01.146
Core-Pancharatra:Lamentation of Brahmani and duties of wife.
brāhmaṇy uvāca॥
The Brahmin woman said:
na santāpas tvayā kāryaḥ prākṛtenaiva karhicit। na hi santāpakālo'yaṁ vaidyasya tava vidyate ॥1॥
You should not grieve like an ordinary man. This is not a time for grief for one such as you, a physician.
avaśyaṁ nidhanaṁ sarvair gantavyam iha mānavaiḥ। avaśyabhāvin yarthe vai santāpo neha vidyate ॥2॥
Death must be faced by all humans here. For what is inevitable, grief indeed has no place.
bhāryā putro'tha duhitā sarvam ātmārtham iṣyate। vyathāṁ jahi subuddhyā tvaṁ svayaṁ yāsyāmi tatra vai ॥3॥
Wife, son, and daughter — all are desired for self-interest. Abandon your sorrow with wise understanding; I shall go there myself indeed.
etad dhi paramaṁ nāryāḥ kāryaṁ loke sanātanam। prāṇān api parityajya yad bhartṛhitam ācaret ॥4॥
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.
tac ca tatra kṛtaṁ karma tavāpīha sukhāvaham। bhavaty amutra cākṣayyaṁ loke'smiṁś ca yaśaskaram ॥5॥
That deed done there brings you happiness here, becomes imperishable in the hereafter, and brings fame in this world.
eṣa caiva gurur dharmo yaṁ pravakṣāmy ahaṁ tava। arthaś ca tava dharmaś ca bhūyān atra pradṛśyate ॥6॥
This indeed is a great duty which I shall tell you — your benefit and righteousness are both greater and evident herein.
yadartham iṣyate bhāryā prāptaḥ so'rthas tvayā mayi। kanyā caiva kumāraś ca kṛtāham anṛṇā tvayā ॥7॥
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.
samarthaḥ poṣaṇe cāsi sutayo rakṣaṇe tathā। na tv ahaṁ sutayoḥ śaktā tathā rakṣaṇapoṣaṇe ॥8॥
You are capable in nourishing and protecting the children, but I am not capable like that in their protection and nourishment.
mama hi tvadvihīnāyāḥ sarvakāmā na āpadaḥ। kathaṁ syātāṁ sutau bālau bhaveyaṁ ca kathaṁ tv aham ॥9॥
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?
kathaṁ hi vidhavānāthā bālaputrā vinā tvayā। mithunaṁ jīvayiṣyāmi sthitā sādhugate pathi ॥10॥
How indeed, as a widow without support and with young sons, shall I sustain the household, abiding in the noble path, without you?
ahaṅkṛtāvaliptaiś ca prārthyamānām imāṁ sutām। ayuktais tava sambandhe kathaṁ śakṣyāmi rakṣitum ॥11॥
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?
utsṛṣṭam āmiṣaṁ bhūmau prārthayanti yathā khagāḥ। prārthayanti janāḥ sarve vīrahīnāṁ tathā striyam ॥12॥
Just as birds seek abandoned flesh on the ground, so too do all men seek a woman who is bereft of her protector.
sāhaṁ vicālyamānā vai prārthyamānā durātmabhiḥ। sthātuṁ pathi na śakṣyāmi sajjaneṣṭe dvijottama ॥13॥
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.
kathaṁ tava kulasyaikām imāṁ bālām asaṁskṛtām। pitṛpaitāmahe mārge niyoktum aham utsahe ॥14॥
How can I entrust this only untrained young girl of your lineage to the ancestral path?
kathaṁ śakṣyāmi bāle'smin guṇān ādhātum īpṣitān। anāthe sarvato lupte yathā tvaṁ dharmadarśivān ॥15॥
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?
imām api ca te bālām anāthāṁ paribhūya mām। anarhāḥ prārthayiṣyanti śūdrā vedaśrutiṁ yathā ॥16॥
These unworthy men will disregard me and seek your orphaned young daughter, just as Śūdras seek the Vedic knowledge.
tāṁ ced ahaṁ na ditseyaṁ tvadguṇair upabṛṁhitām। pramathya enāṁ hareyus te havirdhvāṅkṣā ivādhvarāt ॥17॥
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.
samprekṣamāṇā putraṁ te nānurūpam ivātmanaḥ। anarhavaśam āpannām imāṁ cāpi sutāṁ tava ॥18॥
Seeing your son as if unworthy of you, and this daughter too fallen under the sway of the unworthy…
avajñātā ca lokasya tathātmānam ajānatī। avaliptair narair brahman mariṣyāmi na saṁśayaḥ ॥19॥
Disrespected by society and unaware of myself, oppressed by arrogant men — O Brahmin, I shall die without doubt.
