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.
तान्वयं शासयामो वै दंडेन महता किल । भवत्या दारुणं कर्म कृतमेव सुनिर्घृणम्
We punish them with severe penalties; the deed done by you is indeed harsh and utterly merciless.
गार्हस्थ्यं च परित्यज्य अत्रायाता किमर्थतः । वदस्येवं मुखेनापि अहं हि पतिदेवता
Having abandoned household life, why have you come here? Speak openly, for I am devoted to my husband.
कर्मणा नास्ति तद्दृष्टं पतिदैवत्यमेव ते । भर्तारं तं परित्यज्य किमर्थं त्वमिहागता
By action, your devotion to your husband is not seen; having abandoned your husband, for what reason have you come here?
शृंगारं भूषणं वेषं कृत्वा तिष्ठसि निर्घृणा । किमर्थं हि कृतं पापे कस्यहेतोर्वदस्व मे
You stand here, heartless, having adorned yourself with ornaments and attire for sensuality; for what sinful purpose have you done this? Tell me for whose sake.
निःशंका वर्त्तसे चापि प्रमत्ता गिरिकानने । मया त्वं साधिता पापा दंडेन महता शृणु
You act without concern, careless, in the mountain forest; you, sinful one, have been subdued by me with severe punishment—listen.
अधर्मचारिणी दुष्टा पतिं त्यक्त्वा समागता । क्वास्ते तत्पतिदेवत्वं दर्शय त्वं ममाग्रतः
You, evil-doer, acting against dharma, have come here after abandoning your husband; where is your devotion to your husband? Show it before me.
भवती पुंश्चली नाम यया त्यक्तः स्वकः पतिः । पृथक्छय्या यदा नारी तदा सा पुंश्चली मता
You are called a wanton, by whom her own husband is abandoned; when a woman sleeps apart from her husband, she is considered a wanton.
योजनानां शतैकस्य सोन्तरेण प्रवर्त्तते । क्वास्ति ते पतिदैवत्यं पुंश्चल्याचारचारिणी
When there is a distance of one hundred yojanas between you, where is your devotion to your husband, you who follow the conduct of a wanton?
निर्लज्जे निर्घृणे दुष्टे किं मे वदसि संमुखी । तपसः क्वास्ति ते भावः क्व तेजोबलमेव च
Shameless, heartless, wicked one, what do you say to me face to face? Where is your asceticism, where is your energy and strength?
दर्शयस्व ममाद्यैव बलवीर्यपराक्रमम् । पद्मावत्युवाच- स्नेहेनापि समानीता श्रूयतामसुराधम
Show me today your power, valor, and prowess. Padmavati spoke: Even by affection I was brought here—listen, O lowest of asuras.