03.196
पतिव्रतोपाख्यानम्
pativratopākhyānam
[पतिव्रत (pativrata) - a devoted wife; उपाख्यानम् (upākhyānam) - narrative; story;]
(The narrative of a devoted wife.)
The story of a devoted wife.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
[वैशम्पायन (vaiśampāyana) - Vaiśampāyana; (proper noun, name of the sage); उवाच (uvāca) - spoke; said;]
(Vaiśampāyana spoke;)
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा मार्कण्डेयं महाद्युतिम्। पप्रच्छ भरतश्रेष्ठो धर्मप्रश्नं सुदुर्वचम् ॥०३-१९६-१॥
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahādyutim। papraccha bharataśreṣṭho dharmapraśnaṃ sudurvacam॥03-196-1॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira; राजा (rājā) - king; मार्कण्डेयं (mārkaṇḍeyam) - Markandeya; महाद्युतिम् (mahādyutim) - of great splendor; पप्रच्छ (papraccha) - asked; भरतश्रेष्ठः (bharataśreṣṭhaḥ) - best of the Bharatas; धर्मप्रश्नम् (dharmapraśnam) - question about dharma; सुदुर्वचम् (sudurvacam) - very difficult to answer;]
(Then Yudhishthira the king asked Markandeya of great splendor, the best of the Bharatas, a question about dharma very difficult to answer.)
Then King Yudhishthira, best of the Bharatas, asked the illustrious Markandeya a profound question about dharma, which was extremely difficult to answer. (03-196-1)
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन्स्त्रीणां माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र सूक्ष्मं धर्मं च तत्त्वतः ॥०३-१९६-२॥
śrotum icchāmi bhagavan strīṇāṃ māhātmyam uttamam। kathyamānaṃ tvayā vipra sūkṣmaṃ dharmaṃ ca tattvataḥ॥03-196-2॥
[श्रोतुम् (śrotum) - to hear; इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish; भगवन् (bhagavan) - O revered one; स्त्रीणाम् (strīṇām) - of women; माहात्म्यम् (māhātmyam) - greatness; उत्तमम् (uttamam) - supreme; कथ्यमानम् (kathyamānam) - being told; त्वया (tvayā) - by you; विप्र (vipra) - O Brāhmaṇa; सूक्ष्मम् (sūkṣmam) - subtle; धर्मम् (dharmaṃ) - dharma; च (ca) - and; तत्त्वतः (tattvataḥ) - truly;]
(To hear I wish, O revered one, of women the greatness supreme, being told by you, O Brāhmaṇa, the subtle dharma and truly.)
I wish to hear from you, O revered one, the supreme greatness of women, as well as the subtle and true dharma, as narrated by you, O brāhmaṇa. (03-196-2)
प्रत्यक्षेण हि विप्रर्षे देवा दृश्यन्ति सत्तम। सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ वायुः पृथिवी वह्निरेव च ॥०३-१९६-३॥
pratyakṣeṇa hi viprarṣe devā dṛśyanti sattama। sūryācandramasau vāyuḥ pṛthivī vahnireva ca ॥03-196-3॥
[प्रत्यक्षेण (pratyakṣeṇa) - by direct perception; हि (hi) - indeed; विप्रर्षे (viprarṣe) - O sage among Brāhmaṇas; देवा (devā) - the gods; दृश्यन्ति (dṛśyanti) - are seen; सत्तम (sattama) - O best among beings; सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ (sūryācandramasau) - the Sun and the Moon; वायुः (vāyuḥ) - the wind; पृथिवी (pṛthivī) - the earth; वह्निः (vahniḥ) - the fire; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and;]
(By direct perception indeed, O sage among Brāhmaṇas, the gods are seen, O best among beings: Sun and Moon, Wind, Earth, Fire indeed and.)
