पतिव्रतां महाभागां सुमतिं भर्तृतत्पराम् । दूरेणापि परित्यज्य तिष्ठामो नात्र संशयः
A chaste and blessed wife, devoted to her husband and of good conduct—we avoid her even from afar, there is no doubt.
तेजो देवि सुविप्रस्य हरेश्चैव महात्मनः । नार्याः पतिव्रतायाश्च सोढुं दैत्याश्च न क्षमाः
O goddess, the radiance of a noble Brahmin, of the great-souled Hari, and of a chaste wife—Daityas are not able to endure.
पतिव्रताभयेनापि विष्णोः सुब्राह्मणस्य च । नश्यंति दानवाः सर्वे दूरं राक्षसपुंगवाः
Out of fear of a chaste wife and of Viṣṇu, and of a noble Brahmin, all Dānavas perish, and the foremost of Rākṣasas flee far away.
अहं दानवधर्मेण विचरामि महीतलम् । कस्मात्त्वं शप्तुकामासि मम दोषो विचार्यताम्
I roam the earth by the law of Dānavas; why do you wish to curse me? Let my fault be considered.
पद्मावत्युवाच- मम धर्मः सुकायश्च त्वयैव परिनाशितः । अहं पतिव्रता साध्वी पतिकामा तपस्विनी
Padmāvati said: My dharma and good reputation have been destroyed by you alone; I am a chaste and virtuous wife, devoted to my husband and engaged in austerity.
स्वमार्गे संस्थिता पाप मायया परिनाशिता । तस्मात्त्वामप्यहं दुष्ट आधक्ष्यामि न संशयः
Established in my own path, O wicked one, I have been ruined by your deceit; therefore, I shall afflict you, evil one, without doubt.
गोभिल उवाच- धर्ममेव प्रवक्ष्यामि भवती यदि मन्यते । अग्निचिद्ब्राह्मणस्यापि श्रूयतां नृपनंदिनी
Gobhila said: If you permit, I shall speak of righteousness; let the wife of the king listen, even to the dharma of a Brahmin who tends the sacred fire.
जुह्वन्देवं द्विकालं यो न त्यजेदग्निमंदिरम् । स चाग्निहोत्री भवति यजत्येव दिनेदिने
He who worships the divine twice daily and never abandons the fire-altar—such a one is called an Agnihotrin, who performs the sacrifice every single day.
अन्यच्चैवं प्रवक्ष्यामि भृत्यधर्मं वरानने । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा विशुद्धो योऽपि नित्यशः
Now I shall also speak of the duty of a servant, O beautiful-faced one: whoever is always pure in mind, deed, and speech—
नित्यमादेशकारी यः पश्चात्तिष्ठति चाग्रतः । स भृत्यः कथ्यते देवि पुण्यभागी न संशयः
Whoever always carries out commands, stands behind and before his master—such a one is called a servant, O goddess, and is certainly blessed, without doubt.
यः पुत्रो गुणवाञ्ज्ञाता पितरं पालयेच्छुभः । मातरं च विशेषेण मनसा काय कर्मभिः
A virtuous son, who knows what is right, should care for his father with devotion, and especially his mother, with mind, body, and actions.
तस्य भागीरथी स्नानमहन्यहनि जायते । अन्यथा कुरुते यो हि स पापीयान्न संशयः
For him, bathing in the Ganges is gained every day; but one who acts otherwise is more sinful, without doubt.
अन्यच्चैवं प्रवक्ष्यामि पतिव्रतमनुत्तमम् । वाचा सुमनसा चैव कर्मणा शृणु भामिनि
Now I shall also speak of the highest chaste wife; listen, O lovely one, to her conduct in speech, mind, and deed.
शुश्रूषां कुरुते या हि भर्तुश्चैव दिन दिने । तुष्टे भर्त्तरि या प्रीता न त्यजेत्क्रोधनं पुनः
She who serves her husband every day, who is pleased when her husband is content, and does not again give way to anger—
तस्य दोषं न गृह्णाति ताडिता तुष्यते पुनः । भर्त्तुः कर्मसु सर्वेषु पुरतस्तिष्ठते सदा
She does not hold on to his faults, is satisfied even if struck, and always stands before her husband in all his undertakings.
