समर्थः पोषणे चासि सुतयो रक्षणे तथा। न त्वहं सुतयोः शक्ता तथा रक्षणपोषणे
You are capable of nourishing and protecting the children; but I am not able to protect and nourish them as you can.
मम हि त्वद्विहीनायाः सर्वप्राणधनेश्वर। कथं स्यातां सुतौ बालौ भरेयं च कथं त्वहम्
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?
कथं हि विधवाऽनाथा बालपुत्रा विना त्वया। मिथुनं जीवयिष्यामि स्थिता साधुगते पथि
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?
अहं कृतावलेपैश्च प्रार्थ्यमानामिमां सुताम्। अयुक्तैस्तव संबन्धे कथं शक्ष्यामि रक्षितुम्
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?
उत्सृष्टमामिषं भूमौ प्रार्थयन्ति यथा खगाः। प्रार्थयन्ति जनाः सर्वे पतिहीनां तथा स्त्रियम्
Just as birds gather around flesh cast upon the ground, so do all men pursue a woman bereft of her husband.
साऽहं विचाल्यमाना वै प्रार्थ्यमाना दुरात्मभिः। स्थातुं पथि न शक्ष्यामि सज्जनेष्टे द्विजोत्तम
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.
स्त्रीजन्म गर्हितं नाथ लोके दुष्टजनाकुले। मातापित्रोर्वशे कन्या प्रौढा भर्तृवशे तथा
O protector, 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.
अभावे चानयोः पुत्रे खतन्त्रा स्त्री विगर्हिता
And in the absence of both, a woman with a son is still considered independent and thus censured.
अनाथत्वं स्त्रियो द्वारं दुष्टानां विवृतं हि तत्। वस्त्रखण्डं घृताक्तं हि यथा संकृष्यते श्वभिः
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.
कथं तव कुलस्यैकमिमं बालमनागसम्। पितृपैतामहे मार्गे नियोक्तुमहमुत्सहे
How can I bring myself to set this innocent child of your lineage upon the path of his fathers and grandfathers?
कथं शक्ष्यामि बालेऽस्मिन्गुणानाधातुमीप्सितान्। अनाथे सर्वतो लुप्ते यथा त्वं धर्मदर्शिवान्
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?
इमामपि च ते बालामनाथां परिभूय माम्। अनर्हाः प्रार्थयिष्यन्ति शूद्रा वेदश्रुतिं यथा
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.
तां चेदहं न दित्सेयं सद्गुणैरुपबृंहिताम्। प्रमथ्यैनां हरेयुस्ते हविर्ध्वाङ्क्षा इवाध्वरात्
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.
संप्रेक्षमाणा पुत्रीं ते नानुरूपमिवात्मनः। अनर्हवशमापन्नामिमां चापि सुतां तव
Seeing your daughter, who is not suited to such a fate, and this daughter of yours fallen into the hands of the unworthy—
अवज्ञाता च लोकेषु तथान्मानमजानती। अवलिप्तैरैर्ब्रह्मन्मरिष्यामि न संशयः
And being scorned among people, deprived of honor, and insulted by the arrogant, O Brahmin, I will surely die—there is no doubt.
तौ च हीनौ मया बालौ त्वया चैव तथात्मजौ। विनश्येतां न सन्देहो मत्स्याविव जलक्षये
Those two children, deprived of me and of you, their father, will surely perish, like fish when the water dries up.
त्रितयं सर्वथाप्येवं विनशिष्यत्यसंशयम्। त्वया विहीनं तस्मात्त्वं मां परित्यक्तुमर्हसि
Thus, all three of us will certainly perish without you; therefore, you should not abandon me.
व्युष्टिरेषा परा स्त्रीणां पूर्वं भर्तुः परा गतिः। ननु ब्रह्मन्सपुत्राणामिति धर्मविदो विदुः
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.
अनिष्टमिह पुत्राणां विषये परिवर्तितुम्। हरिद्राञ्जनपुष्पादिसौमङ्गल्ययुता सती
It is not proper for a woman with sons to remain in this world, adorned with auspicious marks like turmeric, collyrium, and flowers.
मरणं याति या भर्तुस्तद्दत्तजलपायिनी। भर्तृपादार्पितमनाः सा याति गिरिजापदम्
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.
गिराजायाः सखी भूत्वा मोदते नगकन्यया। मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं माता मितं सुतः
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.
अमितस्य हि दातारं का पतिं नाभिनन्दति। आश्रमाश्चाग्निसंस्कारा जपहोमव्रतानि च
Who does not rejoice in a husband who is a giver of the limitless? Hermitages, fire-rites, muttered prayers, offerings, and vows—
स्त्रीणां नैते विधातव्या विना पतिमनिन्दितम्। क्षमा शौचमनाहारमेतावद्विहितं स्त्रियाः
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.
परित्यक्तः सुतश्चायं दुहितेयं तथा मया। बान्धवाश्च परित्यक्तास्त्वदर्थं जीवितं च मे
This son has been abandoned, and likewise this daughter by me; relatives too have been forsaken, and my life is for your sake.
यज्ञैस्तपोभिर्नियमैर्दानैश्च विविधैस्तथा। विशिष्यते स्त्रिया भर्तुर्नित्यं प्रियहिते स्थितिः
By sacrifices, austerities, restraints, and various gifts, a woman does not surpass the constant devotion to the welfare and pleasure of her husband.
तदिदं यच्चिकीर्षामि धर्मं परमसंमतम्। इष्टं चैव हितं चैव तव चैव कुलस्य च
Therefore, this highest and most approved duty which I wish to perform is desired, beneficial, and for your family as well.
इष्टानि चाप्यपत्यानि द्रव्याणि सुहृदः प्रियाः। आपद्धर्मप्रमोक्षाय भार्या चापि सतां मतम्
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.
आपदर्थे धनं रक्षेद्दारान्रक्षेद्धनैरपि। आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि
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.
दृष्टादृष्टफलार्थं हि भार्या पुत्रो धनं गृहम्। सर्वमेतद्विधातव्यं बुधानामेष निश्चयः
Wife, son, wealth, and house are for visible and invisible results; all this is to be regulated—this is the decision of the wise.
एकतो वा कुलं कृत्स्नमात्मा वा कुलवर्धनः। `उभयोः कोधिको विद्वन्नात्मा चैवाधिकः कुलात्
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.