Indeed, O best of Brāhmaṇa sages, the gods can be seen directly—namely, the Sun and the Moon, Wind, Earth, and Fire. (3-196-3)
पिता माता च भगवन्गाव एव च सत्तम। यच्चान्यदेव विहितं तच्चापि भृगुनन्दन ॥०३-१९६-४॥
pitā mātā ca bhagavan gāva eva ca sattama। yaccānyad eva vihitaṃ tac cāpi bhṛgunandana ॥03-196-4॥
[पिता (pitā) - father; माता (mātā) - mother; च (ca) - and; भगवन् (bhagavan) - O venerable one; गावः (gāvaḥ) - cows; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; सत्तम (sattama) - O best one; यत् (yat) - which; च (ca) - and; अन्यत् (anyat) - other; एव (eva) - indeed; विहितम् (vihitam) - prescribed; तत् (tat) - that; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; भृगुनन्दन (bhṛgunandana) - O descendant of Bhrigu;]
(Father, mother and, O venerable one, cows indeed and, O best one, which and other indeed prescribed that and also, O descendant of Bhrigu.)
Father, mother, and cows, O venerable one, are to be revered, as well as anything else prescribed, O descendant of Bhrigu. (03-196-4)
मन्येऽहं गुरुवत्सर्वमेकपत्न्यस्तथा स्त्रियः। पतिव्रतानां शुश्रूषा दुष्करा प्रतिभाति मे ॥०३-१९६-५॥
manye'ham guruvat sarvam eka-patnyaḥ tathā striyaḥ। pati-vratānāṃ śuśrūṣā duṣkarā pratibhāti me ॥03-196-5॥
[मन्ये (manye) - I think; अहं (aham) - I; गुरुवत् (guruvat) - as towards a teacher; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; एकपत्न्यः (eka-patnyaḥ) - monogamous (having one wife); तथा (tathā) - likewise; स्त्रियः (striyaḥ) - women; पतिव्रतानाम् (pativratānām) - of devoted wives; शुश्रूषा (śuśrūṣā) - service; दुष्करा (duṣkarā) - difficult; प्रतिभाति (pratibhāti) - appears; मे (me) - to me;]
(I think, I, as towards a teacher, all monogamous likewise women, the service of devoted wives, difficult, appears to me.)
I think that, just as towards a teacher, all monogamous women likewise, the service of devoted wives appears difficult to me. (03-196-5)
पतिव्रतानां माहात्म्यं वक्तुमर्हसि नः प्रभो। निरुध्य चेन्द्रियग्रामं मनः संरुध्य चानघ ॥ पतिं दैवतवच्चापि चिन्तयन्त्यः स्थिता हि याः ॥०३-१९६-६॥
pativratānāṃ māhātmyaṃ vaktumarhasi naḥ prabho। nirudhya cendriyagrāmaṃ manaḥ saṃrudhya cānagha॥ patiṃ daivatavaccāpi cintayantyaḥ sthitā hi yāḥ॥03-196-6॥
[पतिव्रतानां (pativratānāṃ) - of the devoted wives; माहात्म्यं (māhātmyaṃ) - greatness; वक्तुम् (vaktum) - to speak; अर्हसि (arhasi) - you are worthy; नः (naḥ) - to us; प्रभो (prabho) - O lord; निरुध्य (nirudhya) - having restrained; च (ca) - and; इन्द्रियग्रामं (indriyagrāmaṃ) - the group of senses; मनः (manaḥ) - mind; संरुध्य (saṃrudhya) - having controlled; च (ca) - and; अनघ (anagha) - O sinless one; पतिं (patiṃ) - husband; दैवतवत् (daivatavat) - like a deity; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; चिन्तयन्त्यः (cintayantyaḥ) - thinking; स्थिता (sthitā) - remaining; हि (hi) - truly; याः (yāḥ) - who;]
(O lord, you are worthy to speak to us of the greatness of devoted wives. O sinless one, having restrained the group of senses and having controlled the mind, who, truly remaining, thinking of the husband like a deity also.)
