सकृच्छृणोति यः पूतो दुष्कृतौघाद्विमुच्यते। सुरालयमवाप्नोति स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टो धनी भवेत्
Whoever hears it even once is purified and freed from the mass of misdeeds; if fallen from heaven, he becomes wealthy.
द्विज उवाच- मांडव्यस्य मुनेर्विष्णोश्शूलाघातः कथं तनौ। पत्यौ पतिव्रतायाश्च कथं कुष्ठं कलेवरे
The twice-born said: How did the piercing of Māṇḍavya the sage’s body by Viṣṇu’s spear occur? And how did leprosy afflict the body of the devoted wife’s husband?
हरिरुवाच- शिशुभावाच्च मांडव्यो झिल्लिकायामभानतः। वस्तिदेशे तृणं दत्वा मोहात्स च मुमोच ताम्
Hari said: In childhood, Māṇḍavya, out of ignorance, placed a straw in the anus of a cricket and released it.
तेनापवाददोषेण धर्मस्याज्ञातुरेव च। अहोरात्रं व्यथा कृच्छ्रा भुक्ता तेन द्विजन्मना
Because of this offense and ignorance of dharma, he endured severe pain day and night in that birth as a twice-born.
किंतु समाधिना तेन न ज्ञातं शूलसंभवम्। कृच्छ्रं च मुनिना कृत्स्नं योगाभ्यासाद्भृशादपि
But through his absorption, he did not perceive the origin of the spear; the sage endured all hardship, even intense, through practice of yoga.
कुष्ठिनो ब्रह्मणो घातादजितेंद्रियकारणात्। पूतिगंधं तनौ कुष्ठं संजातं द्विजसत्तम
Leprosy arose in the body of the Brahmin due to killing and uncontrolled senses, O best of twice-born, and a foul odor developed.
पुरा विप्राय तेनैव दत्तं गौरीचतुष्टयम्। कन्यकात्रितयं विप्र तेन तस्य पतिव्रता
Long ago, he gave to a Brahmin four cows and three maidens; thus, his wife was devoted.
अस्यास्तु कारणादेव स च मत्समतां व्रजेत्। अत्र ते विस्मयः कुत्र वेदकर्मपुरातनम्
Because of her, he attains equality with me; where is your wonder here, regarding ancient Vedic rites?
द्विज उवाच- कृत्या नारी न यस्यैव तस्य स्वर्गो भवेद्ध्रुवम्। यथैतच्चरितं नाथ सर्वेषां शिवमिष्यते
The twice-born said: For one who has no wife, heaven is surely attained; as this has been performed, O Lord, welfare is desired for all.
हरिरुवाच- संति कृत्याः स्त्रियः काश्चित्पुंसः सर्वस्वदस्य च। तत्राप्यरक्षणीयां च मनसापि न धारयेत्
Hari said: There are some women who perform rites for a man who has given up everything; even then, she should not be kept, nor even held in mind.
न स्त्रीणामप्रियः कश्चित्प्रियो वापि न विद्यते। गावस्तृणमिवारण्ये प्रार्थयंति नवंनवम्
No one is disliked or liked by women; like cows seeking fresh grass in the forest, they desire ever new things.
पुमांसं वित्तहीनं च विरूपं गुणवर्जितम्। अकुलीनं च भृत्यं च कामिनी भजते ध्रुवम्
A woman surely desires a man who is poor, deformed, devoid of virtues, of low birth, or even a servant.
भर्तारं च गुणोपेतं कुलीनं च महाधनम्। सुंदरं रतिदक्षं च त्यक्त्वा नीचं भजेद्वधूः
If a wife abandons her husband, who possesses virtues, is of noble lineage, wealthy, handsome, and skilled in pleasure, and instead associates with a lowly man—
उमानारदसंवादमाख्यानं विद्धि भूसुर। येन विद्यास्त्रियाश्चेष्टा विविधाः कृत्स्नशो द्विज
O brahmin, know this as the narrative of the conversation between Uma and Narada, by which the various behaviors and actions of women are fully explained, O twice-born.
