सिद्धान्तशास्त्रनैपुण्यं भावनं स्वात्मतोषणम् । व्याख्यानं परिशुद्धं च ग्रन्थाभ्यस्तं च संततम्
Expertise in the treatises of doctrine, contemplation, contentment of the self, pure exposition, and continuous study of scriptures—
प्यवस्थापरिशुद्ध्यर्थ विचारो वेदसंमतः । शास्त्रार्थाचरणं चैव कतध्यं स्वयमेव च
Deliberation for the sake of pure conduct, as approved by the Vedas, and the practice of the meaning of the scriptures, as well as self-study.
देवाह्निकेषु नैपुण्यं वेदाचरणमीप्सितम् । वेदोक्तभक्षणं चैव पवित्राचरणं सदा
Skill in the daily worship of the gods, the desire to practice the Vedas, eating as prescribed by the Vedas, and always conducting oneself in purity—these are sought.
पतिव्रतानां यं धर्म तं निबोध व्रजेश्वर । नित्यंतु भर्तर्यौत्सुक्यात्तत्पादोदकमीप्सितम्
O lord of Vraja, understand the duty of devoted wives: always, out of eagerness for their husband, they desire the water that has washed his feet.
भक्तिभावेन सततं भोक्तव्यं तदनुज्ञया । व्रतं तपस्यां देवार्चां परित्यज्य प्रयत्नतः
With devotion, she should always partake only with his permission; she should carefully abandon vows, austerities, and worship of gods.
कुर्याच्चरणसेवां च स्तवनं परितोषणम् । तदाज्ञारहितं कर्म न कुयद्विरैतः सती
She should serve his feet, offer praise, and strive to please him; a chaste woman must not perform any act without his command.
नारायणात्परं कान्तं ध्यायते सततं सती । परपुंसां मुखं चैव सुवेषपुरुषं परम्
A chaste woman constantly meditates on no beloved higher than Nārāyaṇa; she does not look at the faces of other men, even if they are handsomely adorned.
यात्रामहोत्सवं नृत्यं नर्तनं गायनं व्रज । परक्रीडां च सततं न हि पश्यति सुव्रता
She does not attend festivals, grand celebrations, dances, or singing, nor does she ever watch the play of others, O Vraja.
यद्भक्ष्यं स्वामिनो नित्यं तदेवमपि योषिताम् । नहि त्यजेत्तु तत्सङ्गं क्षणमेव च सुव्रता
Whatever food is for her husband, that alone is for the wife; a virtuous woman does not abandon his company, even for a moment.
उत्तरे नोत्तरं दद्यात्स्वामिनश्य पतिव्रता । न कोपं कुरुते शुद्वा ताडिता चापि कोपतः
A devoted wife does not reply to her husband with a counter-argument; she does not become angry, even if struck in anger.
क्षुधितं भोजयेत्कान्तं दद्यात्पानं च भोजनम् । न बोधयेत्तं निद्रालुं प्ररेयेन्नैव कर्मसु
She should feed her hungry husband, give him drink and food; she does not wake him when he sleeps, nor urges him to work.
पुत्राणां च शतगुणं स्नेहं कुर्यात्पतीं सती । पतिर्बन्धुर्गतिर्भर्ता दैवतं कुलयोषितः
A chaste woman should show a hundred times more affection to her husband than to her sons; for the women of the family, the husband is kin, refuge, and deity.
शुभं दृष्ट्वा सुधातुल्यं कान्तं पश्यति सुन्दरी । सस्मितं वदनं कृत्वा भक्तिभावेन यत्नतः
Seeing something auspicious or as sweet as nectar, the beautiful wife looks at her husband, smiling and with devotion, carefully.
पुरुषाणां सहस्रं च सती स्त्री च समुद्धरेत् । पतिः पतिव्रतानां च मुच्यते सर्वपातकात्
A chaste wife can deliver even a thousand men, and her husband is freed from all sins through her fidelity.
नास्ति तेषां कर्मभोगः सतीनां व्रततेजसा । तया सार्धं च निष्कर्मी मोदते हरिमन्दिरे
For such chaste women, there is no experience of karmic results; with her, freed from action, he rejoices in the abode of Hari.
पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि सतीपादेषु तान्यपि । तेजश्च सर्वदेवानां मुनीनां च सतीषु च
All the sacred places on earth are found at the feet of a chaste woman; the radiance of all the gods and sages is present in chaste women.
तपस्विनां तपः सर्वं व्रतिनां यत्फलं व्रज । दाने फलं यद्दातणां तत्सर्व तासु संततम्
All the austerity of ascetics, the fruit of vows, and the merit of charity—O Vraja—are continually present in them.
स्वयं नारायणः शंभुर्विधाता जगतामपि । सुराः सर्वे च मुनयो भीतास्ताभ्यां च संततम्
Nārāyaṇa himself, Śaṃbhu, the creator of the worlds, all the gods and sages are always in awe of them.
सतीनां पादरजसा सद्यः पूता वसुंधरा । पतिव्रतां नमस्कृत्वा मुच्यते पातकान्नरः
By the dust of chaste women's feet, the earth is instantly purified; by bowing to a devoted wife, a man is freed from sins.
त्रैलोक्यं भस्मसात्कर्तुं क्षणेनैव पतिव्रता । स्वतेजसा समर्था सा महापुण्यवती सदा
A chaste wife, endowed with great merit, is always capable, by her own radiance, of reducing the three worlds to ashes in a moment.
सतीनां च पतिः साधुः पुत्रो निःशंक एव च । न हि तस्य भयं किंचिद्देवेभ्यश्च यमादपि
For virtuous women, the husband is noble, and the son is indeed without fear; for them, there is no danger whatsoever, not even from the gods or from Yama.
शतजन्मपुण्यवतां गेहे जाता पतिव्रता । पतिव्रताप्रसूः पूता जीवन्मुक्तः पिता तथा
A devoted wife is born in the house of those blessed by merit from a hundred births; the mother who gives birth to a devoted wife is purified, and so too is the father, liberated while living.
सती स्त्री प्रातरुत्थाय त्यक्त्वा च रात्रिवाससम् । भर्तारं च नमस्कृत्य करोति स्तवनं मुदा
A virtuous woman, rising in the morning and setting aside her night attire, bows to her husband and joyfully offers him praise.
गृहकार्यं ततः कृत्वा स्नात्वा धौते च वाससी । गृहीत्वा शुक्लपुष्पं च भक्तितः पूजयेत्पतिम्
Then, after completing household duties, bathing, and wearing clean garments, she takes a white flower and worships her husband with devotion.
स्नापयित्वा सुपूतेन जलेन निर्मलेन च । तस्मै दत्त्वा धौतवस्त्रं तत्पादौ क्षालयेन्मुदा
Bathing him with pure, sanctified water, giving him washed clothing, she joyfully washes his feet.
आसने वासयित्वा च दत्त्वा भाले च चन्दनम् । सर्वाङ्गलेपनं कृत्वा दत्त्वा माल्यं गलेऽपि च
Seating him on a seat, applying sandalwood to his forehead, anointing his whole body, and placing a garland around his neck as well.
सामवेदोक्तमन्त्रेण भोगद्रव्यैः सुधोपमैः । संपूज्य भक्तितः कान्तं स्तुत्वा च प्रणमेन्मुदा
With offerings of delightful foods, as prescribed in the Sāma Veda, she worships her beloved with devotion, praises him, and joyfully bows.
ओं नमः कान्ताय शान्ताय सर्वदेवाश्रयाय स्वाहा । इत्यनेनैव मन्त्रेण दत्त्वा पुष्पं च चन्दनम्
Reciting the mantra, 'Om, salutations to the beloved, the peaceful one, the refuge of all gods, svāhā,' she offers flowers and sandalwood.
पाद्यार्ध्यं धूपदीपौ च वस्त्रं नैवेद्यमुत्तमम् । जलं सुवासितं शुद्धं ताम्बूलं च सुवासितम्
She presents water for washing feet and hands, incense, lamps, clothing, excellent food, fragrant pure water, and scented betel leaves.
दत्त्वा स्तोत्रं पठेद्यद्यत्कृतं वै पाठ्यमेव च । ओं नमः कान्ताय भर्त्रे च शिरश्चन्द्रस्वरूपिणे
After offering, she recites the hymn, whatever has been composed and is to be recited: 'Om, salutations to the beloved husband, whose form is like the moon on the head.'