सा चापि कथ्यते नारी पतिव्रतपरायणा । पतितोपि पितापुत्रैर्बहुदोषसमन्वितः
Such a woman is called devoted to her husband; even if her husband is fallen, afflicted, or full of faults, whether by father or sons—
कस्मादपि च न त्याज्यः कुष्ठितः क्रुधितोऽपि वा । एवं पुत्राः शुश्रूषंति पितरं मातरं किल
She should not abandon him for any reason, even if he is diseased or angry; just so, sons should serve their father and mother.
ते यांति परमं लोकं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् । एवं हि स्वामिनं ये वै उपाचरंति भृत्यकाः
They attain the highest world, that supreme abode of Vishnu; likewise, servants who attend to their master in this way.
पत्युर्लोकं प्रयांत्येते प्रसादात्स्वामिनस्तदा । अग्निं नैव त्यजेद्विप्रो ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयाति सः
By the favor of the master, they attain the world of the husband; a Brahmin who never abandons the fire reaches the world of Brahma.
अग्नित्यागकरो विप्रो वृषलीपतिरुच्यते । स्वामिद्रोही भवेद्भृत्यः स्वामित्यागान्न संशयः
A Brahmin who abandons the fire is called the husband of an outcaste woman; a servant who betrays his master, by abandoning him, is without doubt a traitor.
अग्निं च पितरं चैव न त्यजेत्स्वामिनं शुभे । सदा विप्रः सुतो भृत्यः सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
One should never abandon the sacred fire, father, or master, O auspicious one; always, a Brahmin, son, or servant—this is the truth, I declare.
परित्यज्य प्रगच्छंति ते यांति नरकार्णवम् । पतितं व्याधितं देवि विकलं कुष्ठिनं तथा
Those who abandon them and depart go to the ocean of hell; whether fallen, diseased, crippled, or leprous—
सर्वकर्मविहीनं च गतवित्तादिसंचयम् । भर्तारं न त्यजेन्नारी यदि श्रेय इहेच्छति
Even if deprived of all actions and bereft of wealth and other possessions, a woman should not abandon her husband if she desires her own good here.
त्यक्त्वा कांतं व्रजेन्नारी अन्यत्कार्यमिहेच्छति । सा मता पुंश्चली लोके सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृता
If a woman leaves her beloved and seeks another out of desire, she is regarded as a wanton woman in the world, excluded from all righteousness.
गते भर्तरि या ग्रामं भोगं शृंगारमेव च । लौल्याच्च कुरुते नारी पुंश्चली वदते जनः
When her husband is gone, a woman indulges in pleasures and sensuality in the village; due to her fickleness, people call her a wanton.
एवं धर्मं विजानामि वेदशास्त्रैश्च संमतम् । दानवा राक्षसाः प्रेता धात्रा सृष्टा यदादितः
Thus I understand dharma, as accepted by the Vedas and scriptures: demons, rakshasas, and pretas were created by the Creator from the beginning.
तत्रेह कारणं सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि न संशयः । ब्राह्मणा दानवाश्चैव पिशाचाश्चैव राक्षसाः
I will now explain the entire reason for this, without doubt: Brahmins, demons, pisachas, and rakshasas.
धर्मार्थं सकलं प्रोक्तमधीतं तैस्तु सुंदरि । विंदंति सकलं सर्वे आचरंति न दानवाः
All dharma and artha has been spoken and studied by them, O beautiful one; all understand it, but only the demons do not practice it.
विधिहीनं प्रकुर्वंति दानवा ज्ञानवर्जिताः । अन्यायेन व्रजंत्येते मानवा विधिवर्जिताः
Demons, lacking knowledge, act without proper rules; these humans, devoid of regulation, proceed unjustly.
तेषां शासनहेत्वर्थं कृता एतेपि नान्यथा । विधिहीनं प्रकुर्वंति ये हि धर्मं नराधमाः
For the sake of governing them, these rules were made, and not otherwise; those who act without proper rules are the lowest among men.