13.045
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
कन्यायाः प्राप्तशुल्कायाः पतिश्चेन्नास्ति कश्चन। तत्र का प्रतिपत्तिः स्यात्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१३-४५-१॥
O grandsire, if there is no husband for a maiden whose bride-price has been received, what should be done in that case? Please tell me that. (13-45-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
यापुत्रकस्याप्यरिक्थस्य प्रतिपत्सा तदा भवेत्। अथ चेत्साहरेच्छुल्कं क्रीता शुल्कप्रदस्य सा। तस्यार्थेऽपत्यमीहेत येन न्यायेन शक्नुयात् ॥१३-४५-३॥
A woman, even if she is the wife of a man without a son or without inheritance, should be accepted as such. But if she has been purchased with a bride-price, she belongs to the giver of the bride-price; for his sake, she should desire offspring, by whatever law it may be possible. (13-45-3)
न तस्या मन्त्रवत्कार्यं कश्चित्कुर्वीत किञ्चन। स्वयं वृतेति सावित्री पित्रा वै प्रत्यपद्यत। तत्तस्यान्ये प्रशंसन्ति धर्मज्ञा नेतरे जनाः ॥१३-४५-५॥
No one should perform any ritualistic act for her as with a mantra. Savitri, having chosen herself, was indeed accepted by her father. That act is praised by those who know dharma, but not by other people. (13-45-5)
एतत्तु नापरे चक्रुर्न परे जातु साधवः। साधूनां पुनराचारो गरीयो धर्मलक्षणम् ॥१३-४५-६॥
But others did not do this, nor did the other virtuous ever do so. For the virtuous, again, conduct is a weightier mark of dharma. (13-45-6)
अस्मिन्नेव प्रकरणे सुक्रतुर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्। नप्ता विदेहराजस्य जनकस्य महात्मनः ॥१३-४५-७॥
In this very section, Sukratu spoke these words. He was the grandson of the king of Videha, Janaka, the great-souled one. (13-45-7)
असदाचरिते मार्गे कथं स्यादनुकीर्तनम्। अनुप्रश्नः संशयो वा सतामेतदुपालभेत् ॥१३-४५-८॥
How could there be recounting on a path practiced by the unvirtuous? Only further questioning or doubt would arise among the good regarding this. (13-45-8)
असदेव हि धर्मस्य प्रमादो धर्म आसुरः। नानुशुश्रुम जात्वेतामिमां पूर्वेषु जन्मसु ॥१३-४५-९॥
Negligence is truly unworthy of dharma; such dharma is demonic. We have never heard of this in any of our previous births. (13-45-9)
भार्यापत्योर्हि सम्बन्धः स्त्रीपुंसोस्तुल्य एव सः। रतिः साधारणो धर्म इति चाह स पार्थिवः ॥१३-४५-१०॥
The connection between wife and offspring is indeed equal for woman and man; pleasure is a common duty—thus said the king. (13-45-10)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अथ केन प्रमाणेन पुंसामादीयते धनम्। पुत्रवद्धि पितुस्तस्य कन्या भवितुमर्हति ॥१३-४५-११॥
Now, by what authority is wealth taken from men? Indeed, the daughter is worthy to become like a son to her father. (13-45-11)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
यथैवात्मा तथा पुत्रः पुत्रेण दुहिता समा। तस्यामात्मनि तिष्ठन्त्यां कथमन्यो धनं हरेत् ॥१३-४५-१२॥
Just as the self, so is the son; and by the son, the daughter is considered equal. While she remains in her own self, how can another take her wealth? (13-45-12)
मातुश्च यौतकं यत्स्यात्कुमारीभाग एव सः। दौहित्र एव वा रिक्थमपुत्रस्य पितुर्हरेत् ॥१३-४५-१३॥
The dowry belonging to the mother, whatever it may be, is to be given to the maiden's share; and the daughter's son, or, should inherit the property of a father who has no son. (13-45-13)
ददाति हि स पिण्डं वै पितुर्मातामहस्य च। पुत्रदौहित्रयोर्नेह विशेषो धर्मतः स्मृतः ॥१३-४५-१४॥
He indeed offers the rice-ball to both the father and the maternal grandfather; between the son and the daughter's son, no distinction is recognized here by law. (13-45-14)
अन्यत्र जातया सा हि प्रजया पुत्र ईहते। दुहितान्यत्र जातेन पुत्रेणापि विशिष्यते ॥१३-४५-१५॥
Elsewhere, a woman who has given birth is indeed sought after for offspring, and a son is desired. But a daughter, when born elsewhere, even surpasses a son. (13-45-15)
दौहित्रकेण धर्मेण नात्र पश्यामि कारणम्। विक्रीतासु च ये पुत्रा भवन्ति पितुरेव ते ॥१३-४५-१६॥
By law, I do not see any reason here for the daughter's son. Even when sons are sold, they indeed belong to the father. (13-45-16)
असूयवस्त्वधर्मिष्ठाः परस्वादायिनः शठाः। आसुरादधिसम्भूता धर्माद्विषमवृत्तयः ॥१३-४५-१७॥
But those who are envious, devoted to unrighteousness, who seize others' wealth, who are deceitful, born especially from demonic nature, and whose conduct is hostile to dharma, (13-45-17)
अत्र गाथा यमोद्गीताः कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः। धर्मज्ञा धर्मशास्त्रेषु निबद्धा धर्मसेतुषु ॥१३-४५-१८॥
Here, the verses sung by Yama are recited by those who know the ancient traditions; the knowers of dharma, established in the treatises and foundations of dharma. (13-45-18)
यो मनुष्यः स्वकं पुत्रं विक्रीय धनमिच्छति। कन्यां वा जीवितार्थाय यः शुल्केन प्रयच्छति ॥१३-४५-१९॥
Whoever is a man that, having sold his own son, seeks wealth, or who gives his daughter away for a fee for the sake of his life, (13-45-19)
सप्तावरे महाघोरे निरये कालसाह्वये। स्वेदं मूत्रं पुरीषं च तस्मिन्प्रेत उपाश्नुते ॥१३-४५-२०॥
In the sevenfold, extremely dreadful hell known as Kāla, the departed soul is made to consume sweat, urine, and excrement there. (13-45-20)
आर्षे गोमिथुनं शुल्कं केचिदाहुर्मृषैव तत्। अल्पं वा बहु वा राजन्विक्रयस्तावदेव सः ॥१३-४५-२१॥
In the āṛṣa marriage, the bride-price is a pair of cows; some say this is entirely false. Whether it is little or much, O king, it is still a sale. (13-45-21)
यद्यप्याचरितः कैश्चिन्नैष धर्मः कथञ्चन। अन्येषामपि दृश्यन्ते लोभतः सम्प्रवृत्तयः ॥१३-४५-२२॥
Even though this duty may be practiced by some, it is in no way proper; for among others too, actions arising from greed are observed. (13-45-22)
वश्यां कुमारीं विहितां ये च तामुपभुञ्जते। एते पापस्य कर्तारस्तमस्यन्धेऽथ शेरते ॥१३-४५-२३॥
Those who have intercourse with a subdued maiden who has been assigned (to another), these are the perpetrators of sin; afterwards, they dwell in utter darkness. (13-45-23)
अन्योऽप्यथ न विक्रेयो मनुष्यः किं पुनः प्रजाः। अधर्ममूलैर्हि धनैर्न तैरर्थोऽस्ति कश्चन ॥१३-४५-२४॥
Even another human being should not be sold, so what to say of the subjects? Indeed, with wealth rooted in unrighteousness, there is no real purpose achieved by them. (13-45-24)
