श्रुतौ पुराणे यासां च चरित्रमतिदूषितम् । तासु को विश्वसेत्प्राज्ञः प्रज्ञावांश्च दुराशयः
Whose conduct is greatly corrupted, as heard in the Purāṇas and the Vedas—who among the wise would trust them? Even the intelligent, if ill-intentioned, would not.
तासां को वा रिपुर्मित्रं प्रार्थयन्ति नवं नवम् । दृष्ट्वा सुवेषं पुरुषमिच्छन्ति हृदये सदा
Who among them is truly an enemy or a friend? They constantly desire something new; seeing a well-dressed man, they always long for him in their hearts.
बाह्ये स्वार्थं सतीत्वं च ज्ञापयन्ती प्रयत्नतः । शश्वत्कामा च रामा च कामाधारा मनोहरा
Outwardly, with effort, they display chastity for their own gain; yet they are always passionate, alluring, and the very foundation of desire.
बाह्ये छलात्खेदयन्ती स्वान्तर्मैथुनमानसा । कान्तं हसन्ती रहसि बाह्येऽतीव सुलज्जिता
Outwardly, by deceit, they torment, while inwardly their minds dwell on union; laughing with their beloved in private, but outwardly extremely modest.
मानिनी मैथुनाभावे कोपना कलहाङ्कुरा । सुप्रीता भूरिसम्भोगात्स्वल्पमैथुनदुःखिता
Proud, quick to anger in the absence of union, sowing the seeds of quarrel; greatly pleased by frequent enjoyment, but distressed by little union.
सुमिष्टान्नाच्छीततोयादाकाङ्क्षन्ती च मानसे । सुन्दरं रसिकं कान्तं युवानं गुणिनं सदा
In their minds, they desire delicious food and cool water, and always a handsome, passionate, youthful, and virtuous lover.
सुतात्परमभिस्नेहं कुर्वती रसिकोपरि । प्राणाधिकं प्रियतमं सम्भोगकुशलं प्रियम्
She shows the greatest affection for her son, but for the passionate lover, she considers him dearer than life itself, especially if he is skilled in enjoyment.
पश्यन्ती रिपुतुल्यं च वृद्धं वा मैथुनाक्षमम् । कलहं कुर्वती शश्वत्तेन सार्धं सुकोपना
She sees as an enemy or equal to an enemy any old man or one incapable of union, and always quarrels with him, easily angered in his company.
वाचया भक्षयन्ती तं सर्प आखुमिवोल्बणम् । दुःसाहसस्वरूपा च सर्वदोषाश्रया सदा
With words, she devours him fiercely, like a snake devouring a mouse; her nature is difficult to endure, always the abode of all faults.
ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां दुःसाध्या मोहरूपिणी । तपोमार्गार्गला शश्वन्मोक्षद्वारकपाटिका
She is difficult to subdue even for Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others, taking the form of delusion; ever a barrier on the path of austerity, the gatekeeper at the door of liberation.
हरेर्भक्तिव्यवहिता सर्वमायाकरण्डिका । संसारकारागारे च शश्वन्निगडरूपिणी
She obstructs devotion to Hari, is the vessel of all illusion, and in the prison of worldly existence, she is ever like a shackle.
इन्द्रजालस्वरूपा च मिथ्या च स्वप्नरूपिणी । बिभ्रती बाह्यसौन्दर्यमधोऽङ्गमतिकुत्सितम्
Her nature is like a magical illusion, false, like a dream; she bears external beauty, but her limbs are utterly contemptible.
नानाविण्मूत्रपूयानामाधारं मलसंयुतम् । दुर्गन्धिदोषसंयुक्तं रक्तारक्तमसंस्कृतम्
She is the receptacle of various excretions—urine, feces, pus—filled with filth, joined with foul odors and defects, bloody and unrefined.
मायारूपा मायिनां च विधिना निर्मिता पुरा । विषरूपा मुमुक्षूणामदृश्याप्यभिवाञ्छताम्
She is of the form of illusion, created by the Creator for those deluded; like poison for those seeking liberation, yet invisible to those who desire her.
इत्युक्त्वा तुलसी तं तु विरराम च नारद । सस्मितः शङ्खचूडश्च प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे
Having spoken thus, Tulasī became silent, and Nārada also paused. Smiling, Śaṅkhacūḍa began to speak.
