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Mahābhārata • Parva 13 (Anuśāsanaparva) • Adhyāya 38

Anuśāsanaparva Adhyāya 38

अनुशासनपर्व • अध्यायः 38

Anuśāsanaparva Adhyāya 38 of the classical Mahābhārata with 31 verses.

Total: 31 Verses • Citations: MBh 13.38.1–31 • 250 Lexicon Terms
स्त्रीणां स्वभावमिच्छामि श्रोतुं भरतसत्तम । स्त्रियो हि मूलं दोषाणां लघुचित्ताः पितामह ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said O best of the Bharatas, I wish to hear you describe the disposition of women. Women are said to be the root of all evil. They are all considered as highly frail.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । नारदस्य च संवादं पुंश्चल्या पञ्चचूडया ॥
English Translation
Regarding it is cited an old history, O Yudhishthira, of a conversation between Matanga and a she-ass.
लोकाननुचरन्धीमान्देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा । ददर्शाप्सरसं ब्राह्मीं पञ्चचूडामनिन्दिताम् ॥
English Translation
Once in ancient times, the celestial Rishi Narada, having roamed over all the world, met the Apsara Panchachuda of faultless, beauty, having her residence in the region of Brahman.
तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं पप्रच्छाप्सरसं मुनिः । संशयो हृदि मे कश्चित्तन्मे ब्रूहि सुमध्यमे ॥
English Translation
Seeing the Apsara every limb of whose body was highly beautiful, the ascetic addressed her, saying Oyou of slender waist, I have a doubt in my mind. Do you explain it!
एवमुक्ता तु सा विप्रं प्रत्युवाचाथ नारदम् । विषये सति वक्ष्यामि समर्थां मन्यसे च माम् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Thus addressed by the Rishi, the Apsara said to him If the subject is one which is known to me and if you consider me competent to speak on it, I shall certainly say what is in my mind.
न त्वामविषये भद्रे नियोक्ष्यामि कथंचन । स्त्रीणां स्वभावमिच्छामि त्वत्तः श्रोतुं वरानने ॥
English Translation
Narada said O amiable one, I shall not certainly ask you for any task that is beyond your power. O you of beautiful face, I wish to hear from you of the disposition of women.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य देवर्षेरप्सरोत्तमा । प्रत्युवाच न शक्ष्यामि स्त्री सती निन्दितुं स्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Hearing these words of the celestial Rishi, that foremost of Apsaras replied to him, saying I am unable being myself a woman to speak ill of women.
विदितास्ते स्त्रियो याश्च यादृशाश्च स्वभावतः । न मामर्हसि देवर्षे नियोक्तुं प्रश्न ईदृशे ॥
English Translation
You know what women are and with what nature they are gifted. You should not, O celestial Rishi, set me to such a task.
तामुवाच स देवर्षिः सत्यं वद सुमध्यमे । मृषावादे भवेद्दोषः सत्ये दोषो न विद्यते ॥
English Translation
It is very To her the celestial Rishi said true, O you of slender waist! One commits sin by speaking what is untrue. In saying however, what is true, there can be no sin.
इत्युक्ता सा कृतमतिरभवच्चारुहासिनी । स्त्रीदोषाञ्शाश्वतान्सत्यान्भाषितुं संप्रचक्रमे ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by him, the Apsara Panchachuda of sweet smiles consented to answer Narada's question. She then addressed herself to mention what the true and eternal shortcomings are of women.
कुलीना रूपवत्यश्च नाथवत्यश्च योषितः । मर्यादासु न तिष्ठन्ति स दोषः स्त्रीषु नारद ॥
English Translation
Panchachuda said Even if highborn and gifted with beauty and possessed of protectors women wish to transgress the restraints assigned to them. This fault truly attaches them, O Narada.
न स्त्रीभ्यः किंचिदन्यद्वै पापीयस्तरमस्ति वै । स्त्रियो हि मूलं दोषाणां तथा त्वमपि वेत्थ ह ॥
English Translation
There is nothing else that is more sinful than women. Verily, women are the root of all evils. That is certainly known to you, O Narada.
समाज्ञातानृद्धिमतः प्रतिरूपान्वशे स्थितान् । पतीनन्तरमासाद्य नालं नार्यः प्रतीक्षितुम् ॥
English Translation
Women even when having husbands of fame and wealth, of handsome features and completely obedient to them, are prepared to disregard them if they get the opportunity.
असद्धर्मस्त्वयं स्त्रीणामस्माकं भवति प्रभो । पापीयसो नरान्यद्वै लज्जां त्यक्त्वा भजामहे ॥
English Translation
This, O powerful one, is a sinful disposition with us women, casting off modesty, we seek the companionship of men of sinful habits and intentions.
स्त्रियं हि यः प्रार्थयते संनिकर्षं च गच्छति । ईषच्च कुरुते सेवां तमेवेच्छन्ति योषितः ॥
English Translation
Women show a liking for those men who court them, who approach their presence and who respectfully serve them to even a slight extent.
अनर्थित्वान्मनुष्याणां भयात्परिजनस्य च । मर्यादायाममर्यादाः स्त्रियस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥
English Translation
Through want of solicitation by persons of the other sex, or fear of relatives, women, who are naturally impatient of all control, do not transgress those that have been ordained for them, and remain by the side of their husbands.
