13.045
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kanyāyāḥ prāptaśulkāyāḥ patiś cenn āsti kaścana। tatra kā pratipattiḥ syāt tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥13-45-1॥
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)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
yāputrakasya apy arikthasya pratipatsā tadā bhavet। atha cet sā haret śulkaṃ krītā śulkapradasya sā। tasya arthe 'patyam īhet yena nyāyena śaknuyāt ॥13-45-3॥
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)
na tasyā mantravat kāryaṃ kaścit kurvīta kiñcana। svayaṃ vṛta iti sāvitri pitrā vai pratyapadyata। tat tasyā anye praśaṃsanti dharmajñā na itare janāḥ ॥13-45-5॥
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)
etattu nāpare cakrurna pare jātu sādhavaḥ। sādhūnāṃ punarācāro garīyo dharmalakṣaṇam ॥13-45-6॥
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)
asminneva prakaraṇe sukratur vākyam abravīt। naptā videharājasya janakasya mahātmanaḥ ॥13-45-7॥
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)
asadācarite mārge kathaṁ syādanukīrtanam। anuprasnaḥ saṁśayo vā satāmetadupālabhet ॥13-45-8॥
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)
asadeva hi dharmasya pramādo dharma āsuraḥ। nānuśuśruma jātvetāmimāṃ pūrveṣu janmasu ॥13-45-9॥
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)
bhāryāpatyor hi sambandhaḥ strīpuṃsos tulya eva saḥ। ratiḥ sādhāraṇo dharma iti cāha sa pārthivaḥ ॥13-45-10॥
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)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
atha kena pramāṇena puṁsāmādīyate dhanam। putravad dhi pitus tasya kanyā bhavitum arhati ॥13-45-11॥
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)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
yathaiva ātmā tathā putraḥ putreṇa duhitā samā। tasyām ātmani tiṣṭhantyām katham anyaḥ dhanaṃ haret ॥13-45-12॥
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)
mātuś ca yautakaṃ yat syāt kumārī-bhāga eva saḥ। dauhitra eva vā riktham-aputrasya pitur haret ॥13-45-13॥
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)
dadāti hi sa piṇḍaṃ vai piturmātāmahasya ca। putradauhitrayorneha viśeṣo dharmataḥ smṛtaḥ ॥13-45-14॥
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)
anyatra jātayā sā hi prajayā putra īhate। duhitānyatra jātena putreṇāpi viśiṣyate ॥13-45-15॥
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)
dauhitrakeṇa dharmeṇa nātra paśyāmi kāraṇam। vikrītāsu ca ye putrā bhavanti pitureva te ॥13-45-16॥
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)
asūyavas tv adharmaiṣṭhāḥ parasvādāyinaḥ śaṭhāḥ। āsurād adhi sambhūtā dharmādviṣamavṛttayaḥ ॥13-45-17॥
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)
atra gāthā yamodgītāḥ kīrtayanti purāvidaḥ। dharmajñā dharmaśāstreṣu nibaddhā dharmasetuṣu ॥13-45-18॥
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)
yo manuṣyaḥ svakaṃ putraṃ vikrīya dhanam icchati। kanyāṃ vā jīvitārthāya yaḥ śulkena prayacchati ॥13-45-19॥
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)
saptāvare mahāghore niraye kālasāhvaye। svedaṃ mūtraṃ purīṣaṃ ca tasmin preta upāśnute ॥13-45-20॥
In the sevenfold, extremely dreadful hell known as Kāla, the departed soul is made to consume sweat, urine, and excrement there. (13-45-20)
ārṣe gomithunaṃ śulkaṃ kecid āhur mṛṣaiva tat। alpaṃ vā bahu vā rājan vikrayaḥ tāvad eva saḥ ॥13-45-21॥
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)
yadyapyācaritaḥ kaiścin naiṣa dharmaḥ kathaṃcana। anyeṣām api dṛśyante lobhataḥ sampravṛttayaḥ ॥13-45-22॥
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)
vaśyāṃ kumārīṃ vihitāṃ ye ca tām-upabhuñjate। ete pāpasya kartāras tamasy-andhe'tha śerate ॥13-45-23॥
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)
anyo'pyatha na vikreyo manuṣyaḥ kiṃ punaḥ prajāḥ। adharmamūlairhi dhanairna tairartho'sti kaścana॥13-45-24॥
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)
