13.038
Description of the nature of women.
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
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)
Bhishma said.
Here too, they relate this ancient story: the conversation between Nārada and the courtesan Pañcachūḍā. (13-38-2)
Once, the intelligent divine sage Nārada, while traveling through the worlds, saw the blameless apsaras Pañcachūḍā, who belonged to Brahmā. (13-38-3)
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)
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)
Nārada said.
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)
Bhishma said.
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)
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)
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)
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)
Pañcachūḍa said.
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)
There is indeed nothing more sinful than women. Women are truly the root of faults, as you also know. (13-38-12)
Having obtained other husbands who are well-known, prosperous, and similar and under their control, women are not able to wait. (13-38-13)
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)
Women desire only that man who seeks a woman, approaches her, and renders even a little service. (13-38-15)
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)
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)
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)
Noble women desire youthful women who are present, adorned with ornaments and garments, and who have independent conduct. (13-38-19)
Even those women who are always beloved, highly regarded, and protected, become attached to hunchbacked, blind, dull-witted, or dwarfish men. (13-38-20)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
O divine sage, here is another secret of all women: when they see a pleasing man, their womb becomes excited. (13-38-26)
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)
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)
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)
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)
