कलया च सरिद्भूत्वा शीघ्रं गच्छ वरानने
By a portion, becoming a river, quickly go, O beautiful-faced one.
गङ्गे यास्यसि चांशेन पश्चात्त्वं विश्वपावनी
Ganga, you will go in part, and afterwards you will be the purifier of the world.
भगीरथस्य तपसा तेन नीता सुदुष्करात् 2.6.
By the austerity of Bhagiratha, you will be brought down from the most difficult place.
मदंशस्य समुद्रस्य जाया जाये ममाज्ञया
By my command, you will become the wife of a portion of the ocean, and my wife.
गङ्गाशापेन कलया भारतं गच्छ भारति
By Ganga's curse, O Bharati, go to the land of Bharata in a partial form.
स्वयं च ब्रह्मसदनं ब्रह्मणः कामिनी भव
And you yourself, as the beloved of Brahma, become the lady of Brahma's abode.
शान्ता च् क्रोधरहिता मद्भक्ता मत्स्वरूपिणी
Be peaceful, free from anger, devoted to me, and of my very form.
यदंशकलया सर्वा धर्मिष्ठाश्च पतिव्रताः
Whenever, by a portion of yourself, all women are righteous and devoted to their husbands.
तिस्रो भार्य्यास्त्रयः श्यालास्त्रयो भृत्याश्च बान्धवाः
There are three wives, three brothers-in-law, three servants, and relatives.
स्त्री पुंवच्च गृहे येषां गृहिणां स्त्रीवशः पुमान्
In the house where both women and men are ruled by the wife, the man is under the woman's control.
मुखदुष्टा योनिदुष्टा यस्य स्त्री कलहप्रिया
A woman who is foul-mouthed, impure in origin, or fond of quarrel.
जनानां च स्थलानां च पुराणां प्राप्तिरेव च
And the attainment of people and places of old.
वरमग्नौ स्थितिर्हिंस्रजन्तूनां सन्निधौ सुखम् 2.6.
It is better for creatures to remain in fire, for there is happiness in the presence of violence.
व्याधिज्वाला विषज्वाला वरं पुंसां वरानने
O beautiful-faced one, the flame of disease or the flame of poison is preferable for men.
पुंसश्च स्त्रीजितस्येह जीवितं निष्फलं ध्रुवम्
Indeed, the life of a man conquered by a woman here is certainly fruitless.
स निन्दितोऽत्र सर्वत्र परत्र नरकं व्रजेत्
He is reviled everywhere in this world and, in the next, goes to hell.
बह्वीनां च सपत्नीनां नैकत्र श्रेयसी स्थितिः
For many co-wives, it is not auspicious to dwell together in one place.
गच्छ गंगे शिवस्थानं ब्रह्मस्थानं सरस्वति
Go, O Ganga, to the abode of Shiva, and you, Sarasvati, to the abode of Brahma.
सुसाध्या यस्य पत्नी च सुशीला च पतिव्रता
He whose wife is easily managed, virtuous, and devoted to her husband—
पतिव्रता यस्य पत्नी स च मुक्तः शुचिः सुखी
He whose wife is devoted to her husband is liberated, pure, and happy.
इत्युक्त्वा जगतां नाथो विरराम च नारद
Having thus spoken, the Lord of the worlds, O Narada, became silent.
ताश्च सर्वाः समालोच्य क्रमेणोचुः सदीश्वरम्
And all of them, after considering, spoke in turn to the Lord.
सरस्वत्युवाच सत्स्वामिना परित्यक्ताः कुत्र जीवन्ति काः स्त्रियः ।।2.6.
Sarasvatī said: Where do women live who have been abandoned by a virtuous husband?
देहत्यागं करिष्यामि ध्रुवं योगेन भारते
I will certainly give up my body through yoga in Bhārata.
गंगोवाच देहत्यागं करिष्यामि निर्दोषाया वधं लभ
Gaṅgā said: I too will give up my body; grant death to one who is without fault.
निर्दोषकामिनीत्यागं कुरुते यो जनो भवे
Whoever abandons a faultless, devoted woman in this world—
लक्ष्मीरुवाच प्रसादं कुरु चास्मभ्यं सदीशस्य क्षमा वरा
Lakṣmī said: Grant us your favor, and bestow the boon of forgiveness from the Lord.
भारतं भारतीशापाद्यास्यामि कलया यदि
If, by Bhāratī's curse, I must go to Bhārata in a partial form—
दास्यन्ति पापिनः पापं मह्यं स्नानावगाहनात्
Then sinners will give their sins to me through bathing and immersion.
कलया तुलसीरूपा धर्मध्वजसुता सती
By a portion of myself, I will become Tulasī, the chaste daughter of Dharmadhvaja.