13.038
स्त्रीस्वभावकथनम्
Description of the nature of women.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
स्त्रीणां स्वभावमिच्छामि श्रोतुं भरतसत्तम। स्त्रियो हि मूलं दोषाणां लघुचित्ताः पितामह ॥१३-३८-१॥
O best of the Bharatas, I wish to hear about the nature of women. Women are indeed the root of faults and are light-minded, O grandsire. (13-38-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। नारदस्य च संवादं पुंश्चल्या पञ्चचूडया ॥१३-३८-२॥
Here too, they relate this ancient story: the conversation between Nārada and the courtesan Pañcachūḍā. (13-38-2)
लोकाननुचरन्धीमान्देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा। ददर्शाप्सरसं ब्राह्मीं पञ्चचूडामनिन्दिताम् ॥१३-३८-३॥
Once, the intelligent divine sage Nārada, while traveling through the worlds, saw the blameless apsaras Pañcachūḍā, who belonged to Brahmā. (13-38-3)
तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं पप्रच्छाप्सरसं मुनिः। संशयो हृदि मे कश्चित्तन्मे ब्रूहि सुमध्यमे ॥१३-३८-४॥
Seeing her, whose every limb was beautiful, the sage questioned the apsaras: "A certain doubt has arisen in my heart; please tell me that, O slender-waisted one." (13-38-4)
एवमुक्ता तु सा विप्रं प्रत्युवाचाथ नारदम्। विषये सति वक्ष्यामि समर्थां मन्यसे च माम् ॥१३-३८-५॥
Thus addressed, she replied to the brāhmaṇa, to Nārada: 'If the matter is so, I will speak, if you consider me capable.' (13-38-5)
नारद उवाच॥
Nārada said.
न त्वामविषये भद्रे नियोक्ष्यामि कथञ्चन। स्त्रीणां स्वभावमिच्छामि त्वत्तः श्रोतुं वरानने ॥१३-३८-६॥
O auspicious one, I will not employ you in any matter that does not concern you in any way. I wish to hear from you about the nature of women, O beautiful-faced one. (13-38-6)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य देवर्षेरप्सरोत्तमा। प्रत्युवाच न शक्ष्यामि स्त्री सती निन्दितुं स्त्रियः ॥१३-३८-७॥
Hearing these words of the divine sage, the foremost of the apsarases replied: "As a woman myself, I am not able to criticize women." (13-38-7)
विदितास्ते स्त्रियो याश्च यादृशाश्च स्वभावतः। न मामर्हसि देवर्षे नियोक्तुं प्रश्न ईदृशे ॥१३-३८-८॥
You already know the women and their natures; O sage among the gods, you should not appoint me to answer such a question. (13-38-8)
तामुवाच स देवर्षिः सत्यं वद सुमध्यमे। मृषावादे भवेद्दोषः सत्ये दोषो न विद्यते ॥१३-३८-९॥
The divine sage said to her: "Speak the truth, O slender-waisted one. Fault arises from falsehood; there is no fault in truth." (13-38-9)
इत्युक्ता सा कृतमतिरभवच्चारुहासिनी। स्त्रीदोषाञ्शाश्वतान्सत्यान्भाषितुं सम्प्रचक्रमे ॥१३-३८-१०॥
Thus addressed, she, with a resolved mind and a beautiful smile, began to speak of the true and eternal faults of women. (13-38-10)
पञ्चचूडोवाच॥
Pañcachūḍa said.
कुलीना रूपवत्यश्च नाथवत्यश्च योषितः। मर्यादासु न तिष्ठन्ति स दोषः स्त्रीषु नारद ॥१३-३८-११॥
O Nārada, women of noble birth, beauty, and even those with husbands do not remain within boundaries; that fault is inherent in women. (13-38-11)
न स्त्रीभ्यः किञ्चिदन्यद्वै पापीयस्तरमस्ति वै। स्त्रियो हि मूलं दोषाणां तथा त्वमपि वेत्थ ह ॥१३-३८-१२॥
There is indeed nothing more sinful than women. Women are truly the root of faults, as you also know. (13-38-12)
समाज्ञातानृद्धिमतः प्रतिरूपान्वशे स्थितान्। पतीनन्तरमासाद्य नालं नार्यः प्रतीक्षितुम् ॥१३-३८-१३॥
Having obtained other husbands who are well-known, prosperous, and similar and under their control, women are not able to wait. (13-38-13)
असद्धर्मस्त्वयं स्त्रीणामस्माकं भवति प्रभो। पापीयसो नरान्यद्वै लज्जां त्यक्त्वा भजामहे ॥१३-३८-१४॥
O lord, this unrighteous conduct becomes ours as women; indeed, we resort to that which even more sinful men, having abandoned shame, do. (13-38-14)
स्त्रियं हि यः प्रार्थयते संनिकर्षं च गच्छति। ईषच्च कुरुते सेवां तमेवेच्छन्ति योषितः ॥१३-३८-१५॥
Women desire only that man who seeks a woman, approaches her, and renders even a little service. (13-38-15)
अनर्थित्वान्मनुष्याणां भयात्परिजनस्य च। मर्यादायाममर्यादाः स्त्रियस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥१३-३८-१६॥