O lord, you are fit to tell us about the greatness of devoted wives—those who, truly having restrained their senses and controlled their minds, always remain thinking of their husband as a deity. (03-196-6)
भगवन्दुष्करं ह्येतत्प्रतिभाति मम प्रभो। मातापितृषु शुश्रूषा स्त्रीणां भर्तृषु च द्विज ॥०३-१९६-७॥
bhagavan duṣkaraṃ hy etat pratibhāti mama prabho। mātā-pitṛṣu śuśrūṣā strīṇāṃ bhartṛṣu ca dvija ॥03-196-7॥
[भगवन् (bhagavan) - O Lord; दुष्करं (duṣkaraṃ) - difficult; हि (hi) - indeed; एतत् (etat) - this; प्रतिभाति (pratibhāti) - appears; मम (mama) - to me; प्रभो (prabho) - O master; माता (mātā) - towards mothers; पितृषु (pitṛṣu) - towards fathers; शुश्रूषा (śuśrūṣā) - service; स्त्रीणां (strīṇāṃ) - of women; भर्तृषु (bhartṛṣu) - towards husbands; च (ca) - and; द्विज (dvija) - O twice-born;]
(O Lord, difficult indeed this appears to me, O master—service towards mothers and fathers, and of women towards husbands, O twice-born.)
O Lord, this seems extremely difficult to me, O master: serving one’s mother and father, and, for women, serving their husbands, O twice-born. (03-196-7)
स्त्रीणां धर्मात्सुघोराद्धि नान्यं पश्यामि दुष्करम्। साध्वाचाराः स्त्रियो ब्रह्मन्यत्कुर्वन्ति सदादृताः ॥ दुष्करं बत कुर्वन्ति पितरो मातरश्च वै ॥०३-१९६-८॥
strīṇāṃ dharmāt sughorād dhi nānyaṃ paśyāmi duṣkaram. sādhvācārāḥ striyo brahman yat kurvanti sadādṛtāḥ ॥ duṣkaraṃ bata kurvanti pitaro mātaraś ca vai ॥03-196-8॥
[स्त्रीणां (strīṇām) - of women; धर्मात् (dharmāt) - from (their) duty; सुघोरात् (sughorāt) - very terrible; हि (hi) - indeed; न (na) - not; अन्यं (anyaṃ) - any other; पश्यामि (paśyāmi) - I see; दुष्करम् (duṣkaram) - difficult to do; साध्वाचाराः (sādhvācārāḥ) - of virtuous conduct; स्त्रियः (striyaḥ) - women; ब्रह्मन् (brahman) - O Brahman; यत् (yat) - what; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - do; सदा (sadā) - always; आदृताः (ādṛtāḥ) - respected; दुष्करं (duṣkaraṃ) - difficult to do; बत (bata) - indeed; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - do; पितरः (pitaraḥ) - fathers; मातरः (mātaraḥ) - mothers; च (ca) - and; वै (vai) - indeed;]
(Of women from duty very terrible indeed not any other I see difficult to do. Of virtuous conduct women O Brahman what do always respected. Difficult to do indeed do fathers mothers and indeed.)
Indeed, O Brahman, I see no other difficult task more terrible than the duty of women. The women of virtuous conduct always do what is to be respected. Indeed, fathers and mothers also perform difficult deeds. (03-196-8)
एकपत्न्यश्च या नार्यो याश्च सत्यं वदन्त्युत। कुक्षिणा दश मासांश्च गर्भं सन्धारयन्ति याः ॥ नार्यः कालेन सम्भूय किमद्भुततरं ततः ॥०३-१९६-९॥
ekapatnyaśca yā nāryo yāśca satyaṃ vadantyuta। kukṣiṇā daśa māsāṃśca garbhaṃ sandhārayanti yāḥ ॥ nāryaḥ kālena sambhūya kimadbhutataraṃ tataḥ ॥03-196-9॥
[एकपत्न्यः (ekapatnyaḥ) - those of single husband; च (ca) - and; या (yā) - who; नार्यः (nāryaḥ) - women; याः (yāḥ) - who; च (ca) - and; सत्यं (satyaṃ) - truth; वदन्ति (vadanti) - they speak; उत (uta) - indeed; कुक्षिणा (kukṣiṇā) - with womb; दश (daśa) - ten; मासान् (māsān) - months; च (ca) - and; गर्भम् (garbham) - embryo; सन्धारयन्ति (sandhārayanti) - bear; याः (yāḥ) - who; नार्यः (nāryaḥ) - women; कालेन (kālena) - in due time; सम्भूय (sambhūya) - having united; किम् (kim) - what; अद्भुततरं (adbhutataraṃ) - more wonderful; ततः (tataḥ) - than that;]
(Those women of single husband, and those who indeed speak truth, who with womb ten months also embryo bear, who—women—in due time having united, what more wonderful than that?)
