स्वर्गं भुनक्ति तावच्च यावदाभूतसंप्लवं। स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टो भवेद्वास्याः सार्वभौमो नृपः पतिः
She enjoys heaven as long as the dissolution of the world does not occur; if her husband, a universal monarch, falls from heaven, he becomes her husband again.
अस्यैव महिषी भूत्वा सुखं विंदेदनंतरं। पुनः पुनः स्वर्गराज्यं तस्य तस्या न संशयः
By becoming his queen, she experiences happiness thereafter; again and again she attains the kingdom of heaven—of this there is no doubt.
एवं जन्मशतं प्राप्य अंते मोक्षो भवेद्ध्रुवम्। विप्र उवाच-। पतिव्रता भवेत्कावा तस्याः किं वा च लक्षणं
Thus, after a hundred births, at the end, liberation is surely attained. The sage said: Who is a devoted wife, and what are her characteristics?
ब्रूहि मे द्विजशार्दूल यथा जानामि तत्त्वतः। हरिरुवाच-। पुत्राच्छतगुणं स्नेहाद्राजानं च भयादथ
Tell me, O best of twice-born, so that I may know the truth of this. Hari said: She has a hundred times more affection for her son, and regards the king with fear.
आराधयेत्पतिं शौरिं या पश्येत्सा पतिव्रता। कार्ये दासी रतौ वेश्या भोजने जननीसमा
She who worships her husband as the Lord and sees him as such is a devoted wife. In work she is like a servant, in pleasure like a courtesan, in feeding like a mother.
विपत्सु मंत्रिणी भर्तुः सा च भार्या पतिव्रता। भर्तुराज्ञां न लंघेद्या मनो वाक्कायकर्मभिः
In adversity she is her husband's counselor; such a wife is devoted. She does not transgress her husband's command by thought, word, or deed.
भुक्ते पत्यौ सदा चात्ति सा च भार्या पतिव्रता। यस्यां यस्यांतु शय्यायां पतिः स्वपिति यत्नतः
When her husband has eaten, she always eats; such a wife is devoted. On whatever bed her husband sleeps, she carefully attends to him there.
तत्र तत्र च साभर्तुरर्चां करोति नित्यशः। नैव मत्सरमायाति न कार्पण्यं न मानिनी
There, in every place, she constantly performs worship with her husband. She does not become jealous, nor miserly, nor proud.
मानेऽमाने समानं च या पश्येत्सा पतिव्रता। सुवेषं या नरं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं पितरं सुतं
She who sees honor and dishonor as equal is a devoted wife. Seeing a well-dressed man—be he brother, father, or son—
मन्यते च परं साध्वी सा च भार्या पतिव्रता। तां गच्छ द्विजशार्दूल वदकामं यथा तव
She regards him as another, O virtuous one; such a wife is devoted. Go to her, O best of twice-born, and ask whatever you wish.
तस्य पत्न्योऽष्ट तिष्ठंति तन्मध्ये वरवर्णिनी। रूपयौवनसंपन्ना दयायुक्ता यशस्विनी
He has eight wives; among them is one of excellent complexion, endowed with beauty and youth, full of compassion, and renowned.
शुभा नामेति विख्याता गत्वा तां पृच्छ ते हितं। एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवांस्तत्रैवांतरधीयत
She is known as Shubha by name; go to her and ask what is good for you. Having spoken thus, the Blessed Lord vanished there itself.
तस्यैवादृश्यतां दृष्ट्वा विस्मितोभूद्द्विजस्तदा। स च साध्वीगृहं गत्वा पप्रच्छाथ पतिव्रतां
Seeing him disappear, the sage was amazed. He then went to the house of the virtuous woman and questioned the devoted wife.
अतिथेर्वचनंश्रुत्वागृहान्निःसृत्यसंभ्रमात्। दृष्ट्वा द्विजं सती तत्र द्वारदेशे स्थिताभवत्
Hearing the guest's words, she quickly left the house without confusion. Seeing the sage, she stood there at the doorway.
तां च दृष्ट्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठ उवाच वचनं मुदा। प्रियं ममहितं ब्रूहि यथादृष्टं त्वमेव हि
Seeing her, the best of sages spoke these words with joy: Tell me what is dear and beneficial to me, as you have seen it yourself.