शङ्खचूड उवाच त्वया यत्कथितं देवि न च सर्वमलीककम् । किञ्चित्सत्यमलीकं च किञ्चिन्मत्तो निशामय
Śaṅkhacūḍa said: What you have told, O Goddess, is not entirely false; some is true, some is not. Now listen to what I have to say.
निर्मितं द्विविधं धात्रा स्त्रीरूपं सर्वमोहनम् । कृत्वा रूपं वास्तवं च प्रशस्यं चाप्रशंसितम्
The Creator has fashioned two kinds of feminine forms, all enchanting: one is genuine and praiseworthy, the other is not.
लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती दुर्गा सावित्री राधिकादिका । सृष्टिसूत्रस्वरूपा च आद्या सृष्टिर्विनिर्मिता
Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Durgā, Sāvitrī, Rādhikā and others, as well as the forms of creation's thread, are the primordial manifestations brought forth at the beginning.
एतासामंशरूपं च स्त्रीरूपं वास्तवं स्मृतम् । तत्प्रशस्यं यशोरूपं सर्वमङ्गलकारकम्
The partial forms of these, regarded as true feminine forms, are praised as embodiments of fame and bring all auspiciousness.
शतरूपा देवहूती स्वधा स्वाहा च दक्षिणा । छायावती रोहिणी च वरुणानी शची तथा
Śatarūpā, Devahūtī, Svadhā, Svāhā, Dakṣiṇā, Chāyāvatī, Rohiṇī, Varuṇānī, and Śacī as well,
कुबेरस्य च पत्नी याप्यदितिश्च दितिस्तथा । लोपामुद्रानसूया च कोटभी तुलसी तथा
Kubera's wife, Aditi, Diti, Lopāmudrā, Anasūyā, Koṭabhī, and Tulasī too,
अहल्यारुन्धती मेना तारा मन्दोदरी तथा । दमयन्ती वेदवती गङ्गा च मनसा तथा
Ahalyā, Arundhatī, Menā, Tārā, Mandodarī, Damayantī, Vedavatī, Gaṅgā, and Manasā,
पुष्टिस्तुष्टिः स्मृतिर्मेधा कालिका च वसुन्धरा । षष्ठी मङ्गलचण्डी च मूर्तिश्च धर्मकामिनी
Puṣṭi, Tuṣṭi, Smṛti, Medhā, Kālikā, Vasundharā, Ṣaṣṭhī, Maṅgalacaṇḍī, Mūrti, and Dharmakāminī,
स्वस्तिः श्रद्धा च शान्तिश्च कान्तिः क्षान्तिस्तथा परा । निद्रा तन्द्रा क्षुत्पिपासा सन्ध्या रात्रिदिनानि च
Svasti, Śraddhā, Śānti, Kānti, Kṣānti, Parā, Nidrā, Tandrā, Hunger, Thirst, Sandhyā, and the days and nights,
सम्पत्तिर्धृतिकीर्ती च क्रिया शोभा प्रभा शिवा । यत्स्त्रीरूपं च सम्भूतमुत्तमं तु युगे युगे
Prosperity, Fortitude, Fame, Action, Beauty, Radiance, Auspiciousness—whatever feminine form arises as excellent in every age,
कलाकलांशरूपं च स्वर्वेश्यादिकमेव च । तदप्रशस्यं विश्वेषु पुंश्चलीरूपमेव च
And those forms that are partial, or belonging to the arts, or to the rulers of the senses—these are considered unworthy, and in the world are known as the forms of wanton women.
सत्त्वप्रधानं यद्रूपं तद्युक्तं च प्रभावतः । तदुत्तमं च विश्वेषु साध्वीरूपं प्रशंसितम्
The form dominated by sattva, endowed with power, is regarded as excellent everywhere and praised as the form of a virtuous woman.
तद्वास्तवं च विज्ञेयं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । रजोरूपं तमोरूपं कलासु विविधं स्मृतम्
That genuine form is to be understood, say the wise; the forms of rajas and tamas are remembered as various manifestations among the arts.
मध्यमा रजसश्चांशास्तास्तु भोगेषु लोलुपाः । सुखसम्भोगवश्याश्च स्वकार्ये निरताः सदा
Those dominated by rajas are of middling nature, eager for pleasures, always devoted to enjoyment and their own pursuits.
कपटा मोहकारिण्यो धर्मार्थविमुखाः सदा । रजोरूपस्य साध्वीत्वमतो नैवोपजायते
Deceitful, causing delusion, always turned away from righteousness and wealth; thus, virtue does not arise in those of rajasic nature.