सर्वं धान्यादिकं बीजं काले दद्याद्द्विजातये। सर्वपापक्षयं कृत्वा अक्षयं स्वर्गमश्नुते
All grains and seeds should be given to a Brahmin at the proper time; having destroyed all sins, one enjoys inexhaustible heaven—
गुणं वक्ष्यामि विप्रर्षे सतीनां यादृशं दृढम्। शुद्धवंशो भवेत्तस्या नित्यं लक्ष्मीः प्रवर्तते
I will declare, O sage among Brahmins, the steadfast virtue of chaste women; her lineage becomes pure, and prosperity always abides with her—
उभयोर्वंशयोः स्वर्गो भर्तुरात्मन एव च। पतिव्रतागुणो विप्र विस्मृतः पृच्छतस्तव
Heaven belongs to both lineages, to her husband's and her own; the quality of a devoted wife, O Brahmin, you had forgotten and asked—
पुनर्वक्ष्यामि योषाणां सर्वलोकहितं शुभम्। उषित्वा पूर्वकालं च पुण्यापुण्येन योषितः
Again I will declare, for women, the auspiciousness that benefits all worlds; having lived out their previous time, by merit and demerit—
पश्चात्पतिव्रतायाश्च ताश्च गच्छंति मद्गतिम्। षण्मासं वाथ वर्षं वा अधिकं च प्रशस्यते
Afterwards, those who are devoted wives attain my state; whether for six months or a year, or more, it is praised—
पतिव्रता भवेद्या च यावत्पूता व्रजेद्दिवम्। सुरापं विप्रहंतारं सर्वपापयुतं पतिम्
A woman who is a devoted wife, as long as she is pure, ascends to heaven; even if her husband is a drinker, a killer of Brahmins, or full of all sins—
पंकात्पूतं नयेत्स्वर्गं भर्त्तांरं यानुगच्छति। कंदर्पसदृशो भर्ता सा रतीव मनोरमा
She who follows her husband, purified from the mire, leads him to heaven; her husband appears as handsome as Kāma himself, and she is as delightful as Rati.
जिष्णोरेवचिरं लोके भुंक्तेऽनंतमयं सुखम्। पतिव्रता बलाद्या च विदूरे स्वामिपातने
She enjoys endless happiness in this world for a long time, like Jishnu; but a chaste wife who, by force, causes her husband's fall, is cast far away.
चिह्नं लब्ध्वामृता वह्नौ पापादुद्धरते पतिं। पतिव्रता च या नारी देशांतरमृते पतौ
Having obtained a mark from her husband, she lifts him from sin in the fire like nectar; and the chaste woman who, except for her husband, does not go to another land.
सा भर्तुश्चिह्नमादाय वह्नौ सुप्त्वा दिवं व्रजेत्। या स्त्री ब्राह्मणजातीया मृतं पतिमनुव्रजेत्
She, taking her husband's mark, lies down in the fire and goes to heaven; the woman of Brahmin birth who follows her deceased husband.
सा स्वर्गमात्मघातेन नात्मानं न पतिं नयेत्। न म्रियेत समं गत्वा ब्राह्मणी ब्रह्मशासनात्
By self-destruction, she does not lead herself or her husband to heaven; a Brahmin woman must not die by going together, by the command of Brahma.
प्रव्रज्यागतिमाप्नोति मरणादात्मघातिनी। नरोत्तम उवाच- सर्वासामपि जातीनां ब्राह्मणः शस्य इष्यते
By dying in this way, she attains the path of wandering; the best of men said: Among all castes, the Brahmin is considered the best.
पुण्यं च द्विजमुख्येन अत्र किंवा विपर्ययः। श्रीभगवानुवाच- ब्राह्मण्यास्साहसं कर्म नैव युक्तं कदाचन
And what is the merit here for the foremost twice-born, or is it otherwise? The Blessed Lord said: Such a violent act is never proper for a Brahmin woman.
निःशेषेस्या वधं कृत्वा स नरो ब्रह्महा भवेत्। तस्माद्ब्राह्मणजातीया विप्रया च व्रतं चरेत्
By killing her entirely, that man becomes a slayer of a Brahmin; therefore, a Brahmin woman or wife of a Brahmin should observe a vow.
