Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 123
MBh 9 123.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच सत्स्त्रीणां समुदाचारं सर्वधर्मविदां वर। श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं त्वत्तस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca satstrīṇāṃ samudācāraṃ sarvadharmavidāṃ vara| śrotumicchāmyahaṃ tvattastanme brūhi pitāmaha||
Yudhishthira said O you who know all duties, I wish to hcar in full, what forms the excellent conduct of good and chaste women. Do you, O grandfather, describe this to me.!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.2
भीष्म उवाच सर्वज्ञां सर्वतत्त्वज्ञां देवलोके मनस्विनीम्। कैकेयी सुमना नाम शाण्डिली पर्यपृच्छत॥ केन वृत्तेन कल्याणि समाचारेण केन वा। विधूय सर्वपापानि देवलोकं त्वमागता॥ हुताशनशिखेव त्वं ज्वलमाना स्वतेजसा। सुता ताराधिपस्येव प्रभया दिवमागता॥
bhīṣma uvāca sarvajñāṃ sarvatattvajñāṃ devaloke manasvinīm| kaikeyī sumanā nāma śāṇḍilī paryapṛcchata|| kena vṛttena kalyāṇi samācāreṇa kena vā| vidhūya sarvapāpāni devalokaṃ tvamāgatā|| hutāśanaśikheva tvaṃ jvalamānā svatejasā| sutā tārādhipasyeva prabhayā divamāgatā||
Bhishma said Once on a time in the celestial region, a lady named Sumana of Kaikeya's race, addressing Shandili, gifted with great energy and conversant with the truth regarding everything and gifted with omniscience, said, By what conduct, O auspicious lady, by what course of deeds have you succeeded in acquiring the celestial region, purged off of every sin? You shine with your own energy like a flame of fire, You appear to be a daughter of the Lord of stars, come to Heaven in your own effulgence.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.3
अरजांसि च वस्त्राणि धारयन्ती गलक्लमा। विमानस्था शुभा भासि सहस्रगुणमोजसा॥
arajāṃsi ca vastrāṇi dhārayantī galaklamā| vimānasthā śubhā bhāsi sahasraguṇamojasā||
You put on dresses of pure white, and as quite cheerful and at your case. Scated on that celestial car, you shine, O auspicious dame, with energy multiplied a thousand fold.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.4
न त्वमल्पेन तपसा दानेन नियमेन वा। इमं लोकमनुप्राप्ता तवं हि तत्त्वं वदस्व मे॥
na tvamalpena tapasā dānena niyamena vā| imaṃ lokamanuprāptā tavaṃ hi tattvaṃ vadasva me||
You have not, I understand, attained to this region of happiness by great penances and gifts and vows. Do you tell me the truth!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.5
इति पृष्टा सुमनया मधुरं चारुहासिनी। शाण्डिली निभृतं वाक्यं सुमनामिदमब्रवीत्॥ नाहं कापायवसना नापि वल्कलधारिणी। च जटिला भूत्वा देवत्वमागता॥ अहितानि च वाक्यानि सर्वाणि परुषाणि च। अप्रमत्ता च भर्तारं कदाचिन्नाहमब्रुवम॥
iti pṛṣṭā sumanayā madhuraṃ cāruhāsinī| śāṇḍilī nibhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ sumanāmidamabravīt|| nāhaṃ kāpāyavasanā nāpi valkaladhāriṇī| ca jaṭilā bhūtvā devatvamāgatā|| ahitāni ca vākyāni sarvāṇi paruṣāṇi ca| apramattā ca bhartāraṃ kadācinnāhamabruvama||
Thus questioned swectly by Sumana, Stiandili of sweet smiles, addressing her fair interrogatrix, thus answered her silently. I did not wear yellow robes; nor barks of trees. I did not shave my head; nor did I keep matted locks on my head. It is not on account of these deeds that I have acquired the status of a celestial. I never carelessly addressed any harsh words to my husband.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.6
न च मुण्डा देवतानां पितॄणां च ब्राह्मणानां च पूजने। अप्रमत्ता सदा युक्ता श्वश्वशुरवर्तिनी॥
na ca muṇḍā devatānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca brāhmaṇānāṃ ca pūjane| apramattā sadā yuktā śvaśvaśuravartinī||
I was always devoted to the adoration of the celestials the departed Manes, and the Brahmanas. Always careful I waited upon and served my motherin law and father-in-law.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.7
पैशुन्ये न प्रवामि न ममैतन्मनोगतम्। अद्वारि न च तिष्ठामि चिरं न कथयामि च॥
paiśunye na pravāmi na mamaitanmanogatam| advāri na ca tiṣṭhāmi ciraṃ na kathayāmi ca||
This was my resolution that I should never act deceitfully. I never used of stay at the door of our house nor did I speak long with anybody.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.8