tau vihīnāu mayā bālau tvayā caiva mamātmajau। vinaśyetāṁ na saṁdeho matsyāv iva jalakṣaye ॥20॥
My two sons, bereft of you and me, would surely perish like fish in a waterless place — there is no doubt of it.
tritayaṁ sarvathāpy evaṁ vinaśiṣyaty asaṁśayam। tvayā vihīnaṁ tasmāt tvaṁ māṁ parityaktum arhasi ॥21॥
This trio will surely perish in every way if abandoned by you — therefore, you ought not to abandon me.
vyuṣṭir eṣā parā strīṇāṁ pūrvaṁ bhartuḥ parā gatiḥ। na tu brāhmaṇaputrāṇāṁ viṣaye parivartitum ॥22॥
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.
parityaktaḥ sutaś cāyaṁ duhitā iyaṁ tathā mayā। bāndhavāś ca parityaktās tvadarthaṁ jīvitaṁ ca me ॥23॥
This son and this daughter have been forsaken by me; all kinsmen too have been abandoned — my life itself is for your sake.
yajñais tapobhir niyamair dānaiś ca vividhais tathā। viśiṣyate striyā bhartuḥ nityaṁ priyahite sthitiḥ ॥24॥
Abiding always in what is dear and beneficial to her husband excels sacrifices, austerities, observances, and various kinds of gifts for a woman.
tad idaṁ yac cikīrṣāmi dharmyaṁ parama-saṁmatam। iṣṭaṁ caiva hitaṁ caiva tava caiva kulasya ca ॥25॥
That which I intend to do is righteous, supremely approved, and desirable and beneficial for you and your lineage as well.
iṣṭāni cāpy apatyāni dravyāṇi suhṛdaḥ priyāḥ। āpaddharma-vimokṣāya bhāryā cāpi satāṁ matam ॥26॥
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.
ekato vā kulaṁ kṛtsnam ātmā vā kulavardhana। na samaṁ sarvam eveti budhānām eṣa niścayaḥ ॥27॥
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.
sa kuruṣva mayā kāryaṁ tārayātmānam ātmanā। anujānīhi mām ārya sutau me parirakṣa ca ॥28॥
Allow me to do this task, rescue yourself by yourself; permit me, O noble one, and protect my two sons.
avadhyāḥ striya ity āhur dharmajñā dharmaniścaye। dharmajñān rākṣasān āhur na hanyāt sa ca mām api ॥29॥
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.
niḥsaṁśayo vadhaḥ puṁsāṁ strīṇāṁ saṁśayito vadhaḥ। ato mām eva dharmajña prasthāpayitum arhasi ॥30॥
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.
bhuktaṁ priyāṇy avāptāni dharmaś ca carito mayā। tvatprasūtiḥ priyā prāptā na māṁ tapsyaty ajīvitam ॥31॥
I have enjoyed the dear things, obtained them, and followed righteousness; your beloved offspring has been gained — life beyond will not afflict me.
jātaputrā ca vṛddhā ca priyakāmā ca te sadā। samīkṣyaitad ahaṁ sarvaṁ vyavasāyaṁ karomy ataḥ ॥32॥
Having borne a son, grown old, and always desiring your welfare — considering all this, I now make my decision.
utsṛjyāpi ca mām ārya vetsyasy anyām api striyam। tataḥ pratiṣṭhito dharmo bhaviṣyati punas tava ॥33॥
Even if you give me up, O noble one, you will obtain another wife — then your righteousness will again be firmly established.
na cāpy adharmaḥ kalyāṇa bahupatnīkatā nṛṇām। strīṇām adharmaḥ sumahān bhartuḥ pūrvasya laṅghane ॥34॥
For men, having many wives is not unrighteous but auspicious; for women, the transgression of a former husband is great unrighteousness.
etat sarvaṁ samīkṣya tvam ātmatyāgaṁ ca garhitam। ātmānaṁ tāraya mayā kulaṁ cemau ca dārakau ॥35॥
Considering all this and that self-destruction is condemned, save yourself by me — and the lineage, and these two sons.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
evam uktas tayā bhartā tāṁ samāliṅgya bhārata। mumoca bāṣpaṁ śanakaiḥ sabhāryo bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ ॥36॥
Thus addressed by her, the husband embraced her, O Bhārata, and with his wife, deeply afflicted, he slowly shed tears.