नासां कश्चिदगम्योऽस्ति नासां वयसि संस्थितिः । विरूपं रूपवन्तं वा पुमानित्येव भुञ्जते ॥
English Translation
There is none whom they cannot admit to their favours. They never consider about the age of the person they are prepared to favour. Ugly or handsome, if only the person happens to belong to the opposite sex, women are ready to enjoy his companionship.
न भयान्नाप्यनुक्रोशान्नार्थहेतोः कथंचन । न ज्ञातिकुलसंबन्धात्स्त्रियस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥
English Translation
That women remain faithful to their husbands is due not to their fear of sin, nor to mercy, nor to riches, nor to the affection that originates in their hearts for kinsmen and children.
यौवने वर्तमानानां मृष्टाभरणवाससाम् । नारीणां स्वैरवृत्तानां स्पृहयन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
Women living in the respectable families envy the condition of those members of their sex who are young and welladorned with jewels and gems and that lead a free life.
याश्च शश्वद्बहुमता रक्ष्यन्ते दयिताः स्त्रियः । अपि ताः संप्रसज्जन्ते कुब्जान्धजडवामनैः ॥
English Translation
Even those women who are loved by their husbands and treated with great respect, are seen to confer their favours upon men who are humpbacked, who are blind, who are idiots or who are dwarfs.
पङ्गुष्वपि च देवर्षे ये चान्ये कुत्सिता नराः । स्त्रीणामगम्यो लोकेऽस्मिन्नास्ति कश्चिन्महामुने ॥
English Translation
Women may be seen to like the companionship of even those men who are inert or those men who are ugly to look at, O great Rishi, there is no man in this world whom women may consider as unfit for companionship!
यदि पुंसां गतिर्ब्रह्म कथंचिन्नोपपद्यते । अप्यन्योन्यं प्रवर्तन्ते न हि तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥
English Translation
Through inability to obtain persons of the opposite sex, or fear of relatives or fear of death and imprisonment, women remain, of themselves under control.
अलाभात्पुरुषाणां हि भयात्परिजनस्य च । वधबन्धभयाच्चापि स्वयं गुप्ता भवन्ति ताः ॥
English Translation
Through inability to obtain persons of the opposite sex, or fear of relatives or fear of death and imprisonment, women remain, of themselves under control.
चलस्वभावा दुःसेव्या दुर्ग्राह्या भावतस्तथा । प्राज्ञस्य पुरुषस्येह यथा वाचस्तथा स्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
They are highly fickle, for they always hanker after new companions. On account of their nature being unintelligible, they are incapable of being kept in obedience by loving treatment. Their nature is such that they are incapable of being controlled when bent upon transgression. Indeed, women are like the words uttered by the wise.
नाग्निस्तृप्यति काष्ठानां नापगानां महोदधिः । नान्तकः सर्वभूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचनाः ॥
English Translation
Fire is never satiated with fuel. Ocean can never be filled with the waters that the rivers bring to him. The destroyer is never satiated with killing even all living creatures. Likewise, women are never satiated with men.
इदमन्यच्च देवर्षे रहस्यं सर्वयोषिताम् । दृष्ट्वैव पुरुषं हृद्यं योनिः प्रक्लिद्यते स्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
This, O celestial Rishi, is another mystery about women. As soon as they see a man of beautiful and charming features, unfailing signs of desire appear on their body.
कामानामपि दातारं कर्तारं मानसान्त्वयोः । रक्षितारं न मृष्यन्ति भर्तारं परमं स्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
They never show sufficient regard for even such husbands as satisfy all their wishes, as always do what is agreeable to them, and as protect them from want and danger.
न कामभोगान्बहुलान्नालंकारार्थसंचयान् । तथैव बहु मन्यन्ते यथा रत्यामनुग्रहम् ॥
English Translation
Women never prize even profuse articles of enjoyment or ornaments or other delightful things so much as they do the companionship of persons of the opposite sex,
अन्तकः शमनो मृत्युः पातालं वडवामुखम् । क्षुरधारा विषं सर्पो वह्निरित्येकतः स्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
The destroyer, the god of wind, death the nether regions, the equine mouth that roves through the ocean, vomiting ceaseless flames of fire, the sharpness of the razor, dreadful poison, the snake and Fire all these exist in a state of union in the woman.
यतश्च भूतानि महान्ति पञ्च; यतश्च लोका विहिता विधात्रा । यतः पुमांसः प्रमदाश्च निर्मिता;स्तदैव दोषाः प्रमदासु नारद ॥
English Translation
Indeed from that eternal Brahma whence the five great elements have originated whence the Creator Brahman has ordained the universe and whence, indeed, men have sprung, have women sprung into existence. At that time, again, ONarada, when women were created, these faults that I have described were planted in them.
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