पतिव्रतोवाच-। सांप्रतं पत्युरर्चास्ति न चास्माकं स्वतंत्रता। पश्चात्कार्यं करिष्यामि गृहाणातिथ्यमद्य वै
The devoted wife said: At present, I am engaged in my husband's worship, and we have no independence. Afterwards I will do what is needed; please accept hospitality today.
विप्र उवाच-। मम देहे क्षुधा नास्ति पिपासाद्य न च श्रमः। अभीष्टं वद कल्याणि नोचेच्छापं ददामि ते
The sage said: I have no hunger in my body, nor thirst today, nor fatigue. Speak what is desired, O blessed one, or else I will lay a curse upon you.
तमुवाच तदा सापि न बकोहं द्विजोत्तम। गच्छ धर्मतुलाधारं पृच्छ तं ते हितं द्विज
She then said: I am not a crane, O best of sages. Go to Dharmatula, the upholder of righteousness, and ask him what is good for you, O sage.
इत्युक्त्वा सा महाभागा प्रययौ च गृहोदरम्। तत्रापश्यद्द्विजो विप्रं यथा चांडालवेश्मनि
Having said this, the noble lady entered the inner part of the house. There the sage saw a Brahmin, as if in the house of a Chandala.
विमृश्य विस्मयापन्नस्तेन सार्धं ययौ द्विजः। तिष्ठंतं च द्विजं तं च सोपश्यद्धृष्टमानसम्
Reflecting, the sage became astonished and went together with him. He saw that Brahmin standing there, his mind fearless.
स चोवाच मुदा विप्रं दृष्ट्वा तं तां सतीं च सः। देशांतरे च यद्वृत्तं तया च कथितं किल
He, seeing that virtuous woman and the brahmin, spoke with joy; and she recounted all that had happened in the distant land.
कथं जानाति मद्वृत्तं चांडालोपि पतिव्रता। अतो मे विस्मयस्तात किमाश्चर्यं परं महत्
How does this chāṇḍāla woman, though devoted to her husband, know of my conduct? Therefore, father, I am greatly astonished—what a marvelous thing this is!
हरिउवाच-। ज्ञायते कारणं तात सर्वेषां भूतभावनैः। अतिपुण्यात्सदाचाराद्यतस्त्वं विस्मयं गतः
Hari said: The reason for all things, dear one, is known by the creators of beings; you are amazed because of the great merit and good conduct.
किमुक्तश्च तया त्वं च वद तत्सांप्रतं मुने। विप्र उवाच-। प्रष्टुं धर्मतुलाधारं सा च मां समुपादिशत्
But what did she say to you? Tell that now, O sage. The brahmin said: She directed me to question the upholder of dharma.
हरिरुवाच-। आगच्छ मुनिशार्दूल अहं गच्छामि तं प्रति। गच्छंतं च हरिं प्राह तुलाधारः क्व तिष्ठति
Hari said: Come, O best of sages, I will go to him. As Hari was going, Tulādhāra asked, 'Where does he dwell?'
हरिरुवाच-। जनानां निकरो यत्र बहुद्रव्यसुविक्रये। विक्रीणाति च क्रीणाति तुलाधारस्ततस्ततः
Hari said: Wherever there is a crowd of people and much buying and selling of goods, there Tulādhāra is, trading and purchasing here and there.
जनो यवान्रसं स्नेहं कूटमन्नस्य संचयं। सर्वं तस्य मुखादेव गृह्णाति च ददात्यपि
He receives and gives everything—however much flavor, affection, or even adulterated food the people bring—directly from their mouths.
सत्यं त्यक्त्वानृतं किंचित्प्राणांते समुपस्थिते। नोक्तं नरवरश्रेष्ठस्तेनधर्मतुलाधरः
Never, even at the approach of death, has that foremost of men, the righteous Tulādhāra, spoken a single falsehood, abandoning truth.
इत्युक्ते तु तमद्राक्षीद्विक्रीणंतं रसान्बहून्। मलपंकधरं मर्त्यं दंतकुड्मलपंकिलम्
Having said this, he saw him selling many kinds of juices, a mortal smeared with dirt and mud, his teeth soiled and closed.
तत्र वस्तुधनोत्थां च भाषंतं विविधां गिरम्। वृतं बहुविधैर्मर्त्यैः स्त्रीभिः पुंभिश्च सर्वतः
There, surrounded on all sides by many men and women, he was speaking various words about the goods and wealth for sale.