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.
गृह्णाति मनसा प्राज्ञो यद्दत्तं तस्य चाक्षयम्। भूमिं गां च हिरण्यं च धनं वस्त्रं च धान्यकम्
Whatever is given by the groom, the wise man accepts in his heart, and that gift—be it land, cows, gold, wealth, cloth, or grain—
जामातुर्यौतकं दत्वा सर्वं भवति चाक्षयम्। विवाहसमये वत्स सगोत्र परगोत्रजैः
having given the groom's gift, all of it becomes inexhaustible; at the time of marriage, O child, whether among those of the same or different lineage,
यौतकं दीयते किंचित्तत्सर्वं चाक्षयं भवेत्। दाता न स्मरते दानं प्रतिग्राही न याचते
whatever little is given as the groom's gift, all of it becomes inexhaustible; the giver does not recall the gift, nor does the recipient ask for it.
उभौ तौ नरकं यातश्छिन्नरज्जुर्घटो यथा। अवश्यं यौतकं दानं दातव्यं सात्विकेन हि
Both of them go to hell, like a pot with its rope cut; the groom's gift must certainly be given by one who is pure-hearted.
अदत्वा नरकं प्राप्य दासीत्वमुपगच्छति। अत्यासन्नेतिदूरस्थे चात्याढ्ये चाति दुर्गते
If it is not given, one goes to hell and attains servitude; to one too near or too far, to one extremely wealthy or extremely destitute,
कुलहीने च मूर्खे च षट्सु कन्या न दीयते। अतिवृद्धे चातिदीने रोगिष्ठे देशवासिनि
to one without lineage or to a fool, to any of these six, a maiden should not be given; nor to one very old, extremely poor, diseased, or a local resident.
अतिक्रुद्धेप्यसन्तुष्टे षट्सु कन्या न दीयते। एतेभ्यः कन्यकां दत्वा नरकं चाधिगच्छति
Nor to one excessively angry or never satisfied—among these six, a maiden should not be given; giving a maiden to any of these leads to hell.
लोभात्संमानलाभाच्च कन्यका परिवर्तनात्। मुनीनां प्रेयसीं नारीं युवतीं रूपशालिनीम्
Out of greed or desire for honor, or by exchanging maidens, or giving to a sage's beloved, a young woman endowed with beauty,
सालंकारां सशय्यां च दत्वाऽनंतफलं लभेत्। अनयोश्च फलं तुभ्यं युवती कन्ययोरपि
if one gives her adorned and with a bed, he attains endless fruit; and the fruit for you is the same, whether for a young woman or a maiden.
एका वराय दातव्या अपरा ब्राह्मणाय तु। क्रीता देवा यदातव्या धीरेणाकष्टकर्मणा
One should give one to a suitor, and another to a Brahmin; if a purchased maiden is to be given to the gods, it should be done by a steadfast man with blameless conduct.