In the midst of great distress, a man found himself confronted by a terrible dilemma. He lamented, “Even if I relinquish myself and fall under the sway of death, those whom I have clearly abandoned will not be able to live here.” The wise condemned the abandonment of any one of his loved ones as cruel; he knew that if he gave up his own life, his dependents would surely perish without him. Overwhelmed by calamity and unable to see a way out, he grieved, “Alas, shame upon the path I must take today with my kinsmen. It is better to die with all than for me to live alone.” At this moment, a voice of wisdom addressed him, urging, “You should never grieve like an ordinary person; for this is not a time for sorrow for you, O healer. Death must inevitably be reached by all humans here; for what is destined to happen, grief has no place.” The wise counselor continued, “Wife, son, and daughter—all are desired for one’s own sake; dispel your pain with wisdom, for I myself will go there. This is the highest and eternal duty for a woman in the world: to act for her husband’s welfare, even at the cost of her own life. And the deed you have done brings happiness to you; it becomes inexhaustible in the next world and brings fame in this one. This is indeed the supreme law; both wealth and righteousness are seen to be abundant here for you.” He reflected further, “That for which a wife is desired has been attained by you through me; a daughter and a son have been obtained, and I am freed from debt by you. You are capable of nourishing and protecting the children; but I am not able to protect and nourish them as you can.” Yet his wife, in her anguish, cried out, “For me, deprived of you, O lord of all life and wealth, how could the two young children survive, and how could I support them? How can I, widowed and without support, with a young child, live on without you, as a pair left alone, standing on the path of the virtuous? I, who have been proud and have refused many suitors for this daughter, how will I be able to protect her, now unfit for union with you?” She spoke of the dangers and indignities faced by women in the world: “Just as birds gather around flesh cast upon the ground, so do all men pursue a woman bereft of her husband. O best of Brahmins, I, being harassed and sought after by wicked men, will not be able to remain steadfast on the path dear to the virtuous. A woman’s birth is reproached in a world filled with wicked people; a maiden is under her parents’ control, and when grown, under her husband’s authority. And in the absence of both, a woman with a son is still considered independent and thus censured. A woman’s lack of protection is truly an open door for the wicked, just as a piece of cloth smeared with ghee is dragged away by dogs.” She mourned, “How can I bring myself to set this innocent child of your lineage upon the path of his fathers and grandfathers? How will I be able to instill the desired virtues in this child, who is helpless and utterly deprived, as you, knower of righteousness, once did? Even this daughter of yours, left unprotected, will be sought after by unworthy men, disregarding me, just as Shudras seek the hearing of the Veda. If I do not give her, adorned with good qualities, to a worthy man, they will seize her by force, as crows snatch the sacrificial offering from the altar. Seeing your daughter, who is not suited to such a fate, and this daughter of yours fallen into the hands of the unworthy—being scorned among people, deprived of honor, and insulted by the arrogant, O Brahmin, I will surely die—there is no doubt.” She concluded, “Those two children, deprived of me and of you, their father, will surely perish, like fish when the water dries up. Thus, all three of us will certainly perish without you; therefore, you should not abandon me.” She then spoke of her highest duty, “This is the highest duty for women: to follow their husband on his path; so, O Brahmin, the wise say, especially for those with sons. It is not proper for a woman with sons to remain in this world, adorned with auspicious marks like turmeric, collyrium, and flowers. She who drinks the water offered for her departed husband, with her mind fixed on his feet, attains the abode of the mountain-born goddess. Becoming the friend of the mountain-daughter, she delights with the maiden of the mountains; for a father gives in measure, a mother gives in measure, and a son gives in measure. Who does not rejoice in a husband who is a giver of the limitless?” She reflected on the duties and prescriptions for women: “Hermitages, fire-rites, muttered prayers, offerings, and vows—these are not to be prescribed for women without a blameless husband; patience, purity, and moderation in food—these alone are enjoined for a woman. This son has been abandoned, and likewise this daughter by me; relatives too have been forsaken, and my life is for your sake. By sacrifices, austerities, restraints, and various gifts, a woman does not surpass the constant devotion to the welfare and pleasure of her husband. Therefore, this highest and most approved duty which I wish to perform is desired, beneficial, and for your family as well.” She explained, “Desired offspring, wealth, and beloved friends are for the release from the duty in adversity; and a wife too is considered by the virtuous for this purpose. For the sake of adversity, one should protect wealth; one should protect a wife even with wealth; one should always protect oneself, even with wife and wealth. Wife, son, wealth, and house are for visible and invisible results; all this is to be regulated—this is the decision of the wise.” Finally, she asserted, “If the whole family is on one side and oneself, the increaser of the family, on the other, O wise one, the self is superior to both, and even more than the family.” Thus, in the midst of sorrow and duty, both husband and wife grappled with the harsh realities of their fate, each seeking to uphold righteousness and the welfare of their family, guided by wisdom and the teachings of the noble tradition.