प्रवक्ष्यामि यथातथ्यं शृणु विप्र यथार्थतः। आपणांतरमामिष्यं भक्षयेन्न कदाचन
I will declare the truth as it is; listen, O Brahmin, as it truly is: she should never eat meat from the market.
अश्वमेधसहस्राणां हायने फलमाप्नुयात्। अर्हणं चेष्टदेवस्य हरेर्व्रतमनुत्तमम्
She attains the fruit of a thousand horse sacrifices in a year; and the highest vow is the worship of Hari, the desired deity.
स्वामिनोपि जलं पिंडं संप्रदद्यादमत्सरात्। युगकोटिसहस्राणि युगकोटिशतानि च
She should offer water and rice-balls to her lord without envy; for thousands of millions and hundreds of millions of ages.
पतिना सह सा साध्वी विष्णुलोके युता भवेत्। ततो महाव्रतं प्राप्य निरये ब्राह्मणी वधूः
With her husband, that virtuous woman is united in the world of Vishnu; but if the Brahmin wife, having attained the great vow, is killed in hell.
उद्धरेदुभयोर्वंशाञ्छतशोथ सहस्रशः। अतो बंधुजनैरेव पुत्रैर्भ्रात्रादिभिर्बुधैः
She uplifts both lineages, by hundreds and thousands; therefore, her relatives, sons, brothers, and other wise men should always restrain her from breaking her vow.
विनियम्य सदा तस्या व्रतलोपं न कारयेत्। हरेश्चेद्वासरं प्राप्य विधवा न व्रतं चरेत्
They should always restrain her so that she does not break her vow; if, on the day of Hari, the widow does not observe the vow.
पुनर्वैधव्यतामेति जन्मजन्मनि दुर्भगा। भोजनात्मत्स्यमांसस्य व्रतानां विप्रयोगतः
She repeatedly becomes a widow, birth after birth, unfortunate; by eating fish or meat, and by neglecting vows.
चिरं निरयमासाद्य शुनी भवति निश्चितम्। दुष्टाया मैथुनं गच्छेद्विधवाकुलनाशिनी
Having long endured hell, she certainly becomes a female dog; the wicked widow who engages in intercourse destroys her family.
नरकाननुभूयाथ गृध्रिणी दशजन्मसु। द्विजन्मफेरवा भूत्वा ततो मानुषतां व्रजेत्
After experiencing hell, she becomes a vulture for ten births; then, after many births as a twice-born, she attains human birth.
तथैव बालवैधव्या दासीत्वमुपगच्छति। द्विज उवाच- कन्यादानफलं ब्रूहि वद दास्याः फलं च यत्
Likewise, a girl widowed in childhood attains servitude; the twice-born said: Tell me the fruit of giving a maiden, and what is the fruit of giving a female slave?
विधानं च यथोक्तं च यदि मेनुग्रहः प्रभो। श्रीभगवानुवाच-। रूपाढ्ये गुणसंपन्ने कुलीने यौवनान्विते
The Blessed Lord said: Listen—when a maiden is endowed with beauty, virtues, noble lineage, and youth,
समृद्धे वित्तसंपूर्णे कन्यादानफलं शृणु। सर्वाभरणसंयुक्तां कन्यकां यो ददाति च
when she is prosperous, possesses abundant wealth, hear now the fruit of giving such a maiden in marriage: whoever gives a maiden adorned with all ornaments,
तेन दत्ता धरा सर्वा सशैलवनकानना। अर्द्धाभरणदानेन फलं दातुर्भवेद्ध्रुवम्
by that act, he gives the entire earth with its mountains, forests, and groves; by giving half the ornaments, the giver certainly attains half that fruit.
अनाभरणकन्यायाः पादैकस्य फलं भवेत्। यः पुनः शुल्कमश्नाति स याति नरके नरः
For a maiden without ornaments, the fruit is as if giving only a single foot; but whoever takes a bride-price, that man goes to hell.
विक्रीय चात्मजां मूढो नरकान्न निवर्त्तते। लोभादसदृशे पुंसि कन्यां यस्तु प्रयच्छति
The fool who sells his own daughter never returns from hell; and whoever, out of greed, gives a maiden to an unworthy man,
रौरवं नरकं प्राप्य चांडालत्वं च गच्छति। अतएव हि शुल्कं च जामातुर्न कदाचन
having reached the Raurava hell, he attains the state of a chandala; therefore, the wise never accept a bride-price from the groom.