Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.208
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3.208.1
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा मार्कण्डेयं महाद्युतिम् ।
प्रपच्छ भरतश्रेष्ठ धर्मप्रश्नं स दुर्वचम् ॥ ३.२०८.१ ॥
Then King Yudhiṣṭhira asked the greatly radiant Mārkaṇḍeya, best of the Bharatas, a question of dharma that is hard to answer.
3.208.2
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन्स्त्रीणां माहातम्यमुत्तमम् ।
कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र सूक्ष्मं धर्म्यं च तत्त्वतः ॥ ३.२०८.२ ॥
Revered sir, I wish to hear the supreme greatness of women, the subtle and righteous matter you are telling, O brāhmaṇa, as it truly is.
3.208.3
प्रत्यक्षमिह विप्रर्षे देवा दृश्यन्ति सत्तम ।
सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ वायुः पृथिवी वह्निरेव च ॥ ३.२०८.३ ॥
O brāhmaṇa sage, best of the good, here the gods are seen directly: the sun and the moon, the wind, the earth, and fire as well.
3.208.4
पिता माता च भगवान्गाव एव च सत्तम ।
यच्चान्यदेव विहितं तच्चापि भृगुनन्दन ॥ ३.२०८.४ ॥
Father and mother, O best of the good, and the revered cows as well, and whatever else is enjoined, that too, O son of Bhṛgu.
3.208.5
मन्येऽहं गुरुवत्सर्वमेकपत्न्यस्तथा स्त्रियः ।
पतिव्रतानां शुश्रूषा दुष्करा प्रतिभाति मे।
पतिव्रतानां महात्म्यं वक्तुमर्हसि नः प्रभो ॥ ३.२०८.५ ॥
I hold that women devoted to one husband are like teachers in all respects, and that serving the faithful wives seems difficult to me. Lord, you should tell us the greatness of the faithful wives.
3.208.6
निरुध्य चेन्द्रियग्रामं मनः संरुध्य चानघ ।
पतिं दैवतवच्चापि चिन्तयन्त्य स्थिता हि या ॥ ३.२०८.६ ॥
O sinless one, those women who, having restrained the host of the senses and controlled the mind, remain meditating on their husband as if he were a god.
3.208.7
भगवन्दुष्करं त्वेतत्प्रतिभाति मम प्रभो ।
मातापित्रोश्च शुश्रूषा स्त्रीणां भर्तरि च द्विज ॥ ३.२०८.७ ॥
O venerable one, O lord, O twice-born, this seems difficult to me: the service of mother and father, and the service of women toward their husband.
3.208.8
स्त्रीणां धर्मात्सुघोराद्धि नान्यं पश्यामि दुष्करम् ।
साध्वाचाराः स्त्रियो ब्र्हमन्कुर्वन्तीह सदादृताः ॥ ३.२०८.८ ॥
I see no other act more difficult than the very terrible duty of women. O brahmin, here women of virtuous conduct, always honored, perform it.
3.208.9
दुष्करं खलु कुर्वन्ति पितरो मातरश्च वै ।
एकपत्न्यश्च या नार्यो याश् सत्यं वदन्त्युत ॥ ३.२०८.९ ॥
Fathers and mothers indeed perform difficult deeds, and so do the women who are devoted to one husband and speak the truth.
3.208.10
कुक्षिणा दशमासांश्च गर्भं संधारयन्ति याः ।
नार्यः कालेन संबूय किमद्भुततरं ततः ॥ ३.२०८.१० ॥
What could be more wonderful than those women who carry the embryo in the womb for ten months and, when the time comes, bring forth a child?
3.208.11
संशयं परमं प्राप्य वेदनामतुलामपि ।
प्रजायन्ते सुतान्नार्यो दुःखेन महता विभो ॥ ३.२०८.११ ॥
Having faced supreme peril and incomparable pain, women bring forth children with great suffering, O mighty one.
3.208.12
पुष्णन्ति चापि महता स्नेहेन द्विजपुङ्गव ।
चिन्तयन्ति ततश्चापि किंशीलोऽयंभविष्यति ॥ ३.२०८.१२ ॥
O best of twice-born, they nourish it with great affection, and then they wonder what sort of character this one will have.
