Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 13.74
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13.74.1
इमे वै मानवा लोके स्त्रीषु सज्जन्त्यभीक्ष्णशः ।
मोहेन परमाविष्टा देवदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ १३.७४.१ ॥
Here in the world men again and again become attached to women, deeply possessed by delusion, through an action ordained by the gods.
13.74.2
स्त्रियश्च पुरुषेष्वेव प्रत्यक्षं लोकसाक्षिकम् ।
अत्र मे संशयस्तीव्रो हृदि सम्परिवर्तते ॥ १३.७४.२ ॥
And women toward men — this is plainly witnessed by the world. Here a sharp doubt turns over in my heart.
13.74.3
कथमासां नराः सङ्गं कुर्वते कुरुनन्दनः ।
स्त्रियो वातेषु रज्यन्ते विरज्यन्ते च ताः पुनः ॥ १३.७४.३ ॥
O joy of the Kurus, how do men form attachment with these women? Women are colored by the winds, and then again they become detached.
13.74.4
इति ताः पुरुषव्याघ्र कथं शक्यास्तु रक्षितुम् ।
प्रमदाः पुरुषेणेह तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ १३.७४.४ ॥
O best of men, how can such women be guarded by a man? It is fitting that you explain this to me here.
13.74.5
एत्वा हि स्वीयमायाभिर्वञ्चयन्तीह मानवान् ।
न चासां मुच्यते कश्चित्पुरुषो हस्तमागतः ॥ १३.७४.५ ॥
Having come here, they deceive men with their own illusions, and no man who has fallen into their hand is ever freed from them.
13.74.6
गावो नवतृणानीव गृह्णन्त्येता नवन्नवम् ॥ १३.७४.६ ॥
As cows take up fresh grass again and again, so these women take up new and ever newer men.
13.74.7
शम्बरस्य च या माया माया या नमुचेरपि ।
बलेः कुम्भीनसेश्चैव सर्वास्तां योषितो विदुः ॥ १३.७४.७ ॥
Whatever illusion belongs to Śambara, whatever illusion belongs to Namuci, to Bali and to Kumbhīnasi — women know all of those illusions.
13.74.8
हसन्तं प्रहसन्त्येता रुद्रन्तं प्ररुदन्ति च ।
अप्रियं प्रियवाक्यैश्च गृह्णते कालयोगतः ॥ १३.७४.८ ॥
They laugh with the one who laughs and weep with the one who weeps; even one who is unpleasant to them they win over with sweet words, through the course of time.
13.74.9
यदि जिह्वासहस्रं स्याज्जीवेच्च शरदां शतम् ।
अनन्यकर्मा स्त्रीदोषाननुक्त्वा निधनं व्रजेत् ॥ १३.७४.९ ॥
Even if one had a thousand tongues and lived a hundred years, a man of single-minded purpose would die without having spoken of the faults of women.
13.74.10
उशना वेद यच्छास्त्रं यच्च वेद बृहस्पतिः ।
स्त्री बुद्ध्या न विशिष्येत तास्तु रक्ष्याः कथं नरैः ॥ १३.७४.१० ॥
Not even the science known to Uśanas, nor what Bṛhaspati knows, can surpass a woman's intellect. How then are such women to be guarded by men?
13.74.11
अनृतं सत्यमित्याहुः सत्यं चापि तथाऽनृतम् ।
इति यास्ताः कथं वीर संरक्ष्याः पुरुषैरिह।
दोषास्पदेऽशुचौ देहे ह्यासां सक्तास्त्वहो नराः ॥ १३.७४.११ ॥
They say falsehood is truth and truth is likewise falsehood. O hero, how can men guard well those who are thus? Alas, men become attached to these bodies, impure and the seat of faults.
13.74.12
स्त्रीणां बुद्ध्यर्थनिष्कर्षादर्थशास्त्राणि शत्रुहन् ।
बृहस्पतिप्रभृतिभिर्मन्ये सद्भिः कृतानि वै ॥ १३.७४.१२ ॥
O slayer of enemies, I believe the treatises on statecraft were composed by good men such as Bṛhaspati precisely to draw out the purposes of women's intellect.
13.74.13
संपूज्यमानाः पुरुषैर्विकुर्वन्ति मनो नृषु ।
अपास्ताश्च तथा राजन्विकुर्वन्ति मनः स्त्रियः ॥ १३.७४.१३ ॥
Honored by men, they disturb the minds of men; and likewise, O king, women rejected also disturb the mind.
13.74.14
इमाः प्रजा महापाहो धार्मिक्य इति नः श्रुतम् ॥ १३.७४.१४ ॥
These women, O mighty-armed one, we have heard to be virtuous.
13.74.15
सत्कृतासत्कृताश्चापि विकुर्वन्ति मनः सदा ।
कस्ताः शक्तो रक्षितुं स्यादिति मे संशयो महान् ॥ १३.७४.१५ ॥
Whether honored or dishonored, they always disturb the mind. Who would be able to protect them? This is my great doubt.
13.74.16
तथा ब्रूहि महाभाग कुरूणां वंशवर्धन ।
यदि शक्या कुरुश्रेष्ठ रक्षा तासां कदाचन। ॥ १३.७४.१६ ॥
Therefore tell us, O greatly fortunate one, increaser of the Kuru line. O best of the Kurus, if their protection is ever possible, speak.
13.74.17
कर्तुं वा कृतपूर्वं वा तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ १३.७४.१७ ॥
Whether it can be done, or has been done before, you ought to explain it to me.