen too have been abandoned — my life itself is for your sake.
यज्ञैस्तपोभिर्नियमैर्दानैश्च विविधैस्तथा । विशिष्यते स्त्रिया भर्तुर्नित्यं प्रियहिते स्थितिः ॥२४॥
Abiding always in what is dear and beneficial to her husband excels sacrifices, austerities, observances, and various kinds of gifts for a woman.
तदिदं यच्चिकीर्षामि धर्म्यं परमसंमतम् । इष्टं चैव हितं चैव तव चैव कुलस्य च ॥२५॥
That which I intend to do is righteous, supremely approved, and desirable and beneficial for you and your lineage as well.
इष्टानि चाप्यपत्यानि द्रव्याणि सुहृदः प्रियाः । आपद्धर्मविमोक्षाय भार्या चापि सतां मतम् ॥२६॥
Children, wealth, friends, and dear ones are cherished; but the wife is considered by the virtuous as the one for release in times of distress.
एकतो वा कुलं कृत्स्नमात्मा वा कुलवर्धन । न समं सर्वमेवेति बुधानामेष निश्चयः ॥२७॥
On one side the whole lineage, and on the other the self — they are not considered equal; this is the conclusion of the wise, O augmenter of the lineage.
स कुरुष्व मया कार्यं तारयात्मानमात्मना । अनुजानीहि मामार्य सुतौ मे परिरक्ष च ॥२८॥
Allow me to do this task, rescue yourself by yourself; permit me, O noble one, and protect my two sons.
अवध्याः स्त्रिय इत्याहुर्धर्मज्ञा धर्मनिश्चये । धर्मज्ञान् राक्षसानाहुर्न हन्यात्स च मामपि ॥२९॥
Knowers of dharma say that women are not to be slain; those who slay the righteous are called demons — he should not slay me either.
निःसंशयो वधः पुंसां स्त्रीणां संशयितो वधः । अतो मामेव धर्मज्ञ प्रस्थापयितुमर्हसि ॥३०॥
The slaying of men is undoubtedly allowed; the slaying of women is doubtful — therefore, O knower of dharma, you ought to send me forth instead.
भुक्तं प्रियाण्यवाप्तानि धर्मश्च चरितो मया । त्वत्प्रसूतिः प्रिया प्राप्ता न मां तप्स्यत्यजीवितम् ॥३१॥
I have enjoyed the dear things, obtained them, and followed righteousness; your beloved offspring has been gained — life beyond will not afflict me.
जातपुत्रा च वृद्धा च प्रियकामा च ते सदा । समीक्ष्यैतदहं सर्वं व्यवसायं करोम्यतः ॥३२॥
Having borne a son, grown old, and always desiring your welfare — considering all this, I now make my decision.
उत्सृज्यापि च मामार्य वेत्स्यस्यन्यामपि स्त्रियम् । ततः प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मो भविष्यति पुनस्तव ॥३३॥
Even if you give me up, O noble one, you will obtain another wife — then your righteousness will again be firmly established.
न चाप्यधर्मः कल्याण बहुपत्नीकता नृणाम् । स्त्रीणामधर्मः सुमहान्भर्तुः पूर्वस्य लङ्घने ॥३४॥
For men, having many wives is not unrighteous but auspicious; for women, the transgression of a former husband is great unrighteousness.
एतत्सर्वं समीक्ष्य त्वमात्मत्यागं च गर्हितम् । आत्मानं तारय मया कुलं चेमौ च दारकौ ॥३५॥
Considering all this and that self-destruction is condemned, save yourself by me — and the lineage, and these two sons.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
एवमुक्तस्तया भर्ता तां समालिङ्ग्य भारत । मुमोच बाष्पं शनकैः सभार्यो भृशदुःखितः ॥३६॥
Thus addressed by her, the husband embraced her, O Bhārata, and with his wife, deeply afflicted, he slowly shed tears.