3.208.13
याश्च क्रूरेषु सर्वेषु वर्तमाना जुगुप्सिताः ।
स्वकर्म कुर्वन्ति सदा दुष्करं तच्च मे मतम् ॥ ३.२०८.१३ ॥
Those who, living among cruel people and despised by all, always perform their own duty — that, in my view, is difficult.
3.208.14
क्षत्रधर्मसमाचारतत्त्वं व्याख्याहि मे द्विज ।
धर्मः सुदुर्लभो विप्र नृशंसेन महात्मना ॥ ३.२०८.१४ ॥
O twice-born one, explain to me the true nature of the conduct of the warrior's duty. O brahmin, dharma is very hard to attain for one who is cruel, though great-souled.
3.208.15
एतदिच्छामि भगवन्प्रश्नं प्रश्नविदांवर ।
श्रोतुं भृगुकुलश्रेष्ठ शुश्रूषे तव सुव्रत ॥ ३.२०८.१५ ॥
O blessed one, I wish to hear this question. O best of those who know questions, O best of the line of Bhṛgu, O one of good vows, I am eager to listen in your service.
3.208.16
हन्त तेऽहं समाख्यास्ये प्रश्नमेतं सुदुर्वचम् ।
तत्त्वेन भरतश्रेष्ठ गदतस्तन्निबोध मे ॥ ३.२०८.१६ ॥
Very well, I shall fully explain to you this exceedingly difficult question, in its true essence. O best of the Bharatas, listen to me as I speak it.
3.208.17
मातरंश्रेयसीं तात पितृनन्ये तु मेनिरे ।
दुष्करं कुरुते माता विवर्धयति या प्रजाः ॥ ३.२०८.१७ ॥
O dear one, some regard the mother as more venerable even than the fathers. The mother performs a difficult deed, for she nurtures her offspring.
3.208.18
तपसा देवतेज्याभिर्वन्दनेन तितिक्षया ।
सुप्रशस्तैरुपायैश्चापीहन्ते पितरः सुतान् ॥ ३.२०८.१८ ॥
By austerity, by worship of the gods, by reverence and by patience, and by the most praiseworthy means as well, fathers seek to obtain sons.
3.208.19
एवं कृच्छ्रेण महता पुत्रं प्राप्य सुदुर्लभम् ।
चिन्तयन्ति सदा वीर कीदृशोऽयं भविष्यति ॥ ३.२०८.१९ ॥
Thus, having obtained a son with great difficulty, one very hard to obtain, they always wonder: O hero, what kind of son will he become?
3.208.20
आशंसते हि पुत्रेषु पिता माता च भारत ।
यशः कीर्तिमथैश्वर्यं तेजो धर्मं तथैव च ॥ ३.२०८.२० ॥
Indeed, O Bhārata, father and mother hope in their sons for fame, renown, power, splendor and righteousness.
3.208.21
मातुः पितुश्च राजेन्द्र सततं हितकारिंणोः ।
तयोराशां तु सफलां यः करोति स धर्मवित् ॥ ३.२०८.२१ ॥
O lord of kings, whoever fulfills the hope of his mother and father, who are always well-wishing, he is the knower of dharma.
3.208.22
पिता माता च राजेन्द्र तुष्यतो यस् नित्यशः ।
इह प्रेत्य च तस्याथ कीर्तिर्धर्मश्र शाश्वतः ॥ ३.२०८.२२ ॥
O lord of kings, for one who always keeps his father and mother content, both here and hereafter, there is fame and eternal dharma.
3.208.23
नैव यज्ञक्रियाः काश्चिन्न श्राद्धं नोपवासकम् ।
या तु भर्तरि शुश्रूषा तया स्वर्गं जयत्युत ॥ ३.२०८.२३ ॥
Neither any sacrificial rite, nor the funerary offering, nor fasting, but the service rendered to one's husband, by that indeed heaven is won.
3.208.24
एतत्प्रकरणं राजन्नधिकृत्य युधिष्ठिर ।
पतिव्रतानां नियतं धर्मं चावाहितः शृणु ॥ ३.२०८.२४ ॥
O king Yudhiṣṭhira, concerning this subject, listen attentively to the fixed dharma of faithful wives as well.