तादृशं फलमेवं सा न प्राप्नोति कदा सखि । सुमुखं पुत्रसौभाग्यं स्नानं दानं च भूषणम्
Such a result, O friend, she never attains at any time: a lovely face, good fortune in sons, bathing, giving, and adornment—
वस्त्रालंकारसौभाग्यं रूपं तेजः फलं सदा । यशः कीर्तिमवाप्नोति गुणं च वरवर्णिनी
Good fortune in garments and ornaments, beauty, radiance, and always the fruit; she attains fame, renown, and virtue, O beautiful-complexioned one.
भर्तुः प्रसादात्सर्वं च लभते नात्र संशयः । विद्यमाने यदा कांते अन्यं धर्मं करोति या
By the husband's favor, she obtains all this—there is no doubt here; but if, while her beloved is present, she performs another duty—
निष्फलं जायते तस्याः पुंश्चली परिकथ्यते । नारीणां यौवनं रूपमवतारं स्मृतं ध्रुवम्
It becomes fruitless for her; she is called a wanton woman. For women, youth and beauty are certainly considered a descent.
एकस्यापि हि भर्तुश्च तस्यार्थे भूमिमंडले । सुपुत्रा सुयशा नारी परिकथ्येत वै सदा
Even for the sake of one husband alone, on this earth, a woman is always spoken of as having good sons and good fame.
तुष्टे भर्तरि संसारे दृश्या नारी न संशयः । पतिहीना भवेन्नारी भवेत्सा भूमिमंडले
When the husband is pleased in this world, the woman is seen—there is no doubt; but a woman without a husband becomes so on this earth.
कुतस्तस्याः सुखं रूपं यशः कीर्तिः सुता भुवि । सुदौर्भाग्यं महद्दुःखं संसारे परिभुज्यते
How can she have happiness, beauty, fame, renown, or sons on earth? She experiences great misfortune and much suffering in the world.
पापभागा भवेत्सा च दुःखाचारा सदैव हि । तुष्टे भर्तरि तस्यास्तु तुष्टाः सर्वाश्च देवताः
She becomes a sharer in sin and always follows a path of suffering; but when the husband is pleased, all the deities are pleased with her.
तुष्टे भर्तरि तुष्यंति ऋषयो देवमानवाः । भर्ता नाथो गुरुर्भर्ता देवता दैवतैः सह
When the husband is pleased, the sages, gods, and men are pleased; the husband is protector, the husband is teacher, the husband is deity along with the gods.
भर्ता तीर्थश्च पुण्यश्च नारीणां नृपनंदन । शृंगारं भूषणं रूपं वर्णं सौगंधमेव च
The husband is a sacred place and merit for women, O delight of kings; he is their adornment, beauty, complexion, and fragrance.
कृत्वा सा तिष्ठते नित्यं वर्जयित्वा सुपर्वसु । शृंगारैर्भूषणैः सा तु शुशुभे सा यदा पतिः
Having done so, she always remains, except on auspicious days; she shines with ornaments and adornments when her husband is present.
पत्याविना भवत्येवं क्षीरं सर्पमुखे यथा । भर्तुरर्थे महाभागा सुव्रता चारुमंगला
Without her husband, she becomes like milk at the mouth of a serpent; but for the sake of her husband, she is greatly fortunate, of good vows, and auspicious.
गते भर्तरि या नारी शृंगारं कुरुते यदि । रूपं वर्णं च तत्सर्वं शवरूपेण जायते
If, when her husband is gone, a woman adorns herself, all her beauty and complexion become like that of a corpse.
वदंति भूतले लोकाः पुंश्चलीयं न संशयः । तस्माद्भर्तुर्वियुक्ता या नार्याः शृणुत भूतले
People on earth say, 'She is a wanton woman,' without doubt; therefore, hear about women separated from their husbands on earth.
इच्छंत्या वै महासौख्यं भवितव्यं कदाचन । सुजायायाः परो धर्मो भर्ता शास्त्रेषु गीयते
If one desires great happiness, it must indeed be so; in the scriptures, the husband is declared to be the highest dharma for a virtuous wife.
