The Brahmin's Wife Offers Herself

Verse 1 (1.172.1)

न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः प्राकृतेनेव कर्हिचित् । न हि सन्तापकालोऽयं वैद्यस्य तव विद्यते ॥

na santāpastvayā kāryaḥ prākṛteneva karhicit | na hi santāpakālo'yaṃ vaidyasya tava vidyate

You must never grieve like an ordinary man. For you, a man of learning, this is no time for grief.

Verse 2 (1.172.2)

अवश्यं निधनं सर्वैर्गन्तव्यमिह मानवैः । अवश्यभाविन्यर्थे वै संतापो नेह विद्यते ॥

avaśyaṃ nidhanaṃ sarvairgantavyamiha mānavaiḥ | avaśyabhāvinyarthe vai saṃtāpo neha vidyate

All men in this world must surely come to death. Over what is bound to happen there is no place for grief.

Verse 3 (1.172.3)

भार्या पुत्रोऽथ दुहिता सर्वमात्मार्थमिष्यते । व्यथां जहि सुबुद्ध्या त्वं स्वयं यास्यामि तत्र च ॥

bhāryā putro'tha duhitā sarvamātmārthamiṣyate | vyathāṃ jahi subuddhyā tvaṃ svayaṃ yāsyāmi tatra ca

Wife, son and daughter are all desired for one's own sake. Cast off your distress with clear understanding; I will go there myself.

Verse 4 (1.172.4)

एतद्धि परमं नार्याः कार्यं लोके सनातनम् । प्राणानपि परित्यज्य यद्भर्तुर्हितमाचरेत् ॥

etaddhi paramaṃ nāryāḥ kāryaṃ loke sanātanam | prāṇānapi parityajya yadbharturhitamācaret

For this is a woman's highest and eternal duty in the world: to do her husband good, even at the cost of her life.

Verse 5 (1.172.5)

तच्च तत्र कृतं कर्म तवापीदं सुखावहम् । भवत्यमुत्र चाक्षय्यं लोकेऽस्मिंश्च यशस्करम् ॥

tacca tatra kṛtaṃ karma tavāpīdaṃ sukhāvaham | bhavatyamutra cākṣayyaṃ loke'smiṃśca yaśaskaram

And that deed, done there, will bring happiness to you as well. It yields imperishable reward in the next world and renown in this one.

Verse 6 (1.172.6)

एष चैव गुरुर्धर्मो यं प्रवक्ष्याम्यहं तव । अर्थश्च तव धर्मश्च भूयानत्र प्रदृश्यते ॥

eṣa caiva gururdharmo yaṃ pravakṣyāmyahaṃ tava | arthaśca tava dharmaśca bhūyānatra pradṛśyate

This is the weighty dharma of which I speak to you; in it I see both your greater gain and your greater merit.

Verse 7 (1.172.7)

यदर्थमिष्यते भार्या प्राप्तः सोऽर्थस्त्वया मयि । कन्या चैका कुमारश्च कृताहमनृणा त्वया ॥

yadarthamiṣyate bhāryā prāptaḥ so'rthastvayā mayi | kanyā caikā kumāraśca kṛtāhamanṛṇā tvayā

The purpose for which a wife is sought you have already gained through me: a daughter and a son. You have freed me from my debt.

Verse 8 (1.172.8)

समर्थः पोषणे चासि सुतयो रक्षणे तथा । न त्वहं सुतयोः शक्ता तथा रक्षणपोषणे ॥

samarthaḥ poṣaṇe cāsi sutayo rakṣaṇe tathā | na tvahaṃ sutayoḥ śaktā tathā rakṣaṇapoṣaṇe

You are able to feed and protect the two children; I am not able in the same way to protect and feed them.

Verse 9 (1.172.9)

मम हि त्वद्विहीनायाः सर्वप्राणधनेश्वर । कथं स्यातां सुतौ बालौ भरेयं च कथं त्वहम् ॥

mama hi tvadvihīnāyāḥ sarvaprāṇadhaneśvara | kathaṃ syātāṃ sutau bālau bhareyaṃ ca kathaṃ tvaham

Lord of my life and of all I have, if I am left without you, how will our two little children live, and how shall I support them?