Due to the lack of prosperity among men and out of fear of the attendants, even improper women remain with their husbands within the bounds of propriety. (13-38-16)
नासां कश्चिदगम्योऽस्ति नासां वयसि संस्थितिः। विरूपं रूपवन्तं वा पुमानित्येव भुञ्जते ॥१३-३८-१७॥
For women, there is no one who is forbidden, nor is there constancy in age for them. Whether a man is ugly or handsome, she enjoys him just the same. (13-38-17)
न भयान्नाप्यनुक्रोशान्नार्थहेतोः कथञ्चन। न ज्ञातिकुलसम्बन्धात्स्त्रियस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥१३-३८-१८॥
Women do not remain with their husbands out of fear, compassion, desire for wealth, or even because of family or kinship ties, in any way. (13-38-18)
यौवने वर्तमानानां मृष्टाभरणवाससाम्। नारीणां स्वैरवृत्तानां स्पृहयन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ॥१३-३८-१९॥
Noble women desire youthful women who are present, adorned with ornaments and garments, and who have independent conduct. (13-38-19)
याश्च शश्वद्बहुमता रक्ष्यन्ते दयिताः स्त्रियः। अपि ताः सम्प्रसज्जन्ते कुब्जान्धजडवामनैः ॥१३-३८-२०॥
Even those women who are always beloved, highly regarded, and protected, become attached to hunchbacked, blind, dull-witted, or dwarfish men. (13-38-20)
पङ्गुष्वपि च देवर्षे ये चान्ये कुत्सिता नराः। स्त्रीणामगम्यो लोकेऽस्मिन्नास्ति कश्चिन्महामुने ॥१३-३८-२१॥
O divine sage, even among the lame and other despised men, there is no one in this world who is not to be approached by women, O great sage. (13-38-21)
यदि पुंसां गतिर्ब्रह्म कथञ्चिन्नोपपद्यते। अप्यन्योन्यं प्रवर्तन्ते न हि तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥१३-३८-२२॥
If men do not attain the goal of Brahman in any way, even then, they engage with each other and do not remain with their husbands. (13-38-22)
अलाभात्पुरुषाणां हि भयात्परिजनस्य च। वधबन्धभयाच्चापि स्वयं गुप्ता भवन्ति ताः ॥१३-३८-२३॥
Indeed, out of fear of loss of men, fear of attendants, and also fear of being killed or bound, they themselves become cautious and guarded. (13-38-23)
चलस्वभावा दुःसेव्या दुर्ग्राह्या भावतस्तथा। प्राज्ञस्य पुरुषस्येह यथा वाचस्तथा स्त्रियः ॥१३-३८-२४॥
Women are of fickle nature, difficult to serve, and hard to understand in disposition; here, for a wise man, women are just like speech. (13-38-24)
नाग्निस्तृप्यति काष्ठानां नापगानां महोदधिः। नान्तकः सर्वभूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचनाः ॥१३-३८-२५॥
Fire is never satisfied with wood, the great ocean is never satisfied with rivers, Death is never satisfied with all beings, and women are never satisfied with men. (13-38-25)
इदमन्यच्च देवर्षे रहस्यं सर्वयोषिताम्। दृष्ट्वैव पुरुषं हृद्यं योनिः प्रक्लिद्यते स्त्रियः ॥१३-३८-२६॥
O divine sage, here is another secret of all women: when they see a pleasing man, their womb becomes excited. (13-38-26)
कामानामपि दातारं कर्तारं मानसान्त्वयोः। रक्षितारं न मृष्यन्ति भर्तारं परमं स्त्रियः ॥१३-३८-२७॥
Even if he is the giver of desires, the doer, the consoler of the mind, and the protector, women do not tolerate even the supreme husband. (13-38-27)
न कामभोगान्बहुलान्नालङ्कारार्थसञ्चयान्। तथैव बहु मन्यन्ते यथा रत्यामनुग्रहम् ॥१३-३८-२८॥
They do not consider abundant enjoyments of desires or accumulations for the sake of ornaments as important; rather, they regard favor in pleasure as much more significant. (13-38-28)
अन्तकः शमनो मृत्युः पातालं वडवामुखम्। क्षुरधारा विषं सर्पो वह्निरित्येकतः स्त्रियः ॥१३-३८-२९॥
On one side are the destroyer, pacifier, death, the netherworld, submarine fire, razor's edge, poison, serpent, and fire; on the other side are women. (13-38-29)
यतश्च भूतानि महान्ति पञ्च; यतश्च लोका विहिता विधात्रा। यतः पुमांसः प्रमदाश्च निर्मिता; स्तदैव दोषाः प्रमदासु नारद ॥१३-३८-३०॥
From that source from which the five great elements arise, and from which the worlds are established by the creator, and from which men and women are created—O Nārada, in women, indeed, those very faults exist. (13-38-30)
