Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 144

MBh 7 144.1

भीष्म उवाच अथ वृक्षस्य शाखायां विहङ्गः ससुहज्जनः। दीर्घकालोषितो राजंस्तत्र चित्रतनूरुहः॥

bhīṣma uvāca atha vṛkṣasya śākhāyāṃ vihaṅgaḥ sasuhajjanaḥ| dīrghakāloṣito rājaṃstatra citratanūruhaḥ||

In one of the branches of that tree, a pigeon having beautiful feather, o king, lived for many years with his family.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.2

तस्य कल्पगता भार्या चरितुं नाभ्यवर्तत। प्राप्तां च रजनीं दृष्ट्वा स पक्षी पर्यतप्यत॥

tasya kalpagatā bhāryā carituṃ nābhyavartata| prāptāṃ ca rajanīṃ dṛṣṭvā sa pakṣī paryatapyata||

That morning his wife had gone out in quest of food but had not yet come back. Seeing the approach of night and his wife still not returning, the bird began be bewail, saying

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.3

वातवर्ष महच्चासीन्न चागच्छति मे प्रिया। किं नु तत् कारणं येन साद्यापि न निवर्तते॥

vātavarṣa mahaccāsīnna cāgacchati me priyā| kiṃ nu tat kāraṇaṃ yena sādyāpi na nivartate||

O, what a great storm and a terrible shower took place to-day! Alas, you have come not come back yet, O dear wife! Woe is on me, what must be the cause of her not returning yet.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.4

अपि स्वस्ति भवेत् तस्याः प्रियाया मम कानने। तया विरहितं हीदं शून्यमद्य गृहं मम॥

api svasti bhavet tasyāḥ priyāyā mama kānane| tayā virahitaṃ hīdaṃ śūnyamadya gṛhaṃ mama||

In cverything right with that dear wife of mine in the forest? Separated from her, this my home appears to me void.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.5

पुत्रपौत्रवधूभृत्यैराकीर्णमपि सर्वतः। भार्याहीनं गृहस्थस्य शून्यमेव गृहं भवेत्॥

putrapautravadhūbhṛtyairākīrṇamapi sarvataḥ| bhāryāhīnaṃ gṛhasthasya śūnyameva gṛhaṃ bhavet||

A house-holder's home, even if filled with sons, grandsons daughters-in-law and servants, is regarded empty if there is no housewife.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.6

न गृहं गृहमित्याहुहिणी गृहमुच्यते। गृहं तु गृहिणीहीनमरण्यसदृशं मतम्॥

na gṛhaṃ gṛhamityāhuhiṇī gṛhamucyate| gṛhaṃ tu gṛhiṇīhīnamaraṇyasadṛśaṃ matam||

One's house is not his home; one's wife only is his home. a house without the wife is desolate like a forest.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.7

यदि सा रक्तनेत्रान्ता चित्राङ्गी मधुरस्वरा। अद्य नायाति मे कान्ता न कार्यं जीवितेन मे॥

yadi sā raktanetrāntā citrāṅgī madhurasvarā| adya nāyāti me kāntā na kāryaṃ jīvitena me||

If that dear wife of mine, having red eyes, variegated plumes, and sweet voice, does not return to-day, my life itself will have no value.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.8

न भुक्के मय्यभुक्ते या नास्नाते स्नाति सुव्रता। नातिष्ठत्युपतिष्ठेत शेते च शयिते मयि॥

na bhukke mayyabhukte yā nāsnāte snāti suvratā| nātiṣṭhatyupatiṣṭheta śete ca śayite mayi||

Practising most excellent vows, she never eats before I eat, and never bathes before I bathe. She never sits before I sit down, and never lies before I lie down.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.9

हृष्टे भवति सा हृष्टा दुःखिते मयि दुःखिता। प्रोषिते दीनवदना क्रुद्धे च प्रियवादिनी॥

hṛṣṭe bhavati sā hṛṣṭā duḥkhite mayi duḥkhitā| proṣite dīnavadanā kruddhe ca priyavādinī||