Verse 10 (1.172.10)

कथं हि विधवाऽनाथा बालपुत्रा विना त्वया । मिथुनं जीवयिष्यामि स्थिता साधुगते पथि ॥

kathaṃ hi vidhavā'nāthā bālaputrā vinā tvayā | mithunaṃ jīvayiṣyāmi sthitā sādhugate pathi

How could I, a helpless widow with little children, without you, keep the two of them alive while holding to the path the virtuous tread?

Verse 11 (1.172.11)

अहं कृतावलेपैश्च प्रार्थ्यमानामिमां सुताम् । अयुक्तैस्तव संबन्धे कथं शक्ष्यामि रक्षितुम् ॥

ahaṃ kṛtāvalepaiśca prārthyamānāmimāṃ sutām | ayuktaistava saṃbandhe kathaṃ śakṣyāmi rakṣitum

When arrogant men, unfit to be joined to your family, come asking for this daughter of ours, how shall I be able to protect her?

Verse 12 (1.172.12)

उत्सृष्टमामिषं भूमौ प्रार्थयन्ति यथा खगाः । प्रार्थयन्ति जनाः सर्वे पतिहीनां तथा स्त्रियम् ॥

utsṛṣṭamāmiṣaṃ bhūmau prārthayanti yathā khagāḥ | prārthayanti janāḥ sarve patihīnāṃ tathā striyam

As birds swoop on a piece of meat thrown on the ground, so all men covet a woman who has lost her husband.

Verse 13 (1.172.13)

साऽहं विचाल्यमाना वै प्रार्थ्यमाना दुरात्मभिः । स्थातुं पथि न शक्ष्यामि सज्जनेष्टे द्विजोत्तम ॥

sā'haṃ vicālyamānā vai prārthyamānā durātmabhiḥ | sthātuṃ pathi na śakṣyāmi sajjaneṣṭe dvijottama

Shaken and pursued by wicked men, I shall not be able to keep to the path the good hold dear, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 14 (1.172.14)

स्त्रीजन्म गर्हितं नाथ लोके दुष्टजनाकुले । मातापित्रोर्वशे कन्या प्रौढा भर्तृवशे तथा ॥

strījanma garhitaṃ nātha loke duṣṭajanākule | mātāpitrorvaśe kanyā prauḍhā bhartṛvaśe tathā

Birth as a woman is a thing deplored, my lord, in a world crowded with wicked men. A maiden is in the keeping of her mother and father, and a grown woman likewise in her husband's.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.13*1606).

Verse 15 (1.172.15)

अभावे चानयोः पुत्रे स्वतन्त्रा स्त्री विगर्हिता ॥

abhāve cānayoḥ putre svatantrā strī vigarhitā

When these two are gone, she is in her son's keeping; a woman who lives on her own is censured.

Note on the text: Corrected खतन्त्रा → स्वतन्त्रा (misprint in Wikisource; ख for स्व, the critical edition's apparatus reads svatantrā). A single line in Wikisource (its 15a). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.13*1606).

Verse 16 (1.172.16)

अनाथत्वं स्त्रियो द्वारं दुष्टानां विवृतं हि तत् । वस्त्रखण्डं घृताक्तं हि यथा संकृष्यते श्वभिः ॥

anāthatvaṃ striyo dvāraṃ duṣṭānāṃ vivṛtaṃ hi tat | vastrakhaṇḍaṃ ghṛtāktaṃ hi yathā saṃkṛṣyate śvabhiḥ

A woman without a protector is a door flung open to the wicked, and she is dragged about as dogs drag a scrap of cloth smeared with ghee.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (doubled danda and quote mark). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.13*1606).

Verse 17 (1.172.17)

कथं तव कुलस्यैकमिमं बालमनागसम् । पितृपैतामहे मार्गे नियोक्तुमहमुत्सहे ॥

kathaṃ tava kulasyaikamimaṃ bālamanāgasam | pitṛpaitāmahe mārge niyoktumahamutsahe

How could I set this one innocent boy of your family on the path of his fathers and forefathers?

Verse 18 (1.172.18)

कथं शक्ष्यामि बालेऽस्मिन्गुणानाधातुमीप्सितान् । अनाथे सर्वतो लुप्ते यथा त्वं धर्मदर्शिवान् ॥

kathaṃ śakṣyāmi bāle'sminguṇānādhātumīpsitān | anāthe sarvato lupte yathā tvaṃ dharmadarśivān

How shall I be able to instil in this boy, fatherless and stripped of everything, the virtues one would wish for, as you, who see dharma clearly, would do?

