दाता च नरकं याति यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम् धर्मो नष्टो भवेत्तस्य धर्म्महीने च कर्म्मणि
The giver goes to hell for a thousand years; his merit is lost, and for one without merit, action is lost as well.
ब्रह्मोवाच धर्मे नष्टे च धर्मज्ञे तस्य कर्ता विनश्यति
Brahmā said: When righteousness is lost, and the knower of righteousness is gone, the doer perishes.
धर्म उवाच मयि स्थिते महासाध्वि सर्वं भद्रं भविष्यति
Dharma said: While I remain, O great virtuous one, all will be well.
देवा ऊचुः वयं तव व्रते पूर्णे कुर्मस्त्वां पूर्णमानसाम्
The gods said: As your vow is fulfilled, we make you fulfilled in mind.
मुनय ऊचुः स्थितेष्वस्मासु धर्मज्ञे किमभद्रं भविष्यति
The sages said: If we, who know righteousness, are present, how can misfortune arise?
सनत्कुमार उवाच सुचिरं संचितस्यापि स्वात्मनस्तपसः फलम्
Sanatkumāra said: Even after a long time, the fruit of austerity accumulated by the self—
कर्मण्यदक्षिणे साध्वि यागस्याहं तु तत्फलम्
O virtuous one, in a sacrifice performed without a fee, I declare that the result belongs to the sacrifice.
पार्वत्युवाच किं पुत्रेण च धर्मेण यत्र भर्त्ता च दक्षिणा
Pārvatī said: What is the use of a son or righteousness, where the husband himself is the fee?
वृक्षार्चने फलं किं वै यदि भूमिर्न चार्च्यते
What is the fruit of worshipping a tree if the ground itself is not honored?
प्राणास्त्यक्ताः स्वेच्छया चेद्देहैस्स्यात्किं प्रयोजनम्
If life is abandoned by one's own will, what purpose does the body serve?
शतपुत्रसमः स्वामी साध्वीनां च सुरेश्वराः
The husband is equal to a hundred sons for virtuous women, O lord of the gods.
भर्तुर्वंशश्च तनयः केवलं भर्तृमूलकः
The husband's lineage and the son both originate solely from the husband.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच नष्टे धर्मे च धर्मिष्ठे स्वामिना किं सुतेन वा
Śrī Viṣṇu said: If righteousness is lost, even in the righteous, what use is a son or a husband?
ब्रह्मोवाच सत्यं संकल्पितं कर्म न तु भ्रष्टं कुरु व्रतम्
Brahmā said: Truly, an act that is resolved upon is to be performed; do not abandon a vow that has not failed.
पार्वत्युवाच तद्यस्यास्तीति स स्वामी वेदज्ञ शृणु मद्वचः
Pārvatī said: Therefore, the one to whom she belongs is her lord; O knower of the Vedas, listen to my words.
तस्य दाता सदा स्वामी न च स्वस्वामितां लभेत्
He who gives is always the master; ownership is never attained by oneself.
धर्म्म उवाच दम्पती ध्रुवमेकाङ्गौ द्वयोर्दाने द्वकौ समौ
Dharma said: Husband and wife are certainly one body; in the giving of both, both are equal.
पार्वत्युवाच न श्रुतं विपरीतं च श्रुतौ श्रुतिपरायणाः
Pārvatī said: That which is not heard, or is contrary, is not heard by those devoted to the scriptures.
देवा ऊचुः वेदज्ञे वेदवादेषु के वा त्वां जेतुमीश्वराः
The gods said: O knower of the Vedas, in matters of Vedic debate, which gods could conquer you?
निरूपिता पुण्यके तु व्रते स्वामी च दक्षिणा
In a meritorious vow, the husband is established as the fee.
पार्वत्युवाच बलवाँल्लौकिको वेदाल्लोकाचारं च कस्त्यजेत्
Pārvatī said: Who, being powerful, would abandon worldly custom for the Veda, or social practice?
वेदे प्रकृतिपुंसोश्च गरीयान्पुरुषो ध्रुवम्
In the Veda, among the primal man and woman, the man is certainly greater.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच श्रीकृष्णश्च द्वयोः स्रष्टा समौ प्रकृतिपूरुषौ
Bṛhaspati said: Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the creator of both; the two, Prakṛti and Puruṣa, are together.
पार्वत्युवाच पुमान्गरीयान्प्रकृतेस्तथैव न ततश्च सा
Pārvatī said: The man is greater than Prakṛti, and she is not greater than him.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे देवा मुनयस्तत्र संसदि
Meanwhile, the gods and sages were present there in the assembly.
पार्षदैस्संपरिवृतं युतं श्यामैश्चतुर्भुजैः अवरुह्य मुदा यानादाजगाम सभातलम्
Surrounded by attendants, joined by dark four-armed ones, joyfully descending from their vehicles, they entered the hall.
तुष्टुवुस्तं सुरेन्द्रास्ते देवं वैकुण्ठवासिनम्
Those lords of the gods praised him, the god who dwells in Vaikuṇṭha.
लक्ष्मीसरस्वतीकान्तं शान्तं तं सुमनोहरम्
He is the beloved of Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī, peaceful, and supremely charming.
कोटिकन्दर्पलावण्यं कोटिचन्द्रसमप्रभम्
He possesses the beauty of ten million Cupids and radiance equal to ten million moons.
सेव्यं ब्रह्मादिदेवैश्च सेवकैः सततं स्तुतम्
He is served by Brahmā and the other gods, and always praised by his attendants.