तस्माद्वै शाश्वतो धर्मो न त्याज्यो भार्यया किल । एवं धर्मं विजानामि कथं भर्ता परित्यजेत्
Therefore, this eternal dharma must never be abandoned by the wife; knowing such dharma, how could a wife forsake her husband?
इत्यर्थे श्रूयते सख्य इतिहासः पुरातनः । सुदेवायाश्च चरितं सुपुण्यं पापनाशनम्
On this subject, an ancient story is heard—the most virtuous and sin-destroying tale of Sudeva.
द्विचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः सख्य ऊचुः- सुदेवा का त्वया प्रोक्ता किमाचारा वदस्व नः । त्वया प्रोक्तं महाभागे वद नः सत्यमेव च
The friends said: Who is this Sudeva you mentioned? Tell us her conduct; you have spoken of her, O noble lady, now tell us the truth.
सुकलोवाच- अयोध्यायां महाराजः स आसीद्धर्मकोविदः । मनुपुत्रो महाभागः सर्वधर्मार्थतत्परः
Sukalā said: In Ayodhyā there was a king, wise in dharma, a most fortunate son of Manu, devoted to all the aims of dharma.
इक्ष्वाकुर्नाम सर्वज्ञो देवब्राह्मणपूजकः । तस्य भार्या सदा पुण्या पतिव्रतपरायणा
His name was Ikṣvāku, all-knowing, worshipper of gods and brāhmaṇas; his wife was always virtuous, devoted to her husband.
तया सार्द्धं यजेद्यज्ञं तीर्थानि विविधानि च । वेदराजस्य वीरस्य काशीशस्य महात्मनः
With her, he performed sacrifices and visited various holy places—the mighty king of Kāśī, lord of the Vedas, heroic and great-souled.
सुदेवा नाम वै कन्या सत्याचारपरायणा । उपयेमे महाराज इक्ष्वाकुस्तां महीपतिः
There was a maiden named Sudeva, devoted to truth and right conduct; King Ikṣvāku, lord of the earth, married her.
सुदेवा चारुसर्वांगी सत्यव्रतपरायणा । तया सार्द्धं स वै राजा जनानां पुण्यनायकः
Sudeva, beautiful in every limb, devoted to truth and vows; with her, the king, leader of the virtuous, ruled his people.
स रेमे नृपशार्दूलो नित्यं च प्रियया तया । एकदा तु महाराजस्तया सार्द्धं वनं ययौ
That tiger among kings delighted always with his beloved; once, the great king went with her to the forest.
गंगारण्यं समासाद्य मृगयां क्रीडते सदा । सिंहान्हत्वा वराहांश्च गजांश्च महिषांस्तथा
Reaching the Ganges forest, he always played at hunting—slaying lions, boars, elephants, and buffaloes.
क्रीडमानस्य तस्याग्रे वराहश्च समागतः । बहुशूकरयूथेन पुत्रपौत्रैरलंकृतः
As he was playing, a boar appeared before him, surrounded by a great herd of boars, adorned with sons and grandsons.
एका च शूकरी तस्य प्रियापार्श्वे प्रतिष्ठिता । वराहैः शूकरैस्तस्य तमेव परिवारिता
One sow stood at his beloved's side, surrounded by those boars and sows.
दृष्ट्वा च राजराजेंद्रं दुर्जयं मृगयारतम् । पर्वताधारमाश्रित्य भार्यया सह शूकरः
Seeing the king of kings, unconquerable and intent on the hunt, the boar, with his wife, took refuge at the mountain's base.
तिष्ठत्येकः सुवीर्येण पुत्रान्पौत्रान्गुरूञ्छिशून् । ज्ञात्वा तेषां महाराज मृगाणां कदनं महत्
He stood alone with great courage, with his sons, grandsons, elders, and young ones, knowing well the great slaughter of animals by the king.
तानुवाच सुतान्पौत्रान्भार्यां तां च स शूकरः । कोशलाधिपतिर्वीरो मनुपुत्रो महाबलः
That boar addressed his sons, grandsons, and his wife: 'The heroic lord of Kośala, son of Manu, of great strength—'