Verse 19 (1.172.19)

इमामपि च ते बालामनाथां परिभूय माम् । अनर्हाः प्रार्थयिष्यन्ति शूद्रा वेदश्रुतिं यथा ॥

imāmapi ca te bālāmanāthāṃ paribhūya mām | anarhāḥ prārthayiṣyanti śūdrā vedaśrutiṃ yathā

And this young daughter of yours, left without a protector, unworthy men will seek, scorning me, as shudras might seek to hear the Veda.

Verse 20 (1.172.20)

तां चेदहं न दित्सेयं सद्गुणैरुपबृंहिताम् । प्रमथ्यैनां हरेयुस्ते हविर्ध्वाङ्क्षा इवाध्वरात् ॥

tāṃ cedahaṃ na ditseyaṃ sadguṇairupabṛṃhitām | pramathyaināṃ hareyuste havirdhvāṅkṣā ivādhvarāt

And if I would not give her, endowed as she is with fine qualities, they would carry her off by force, as crows carry off the oblation from a sacrifice.

Verse 21 (1.172.21)

संप्रेक्षमाणा पुत्रीं ते नानुरूपमिवात्मनः । अनर्हवशमापन्नामिमां चापि सुतां तव ॥

saṃprekṣamāṇā putrīṃ te nānurūpamivātmanaḥ | anarhavaśamāpannāmimāṃ cāpi sutāṃ tava

Seeing your daughter in a state, as it were, unworthy of herself, this daughter of yours fallen into the power of unworthy men,

Verse 22 (1.172.22)

अवज्ञाता च लोकेषु तथात्मानमजानती । अवलिप्तैर्नरैर्ब्रह्मन्मरिष्यामि न संशयः ॥

avajñātā ca lokeṣu tathātmānamajānatī | avaliptairnarairbrahmanmariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

and despised in the world, no longer knowing myself, I shall die among arrogant men, O Brahmin; of that there is no doubt.

Note on the text: Corrected तथान्मानमजानती → तथात्मानमजानती and अवलिप्तैरैर्ब्रह्मन् → अवलिप्तैर्नरैर्ब्रह्मन् (misprints in Wikisource; न्म for त्म, and a dropped न — the critical edition reads tathātmānam and avaliptair narair).

Verse 23 (1.172.23)

तौ च हीनौ मया बालौ त्वया चैव तथात्मजौ । विनश्येतां न सन्देहो मत्स्याविव जलक्षये ॥

tau ca hīnau mayā bālau tvayā caiva tathātmajau | vinaśyetāṃ na sandeho matsyāviva jalakṣaye

And those two children, bereft of me and of you as well, would perish without doubt, like fish when the water dries up.

Verse 24 (1.172.24)

त्रितयं सर्वथाप्येवं विनशिष्यत्यसंशयम् । त्वया विहीनं तस्मात्त्वं मां परित्यक्तुमर्हसि ॥

tritayaṃ sarvathāpyevaṃ vinaśiṣyatyasaṃśayam | tvayā vihīnaṃ tasmāttvaṃ māṃ parityaktumarhasi

So in every way all three of us, without you, will surely perish; therefore you should give me up.

Verse 25 (1.172.25)

व्युष्टिरेषा परा स्त्रीणां पूर्वं भर्तुः परा गतिः । ननु ब्रह्मन्सपुत्राणामिति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥

vyuṣṭireṣā parā strīṇāṃ pūrvaṃ bhartuḥ parā gatiḥ | nanu brahmansaputrāṇāmiti dharmavido viduḥ

This is the highest good fortune for women, their highest goal: to go before their husband. Surely so, O Brahmin, for women who have sons; so those who know dharma understand.

Note on the text: The first line = CE 1.146.22ab; the second differs from the critical edition (a vulgate reading); the critical edition's 22cd is close to the first line of the next verse.