स्वभावान्नारदो विप्र विश्वजिज्ञासको मुनिः। स्वांते विमृश्याथ गतः कैलासं गिरिमुत्तमम्
By his own nature, Narada, the sage eager to know all things, reflected within himself and then went to the supreme mountain Kailasa.
वृषकेतुसदाख्यान सप्रतिष्ठे हिमे गिरौ। प्रणिपत्य महात्मा वै पप्रच्छ पार्वतीं मुनिः
On the snowy mountain, at the place renowned for the bull-bannered one, the great sage bowed down and questioned Parvati.
देवि सीमंतिनीनांतु दुश्चेष्टां ज्ञातुमुत्सहे। कौतुकेन त्वया चर्या वधूनां संप्रयुज्यते
O goddess, I desire to know the improper conduct of women; out of curiosity, I ask you about the behavior of brides.
सर्वासामपि नारीणां स्वान्तं जानासि तत्त्वतः। तन्मां कथय सर्वेषु विनीतमज्ञमत्र च
You know the innermost nature of all women in truth; therefore, tell me everything, for I am humble and ignorant in this matter.
देव्युवाच- युवतीनां सदा चित्तं पुंसु तिष्ठत्यसंशयम्। अस्मिन्योनौ सुसंयोग्ये संगते वाप्यसंगते
The goddess said: The mind of young women always rests upon men, without doubt, whether united well in this womb or whether united or not.
सुवेषं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं यदि वा सुतम्। योनिः क्लिद्यति नारीणां सत्यं सत्यं हि नारद
When a woman sees a well-dressed man, or her brother, or her son, her womb becomes moist—this is true, true indeed, O Narada.
स्थानं नास्ति क्षणं नास्ति नास्ति प्रार्थयिता नरः। तेन नारद नारीणां सतीत्वमुपजायते
There is no place, no moment, nor any man who desires her; thus, O Narada, chastity arises among women.
घृतकुंभसमा नारी तप्तांगारसमः पुमान्। तस्माद्घृतं च वह्निं च नैकस्थाने च धारयेत्
A woman is like a vessel of ghee, and a man is like burning charcoal; therefore, ghee and fire should not be kept together in one place.
यथैवमत्तमातंगं सृणिमुद्गरयोगतः। स्ववशं कुरुते यंता तथा स्त्रीणां प्ररक्षकः
Just as a trainer, using a rope and club, brings a drunken elephant under control, so too must a guardian restrain women.
पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने। पुत्राश्च स्थाविरे भावे न स्त्री स्वातंत्र्यमर्हति
The father protects her in childhood, the husband protects her in youth, and the sons protect her in old age; a woman is not entitled to independence.
ततः स्वातंत्र्यभावाच्च स्वेच्छया च वरांगना। पुरुषेणार्थिता धीरा प्रेरणादिचरी भवेत्
Therefore, due to lack of independence and her own will, a noble woman, when sought by a man, acts only at his prompting.
अरक्षणाद्यथा पाकः श्वकाकवशगो भवेत्। तथैव युवती नारी स्वच्छंदाद्दुष्टतां व्रजेत्
Just as food, when unprotected, falls under the control of dogs and crows, so too does a young woman, through her own freedom, fall into corruption.
पुनरेव कुलं दुष्टं तस्यास्संसर्गतो भवेत्। परबीजेन यो जातः स च स्याद्वर्णसंकरः
Again, a family becomes corrupted through her association; one born from another's seed becomes a cause of caste-mixing.
जारजः संकरः पापो नरके नियतं वसेत्। कीटजातौ गता जाताः पुनः सर्वे महीतले
The sinful offspring of adultery and caste-mixing certainly dwell in hell; those born as insects are again born upon the earth.
ततो म्लेच्छमुपानीतं कुलं स्याद्द्विजनंदन। कुलक्षयो भवेद्यस्मात्तस्माद्दुष्टां न धारयेत्
Then, O delight of the twice-born, the family is brought to the state of mlecchas; because of this destruction of the lineage, one should not keep a corrupted woman.
ज्ञात्वैव योषितां दोषं क्षमते यो नराधमः। स तिष्ठेन्निरये घोरे रौरवे पितृभिः सह
If a wicked man, knowing the fault of women, forgives it, he dwells in the terrible hell of Raurava together with his ancestors.