Women who have only one husband, and who truly speak the truth, who also bear an embryo in their womb for ten months—women, by uniting in due season—what is more wonderful than that? (03-196-9)
संशयं परमं प्राप्य वेदनामतुलामपि। प्रजायन्ते सुतान्नार्यो दुःखेन महता विभो ॥ पुष्णन्ति चापि महता स्नेहेन द्विजसत्तम ॥०३-१९६-१०॥
saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ prāpya vedanām atulām api। prajāyante sutān nāryo duḥkhena mahatā vibho ॥ puṣṇanti cāpi mahatā snehena dvijasattama ॥03-196-10॥
[संशयं (saṃśayam) - doubt; परमं (paramam) - supreme; प्राप्य (prāpya) - having attained; वेदनाम् (vedanām) - pain; अतुलाम् (atulām) - immeasurable; अपि (api) - even; प्रजायन्ते (prajāyante) - are born (bear); सुतान् (sutān) - sons; नार्यः (nāryaḥ) - women; दुःखेन (duḥkhena) - with pain; महत् (mahatā) - great; विभो (vibho) - O noble one; पुष्णन्ति (puṣṇanti) - they nourish; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; महत् (mahatā) - with great; स्नेहेन (snehena) - affection; द्विजसत्तम (dvijasattama) - O best of twice-born;]
(Having attained supreme doubt and even immeasurable pain, women, O noble one, bear sons with great pain. And also, O best of twice-born, they nourish (them) with great affection.)
Having reached the utmost uncertainty and experiencing even immeasurable pain, O noble one, women give birth to sons with great suffering. And, O best of twice-born, they also raise them with immense affection. (3-196-10)
ये च क्रूरेषु सर्वेषु वर्तमाना जुगुप्सिताः। स्वकर्म कुर्वन्ति सदा दुष्करं तच्च मे मतम् ॥०३-१९६-११॥
ye ca krūreṣu sarveṣu vartamānā jugupsitāḥ। svakarma kurvanti sadā duṣkaraṃ tacca me matam॥03-196-11॥
[ये (ye) - who; (those) which; च (ca) - and; क्रूरेषु (krūreṣu) - among cruel (ones); सर्वेषु (sarveṣu) - among all; वर्तमाना (vartamānā) - existing; जुगुप्सिताः (jugupsitāḥ) - to be despised; स्वकर्म (svakarma) - their own action; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - they do; सदा (sadā) - always; दुष्करं (duṣkaraṃ) - difficult; तत् (tat) - that (it is); च (ca) - and; मे (me) - to me; मतम् (matam) - view;]
(Who and among cruel ones, among all, existing, to be despised, their own action, they do, always, difficult, that, and, to me, view.)