असद् वा हसितं किंचिदहितं वापि कर्मणा। रहस्यमरहस्यं वा न प्रवामि सर्वथा।॥
asad vā hasitaṃ kiṃcidahitaṃ vāpi karmaṇā| rahasyamarahasyaṃ vā na pravāmi sarvathā|||
I never did any evil deed. I never laughed aloud; I never did any injury; I never gave out any secret. Thus did I myself act.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.9
कार्यार्थं निर्गतं चापि भार्तारं गृहमागतम्। आसनेनोपसंयोज्य पूजयामि समाहिता॥
kāryārthaṃ nirgataṃ cāpi bhārtāraṃ gṛhamāgatam| āsanenopasaṃyojya pūjayāmi samāhitā||
When my husband, having left home upon any business, used to return, I always served him by giving him a seat, and adored him with respect.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.10
यदन्नं नाभिजानाति यद् भोज्यं नाभिनन्दति। भक्ष्यं वा यदि वा लेह्यं तत्सर्वे वर्जयाम्यहम्॥
yadannaṃ nābhijānāti yad bhojyaṃ nābhinandati| bhakṣyaṃ vā yadi vā lehyaṃ tatsarve varjayāmyaham||
I never ate food of any kind which was unknown to my husband and with which my husband was not pleased.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.11
कुटुम्बार्थं समानीतं यत्किञ्चित् कार्यमेव तु। प्रातरुत्थाय तत्सर्वं कारयामि करोमि च॥
kuṭumbārthaṃ samānītaṃ yatkiñcit kāryameva tu| prātarutthāya tatsarvaṃ kārayāmi karomi ca||
Rising early in the morning I did and caused to be done whatever was brought about and required to be done for the sake of relatives and kinsmen.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.12
प्रवासं यदि मे याति भर्ता कार्येण केनचित्। मङ्गलैर्बहुभिर्यक्ता भवामि नियता तदा॥
pravāsaṃ yadi me yāti bhartā kāryeṇa kenacit| maṅgalairbahubhiryaktā bhavāmi niyatā tadā||
When my husband leaves home for going to a distant place on any errand, I remained at home engaged in various kinds of auspicious deeds for blessing his enterprise.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.13
अञ्जनं रोचनां चैव स्नानं माल्यानुलेपनम्। प्रसाधनं च निष्क्रान्ते नाभिनन्दामि भर्तरि॥
añjanaṃ rocanāṃ caiva snānaṃ mālyānulepanam| prasādhanaṃ ca niṣkrānte nābhinandāmi bhartari||
During the absence of my husband I never use collyrium or ornaments; I never wash myself properly or use garlands and unguents or adorn my feet with lacdye or body with ornaments.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.14
नोत्थापयामि भर्तारं सुखसुप्तमहं सदा। आन्तरेष्वपि कार्येषु तेन तुष्यति मे मनः॥
notthāpayāmi bhartāraṃ sukhasuptamahaṃ sadā| āntareṣvapi kāryeṣu tena tuṣyati me manaḥ||
When my husband sleeps in peace I never awake him even if important business wanted his attention. I was happy to sit by him lying asleep.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.15
नायासयामि भर्तारं कुटुम्बार्थेऽपि सर्वदा। गुप्तगुह्या सदा चास्मि सुसम्मृष्टनिवेशना॥
nāyāsayāmi bhartāraṃ kuṭumbārthe'pi sarvadā| guptaguhyā sadā cāsmi susammṛṣṭaniveśanā||
I never urged my husband to work hard for acquiring riches to support his family and relatives. I always kept secrets without giving them out to others. I used to always keep our premises clean.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.16
इमं धर्मपथं नारी पालयन्ती समाहिता। अरुन्धतीव नारीणां स्वर्गलोके महीयते॥
imaṃ dharmapathaṃ nārī pālayantī samāhitā| arundhatīva nārīṇāṃ svargaloke mahīyate||
That woman who with rapt attention, follows her duty, receives profuse honors in the celestial region like a second Arundhati.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.17
भीष्म उवाच एतदाख्याय सा देवी सुमनायै तपस्विनी। पतिधर्मे महाभागा जगामादर्शनं तदा॥
bhīṣma uvāca etadākhyāya sā devī sumanāyai tapasvinī| patidharme mahābhāgā jagāmādarśanaṃ tadā||
Bhishma said The illustrious and highly blessed Shandili, of pious conduct having said these words to Sumana on the subject of woman's duties towards her husband, disappeared there and then.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 9 123.18
यश्चेदं पाण्डवाख्यानं पठेत् पर्वणि पर्वणि। स देवलोकं सम्प्राप्य नन्दने स सुखी वसेत्॥
yaścedaṃ pāṇḍavākhyānaṃ paṭhet parvaṇi parvaṇi| sa devalokaṃ samprāpya nandane sa sukhī vaset||
That man, O son of Pandu, who reads this discourse at every full moon and new moon, succeeds in acquiring the celestial region and enjoying great happiness in the bowers of Nandana.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)