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—'
क्रीडते मृगयां कांते मृगान्संहरते बहून् । स मां दृष्ट्वा महाराज एष्यते नात्र संशयः
'He delights in hunting, O beloved, and slays many animals; seeing me, O king, he will surely come—there is no doubt.'
अन्येषां लुब्धकानां मे नास्ति प्राणभयं ध्रुवम् । ममरूपं नृपो दृष्ट्वा क्षमां नैव करिष्यति
'From other hunters I have no fear for my life; but seeing me, the king will not show mercy.'
हर्षेण महताविष्टो बाणपाणिर्धनुर्द्धरः । श्वभिर्युक्तो महातेजा लुब्धकैः परिवारितः
Filled with great excitement, Bāṇapāṇi, holding his bow, radiant in energy, was harnessed with dogs and surrounded by hunters.
प्रिये करिष्यते घातं ममाप्येवं न संशयः
My dear, he will surely strike me down as well—there is no doubt of this.
शूकर्युवाच- यदायदा पश्यसि लुब्धकान्बहून्महावने कांत समायुधान्बहून् । एतैस्तु पुत्रैर्ममपौत्रकैः समं दूरं नु भो यासि पलायमानः
The female boar said: Whenever you see many hunters, well-armed, in the great forest, my beloved, together with these sons and grandsons of mine, why do you flee far away with them?
त्यक्त्वा सुधैर्यं बलपौरुषं महन्महाभयेनापि विषण्णचेतनः । दृष्ट्वा नृपेंद्रं पुरुषोत्तमोत्तमं करोषि किं कांत वदस्वकारणम्
Abandoning your composure, strength, and manliness, and even your courage, you become disheartened by great fear; seeing the king, the best among men, what do you do, my beloved? Tell me the reason.
तस्यास्तु वाक्यं सनिशम्य कोल उवाच तां शूकरराजउत्तरम् । यदर्थभीतोस्मि सुलुब्धकात्प्रिये दृष्ट्वा गतो दूर निशम्यशूकरान्
Hearing her words, the boar replied to the queen of the wild boars: 'My dear, I am afraid of the cruel hunter; seeing him, I have gone far away, having heard the cries of the boars.'
सुलुब्धकाः पापकराः शठाः प्रिये कुर्वंति पापं गिरिदुर्गकंदरे । सदैव दुष्टा बहुपापचिंतका जाताश्च सर्वे परिपापिनां कुले
The cruel hunters, my dear, are wicked and deceitful; they commit evil in the mountain caves. Always malicious, intent on many sins, all of them are born in the lineage of the most sinful.
तेषां हि हस्तान्मरणाद्बिभेमि मृतोपि यास्यामि पुनश्च पापम् । दूरं गिरिं पर्वतकंदरं च व्रजामि कांते अपमृत्युभीतः
Truly, I fear death at their hands; even if I die, I will again fall into sin. Out of fear of an untimely death, my beloved, I go far away to the mountains and the caves.
अयं हि पुण्यो नरनाथ आगतो विश्वाधिकः केशवरूप भूपः । युद्धं करिष्ये समरे महात्मना सार्द्धं प्रिये पौरुषविक्रमेण
This righteous lord of men has come, surpassing all, O king in the form of Keśava. I will fight in battle with this great-souled one, my dear, with all my strength and valor.