Those who exist among all cruel beings, who are to be despised, always perform their own actions—which are difficult; that is my view. (03-196-11)
क्षत्रधर्मसमाचारं तथ्यं चाख्याहि मे द्विज। धर्मः सुदुर्लभो विप्र नृशंसेन दुरात्मना ॥०३-१९६-१२॥
kṣatradharmasamācāraṃ tathyaṃ cākhyāhi me dvija। dharmaḥ sudurlabho vipra nṛśaṃsena durātmanā ॥03-196-12॥
[क्षत्रधर्मसमाचारं (kṣatradharmasamācāram) - conduct related to the duties of a kṣatriya; तथ्यं (tathyam) - the truth; च (ca) - and; आख्याहि (ākhyāhi) - tell; मे (me) - to me; द्विज (dvija) - O twice-born (brāhmaṇa); धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; सुदुर्लभः (sudurlabhaḥ) - very difficult to obtain; विप्र (vipra) - O brāhmaṇa; नृशंसेन (nṛśaṃsena) - by a cruel one; दुरात्मना (durātmanā) - by an evil-minded one;]
(Tell me, O twice-born, the conduct connected to the duties of a kṣatriya and the truth. Righteousness, O brāhmaṇa, is very difficult to obtain by one who is cruel and evil-minded. (03-196-12))
O brāhmaṇa, tell me truly about the conduct of the kṣatriya's duty. Righteousness, O brāhmaṇa, is very hard to attain for a cruel, wicked man. (03-196-12)
एतदिच्छामि भगवन्प्रश्नं प्रश्नविदां वर। श्रोतुं भृगुकुलश्रेष्ठ शुश्रूषे तव सुव्रत ॥०३-१९६-१३॥
etadicchāmi bhagavan praśnaṃ praśnavidāṃ vara। śrotuṃ bhṛgukulaśreṣṭha śuśrūṣe tava suvrata ॥03-196-13॥
[एतत् (etad) (etad) - this; इच्छामि (icchāmi) (icchāmi) - I desire; भगवन् (bhagavan) (bhagavan) - O reverend; प्रश्नम् (praśnam) (praśnam) - question; प्रश्नविदाम् (praśnavidām) (praśnavidām) - of those who know questions; वर (vara) (vara) - best; श्रोतुम् (śrotum) (śrotum) - to hear; भृगुकुलश्रेष्ठ (bhṛgukulaśreṣṭha) (bhṛgukulaśreṣṭha) - O best of the Bhṛgu lineage; शुश्रूषे (śuśrūṣe) (śuśrūṣe) - I am attentive (to serve or to listen); तव (tava) (tava) - your; सुव्रत (suvrata) (suvrata) - O righteous one;]
(This I desire, O reverend, the question, best among knowers of questions, to hear, O best of the Bhṛgu lineage, I am attentive to your, O righteous one.)
O venerable one, I desire to ask this question to you, best among those skilled in questions; O best of the Bhṛgu lineage, I am eager to listen to you, O righteous one. (03-196-13)
मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
[मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) - Markandeya; (proper noun); उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Markandeya said.)
Markandeya said.
हन्त ते सर्वमाख्यास्ये प्रश्नमेतं सुदुर्वचम्। तत्त्वेन भरतश्रेष्ठ गदतस्तन्निबोध मे ॥०३-१९६-१४॥
hanta te sarvam ākhyāsyē praśnam etaṃ sudurvacam। tattvēna bharata-śrēṣṭha gadatas tan nibōdha mē॥03-196-14॥
[हन्त (hanta) - indeed; ते (te) - to you; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; आख्यास्ये (ākhyāsyē) - I shall declare; प्रश्नम् (praśnam) - question; एतं (etaṃ) - this; सुदुर्वचम् (sudurvacam) - very difficult to speak; तत्त्वेन (tattvēna) - truly; भरतश्रेष्ठ (bharata-śrēṣṭha) - O best of the Bharatas; गदतः (gadatas) - speaking; तत् (tat) - that; निबोध (nibodha) - understand; मे (me) - from me;]
(Indeed, to you all I shall declare this question, very difficult to speak, truly, O best of the Bharatas; from me speaking that, understand.)