She rejoices when I rejoice, and becomes sorry when I am sorry. She is cheerless when I am away, and she is all sweetness when I am angry.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.10

पतिव्रता पतिगतिः पतिप्रियहिते रता। यस्य स्यात् तादृशी भार्या धन्यः स पुरुषो भुवि।।१०।

pativratā patigatiḥ patipriyahite ratā| yasya syāt tādṛśī bhāryā dhanyaḥ sa puruṣo bhuvi||10|

Always devoted to her husband and ever relying upon him, she always did what was agreeable to and beneficial for her lord. Indeed, such a person deserves praise on Earth who has such a wife.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.11

सा हि श्रान्तं क्षुधार्तं च जानीते मां तपस्विनी। अनुरक्ता स्थिरा चैव भक्ता स्निग्धा यशस्विनी॥

sā hi śrāntaṃ kṣudhārtaṃ ca jānīte māṃ tapasvinī| anuraktā sthirā caiva bhaktā snigdhā yaśasvinī||

That amiable creature knows that I am worn out and hungry. Devoted to me and firm in her love, my genial wife is devout in her adoration to me.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.12

वृक्षमूलेऽपि दयिता यस्य तिष्ठति तद् गृहम्। प्रासादोऽपि तया हीनः कान्तार इति निश्चितम्॥

vṛkṣamūle'pi dayitā yasya tiṣṭhati tad gṛham| prāsādo'pi tayā hīnaḥ kāntāra iti niścitam||

Even the food of a tree is one's home, if he lived there with his wife as a companion. Without one's wife, even a palace is a desolate forest.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.13

धर्मार्थकामकालेषु भार्या पुंसः सहायिनी। विदेशगमने चास्य सैव विश्वासकारिका॥

dharmārthakāmakāleṣu bhāryā puṃsaḥ sahāyinī| videśagamane cāsya saiva viśvāsakārikā||

One's wife is his companion in all his acts of virtue, profit and desire. When one starts for a strange country his wife is his trusted companion.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.14

भार्या हि परमो ह्यर्थः पुरुषस्येह पठ्यते। असहायस्य लोकेऽस्मिल्लोकयात्रासहायिनी॥

bhāryā hi paramo hyarthaḥ puruṣasyeha paṭhyate| asahāyasya loke'smillokayātrāsahāyinī||

It is said that the wife is the richest treasure of her husband. In this world the wife is the only companion of her husband in all the worldly affairs.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.15

तथा रोगाभिभूतस्य नित्यं कृच्छ्रगतस्य च। नास्ति भार्यासमं किंचिन्नरस्यार्तस्य भेषजम्॥

tathā rogābhibhūtasya nityaṃ kṛcchragatasya ca| nāsti bhāryāsamaṃ kiṃcinnarasyārtasya bheṣajam||

One, who is suffered from disease and surrounded with many troubles, his wife is the best of panaceas and good medicine in sickness of that person.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.16

नास्ति भार्यासमो बन्धुर्नास्ति भार्यासमा गतिः। नास्ति भार्यासमो लोके सहायो धर्मसंग्रह॥

nāsti bhāryāsamo bandhurnāsti bhāryāsamā gatiḥ| nāsti bhāryāsamo loke sahāyo dharmasaṃgraha||

There is no friend like wife. There is no refuge better than the wife. There is no better associate in the world than the wife in acts undertaken for the acquisition of religious merit.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 7 144.17

यस्य भार्या गृहे नास्ति साध्वी च प्रियवादिनी। अरण्यं तेन गन्तव्यं यथारण्यं तथा गृहम्॥

yasya bhāryā gṛhe nāsti sādhvī ca priyavādinī| araṇyaṃ tena gantavyaṃ yathāraṇyaṃ tathā gṛham||

He who has not in his house a wife, chaste and of sweet speech, should go to the forest. For such a one there is no difference between a home and a forest.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)