Indeed, O best of the Bharatas, I shall tell you in truth this question, which is very difficult to answer; listen to that from me. (03-196-14)
मातरं सदृशीं तात पितॄनन्ये च मन्यते। दुष्करं कुरुते माता विवर्धयति या प्रजाः ॥०३-१९६-१५॥
mātaraṃ sadṛśīṃ tāta pitṝnanye ca manyate। duṣkaraṃ kurute mātā vivardhayati yā prajāḥ॥03-196-15॥
[मातरं (mātaraṃ) - mother (accusative singular); सदृशीं (sadṛśīṃ) - equal; similar; alike; तात (tāta) - O dear one; पितॄन् (pitṝn) - fathers (accusative plural); अन्ये (anye) - others; च (ca) - and; मन्दते (manyate) - consider; think; दुष्करं (duṣkaraṃ) - very difficult; कुरुते (kurute) - does; performs; माता (mātā) - mother (nominative singular); विवर्धयति (vivardhayati) - brings up; nourishes; increases; या (yā) - who; प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - offspring; children;]
(O dear one, others consider fathers and mother as equal; (but) mother does the very difficult task—she who brings up offspring.)
O dear one, others consider the mother to be equal to the fathers; but mother does the very difficult thing—she who raises her children. (3-196-15)
तपसा देवतेज्याभिर्वन्दनेन तितिक्षया। अभिचारैरुपायैश्च ईहन्ते पितरः सुतान् ॥०३-१९६-१६॥
tapasā devatejyābhirvandanen titikṣayā। abhichārairupāyaiś ca īhante pitaraḥ sutān ॥03-196-16॥
[तपसा (tapasā) - by austerity; देवतेज्याभिः (devatejyābhiḥ) - by offerings to the gods; वन्दनेन (vandanenā) - by reverence; तितिक्षया (titikṣayā) - by forbearance; अभिचारैः (abhichāraiḥ) - by magical rites; उपायैश्च (upāyaiś ca) - and by means (also); ईहन्ते (īhante) - they strive for; पितरः (pitaraḥ) - fathers; सुतान् (sutān) - sons;]
(By austerity, by offerings to the gods, by reverence, by forbearance, by magical rites, and also by means, fathers strive for sons.)
Fathers strive to benefit their sons by means such as austerity, offerings to the gods, reverence, forbearance, magical rites, and other methods. (03-196-16)
एवं कृच्छ्रेण महता पुत्रं प्राप्य सुदुर्लभम्। चिन्तयन्ति सदा वीर कीदृशोऽयं भविष्यति ॥०३-१९६-१७॥
evaṃ kṛcchreṇa mahatā putraṃ prāpya sudurlabham। cintayanti sadā vīra kīdṛśo'yaṃ bhaviṣyati॥03-196-17॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; कृच्छ्रेण (kṛcchreṇa) - with difficulty; महता (mahatā) - great; पुत्रं (putraṃ) - son; प्राप्य (prāpya) - having obtained; सुदुर्लभम् (sudurlabham) - very difficult to obtain; चिन्तयन्ति (cintayanti) - they think; सदा (sadā) - always; वीर (vīra) - O hero; कीदृशः (kīdṛśaḥ) - of what kind; अयम् (ayam) - this; भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will become;]
(Thus with great difficulty, having obtained a son very difficult to obtain, always they think, O hero, of what kind this one will become.)
Thus, after obtaining, with great difficulty, a son so hard to attain, people always wonder, O hero, what will this child become. (03-196-17)
आशंसते च पुत्रेषु पिता माता च भारत। यशः कीर्तिमथैश्वर्यं प्रजा धर्मं तथैव च ॥०३-१९६-१८॥
āśaṁsate ca putreṣu pitā mātā ca bhārata। yaśaḥ kīrtim athaiśvaryaṁ prajā dharmaṁ tathaiva ca॥03-196-18॥
[आशंसते (āśaṁsate) - desires; hopes for; च (ca) - and; पुत्रेषु (putreṣu) - in sons; पिता (pitā) - father; माता (mātā) - mother; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; यशः (yaśaḥ) - fame; कीर्तिम् (kīrtim) - renown; अथ (atha) - and then; and also; ऐश्वर्यं (aiśvaryaṁ) - prosperity; sovereignty; प्रजा (prajā) - offspring; धर्मं (dharmaṁ) - virtue; righteousness; तथैव (tathaiva) - in the same way; likewise; च (ca) - and;]
(Desires and in sons father, mother and, O Bhārata, fame, renown and prosperity, offspring, virtue likewise and.)
O Bhārata, both father and mother desire in their sons fame, renown, prosperity, offspring, and virtue alike. (03-196-18)
तयोराशां तु सफलां यः करोति स धर्मवित्। पिता माता च राजेन्द्र तुष्यतो यस्य नित्यदा ॥ इह प्रेत्य च तस्याथ कीर्तिर्धर्मश्च शाश्वतः ॥०३-१९६-१९॥
tayorāśāṁ tu saphalāṁ yaḥ karoti sa dharmavit। pitā mātā ca rājendra tuṣyato yasya nityadā ॥ iha pretya ca tasyātha kīrtirdharmaś ca śāśvataḥ ॥03-196-19॥
[तयोः (tayor) - of those two; आशां (āśām) - hope; तु (tu) - but; सफलां (saphalām) - fruitful; यः (yaḥ) - who; करोति (karoti) - makes; स (sa) - he; धर्मवित् (dharmavit) - knower of dharma; पिता (pitā) - father; माता (mātā) - mother; च (ca) - and; राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O king; तुष्यतः (tuṣyataḥ) - are pleased; यस्य (yasya) - of whom; नित्यदा (nityadā) - always; इह (iha) - here; प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death; च (ca) - and; तस्य (tasya) - of him; अथ (atha) - then; कीर्तिः (kīrtiḥ) - fame; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; च (ca) - and; शाश्वतः (śāśvataḥ) - eternal;]
(But of those two, who makes the hope fruitful, he is the knower of dharma; father and mother, O king, always are pleased with whom; here and after death, then, his fame and dharma are eternal.)
O King, he who fulfils the hopes of both (his) father and mother is truly a knower of dharma; with such a person, the father and mother are always pleased. For him, both here and after death, fame and dharma remain eternal. (03-196-19)
नैव यज्ञः स्त्रियः कश्चिन्न श्राद्धं नोपवासकम्। या तु भर्तरि शुश्रूषा तया स्वर्गमुपाश्नुते ॥०३-१९६-२०॥
naiva yajñaḥ striyaḥ kaścinna śrāddhaṃ nopavāsakam। yā tu bhartari śuśrūṣā tayā svargamupāśnute ॥03-196-20॥
[नैव (na eva) - not indeed; यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - sacrifice; स्त्रियः (striyaḥ) - women; कश्चिन्न (kaścit na) - any not; श्राद्धं (śrāddham) - rite for ancestors; नोपवासकम् (na upavāsakam) - nor fasting; या (yā) - who; तु (tu) - but; भर्तरि (bhartari) - towards husband; शुश्रूषा (śuśrūṣā) - service; तया (tayā) - by her; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven; उपाश्नुते (upāśnute) - attains;]
(Not indeed sacrifice for women, not any śrāddha, nor fasting. But she who is service to (her) husband, by her heaven is attained.)
There is neither sacrifice nor śrāddha nor fasting (prescribed) for women. But the woman who serves her husband attains heaven by that. (03-196-20)
एतत्प्रकरणं राजन्नधिकृत्य युधिष्ठिर। प्रतिव्रतानां नियतं धर्मं चावहितः शृणु ॥०३-१९६-२१॥
etatprakaraṇaṃ rājannadhikṛtya yudhiṣṭhira। prativratānāṃ niyataṃ dharmaṃ cāvahitaḥ śṛṇu ॥03-196-21॥
[एतत्प्रकरणम् (etatprakaraṇam) - this section; राजन् (rājan) - O king; अधिकृत्य (adhikṛtya) - having taken up; युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; प्रतिव्रतानाम् (prativratānām) - of devoted wives; नियतं (niyatam) - established; धर्मम् (dharmaṃ) - duty; च (ca) - and; आवहितः (āvahitaḥ) - attentively; शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen;]
(This section, O king, having taken up, Yudhiṣṭhira, of devoted wives the established duty and attentively listen.)
O king Yudhiṣṭhira, having taken up this section, attentively listen to the established duty of devoted wives. (03-196-21)