Verse 26 (1.172.26)

अनिष्टमिह पुत्राणां विषये परिवर्तितुम् । हरिद्राञ्जनपुष्पादिसौमङ्गल्ययुता सती ॥

aniṣṭamiha putrāṇāṃ viṣaye parivartitum | haridrāñjanapuṣpādisaumaṅgalyayutā satī

It is not desirable to live on under the sway of one's sons. A virtuous wife who bears the auspicious marks of marriage, turmeric, collyrium, flowers and the like,

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick. The first line is a variant of CE 1.146.22cd (na tu brāhmaṇa putrāṇāṃ viṣaye parivartitum); the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.22*1611).

Verse 27 (1.172.27)

मरणं याति या भर्तुस्तद्दत्तजलपायिनी । भर्तृपादार्पितमनाः सा याति गिरिजापदम् ॥

maraṇaṃ yāti yā bhartustaddattajalapāyinī | bhartṛpādārpitamanāḥ sā yāti girijāpadam

and who meets death before her husband, drinking the water he has given her, her mind fixed on her husband's feet, goes to the abode of Girija.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.22*1611).

Verse 28 (1.172.28)

गिरिजायाः सखी भूत्वा मोदते नगकन्यया । मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं माता मितं सुतः ॥

girijāyāḥ sakhī bhūtvā modate nagakanyayā | mitaṃ dadāti hi pitā mitaṃ mātā mitaṃ sutaḥ

Becoming the companion of Girija, she rejoices with the Daughter of the Mountain. A father gives in measure, a mother in measure, a son in measure;

Note on the text: Corrected गिराजायाः → गिरिजायाः (misprint in Wikisource; ा for ि — Girija, as in the previous verse and the critical edition's apparatus, girijāyāḥ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.22*1611–*1612).

Verse 29 (1.172.29)

अमितस्य हि दातारं का पतिं नाभिनन्दति । आश्रमाश्चाग्निसंस्कारा जपहोमव्रतानि च ॥

amitasya hi dātāraṃ kā patiṃ nābhinandati | āśramāścāgnisaṃskārā japahomavratāni ca

what woman would not honour her husband, the giver of what is beyond measure? Life in the ashramas, the rites of the sacred fire, prayer, oblations and vows

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.22*1612 and 1.146.24*1613).

Verse 30 (1.172.30)

स्त्रीणां नैते विधातव्या विना पतिमनिन्दितम् । क्षमा शौचमनाहारमेतावद्विहितं स्त्रियाः ॥

strīṇāṃ naite vidhātavyā vinā patimaninditam | kṣamā śaucamanāhārametāvadvihitaṃ striyāḥ

are not for women to undertake apart from their blameless husband. Forbearance, purity and fasting: this much is prescribed for a woman.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (doubled danda and quote mark). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.24*1613).

Verse 31 (1.172.31)

परित्यक्तः सुतश्चायं दुहितेयं तथा मया । बान्धवाश्च परित्यक्तास्त्वदर्थं जीवितं च मे ॥

parityaktaḥ sutaścāyaṃ duhiteyaṃ tathā mayā | bāndhavāśca parityaktāstvadarthaṃ jīvitaṃ ca me

For your sake I have given up this son and this daughter, I have given up my kinsfolk, and my life as well.

Verse 32 (1.172.32)

यज्ञैस्तपोभिर्नियमैर्दानैश्च विविधैस्तथा । विशिष्यते स्त्रिया भर्तुर्नित्यं प्रियहिते स्थितिः ॥

yajñaistapobhirniyamairdānaiśca vividhaistathā | viśiṣyate striyā bharturnityaṃ priyahite sthitiḥ

Above sacrifices, austerities, observances and gifts of every kind stands a wife's constant devotion to what pleases and benefits her husband.

Verse 33 (1.172.33)

तदिदं यच्चिकीर्षामि धर्मं परमसंमतम् । इष्टं चैव हितं चैव तव चैव कुलस्य च ॥

tadidaṃ yaccikīrṣāmi dharmaṃ paramasaṃmatam | iṣṭaṃ caiva hitaṃ caiva tava caiva kulasya ca

So what I mean to do is dharma held in the highest esteem, dear to you and good for you and for your family.

Verse 34 (1.172.34)

इष्टानि चाप्यपत्यानि द्रव्याणि सुहृदः प्रियाः । आपद्धर्मप्रमोक्षाय भार्या चापि सतां मतम् ॥

iṣṭāni cāpyapatyāni dravyāṇi suhṛdaḥ priyāḥ | āpaddharmapramokṣāya bhāryā cāpi satāṃ matam

Cherished children, possessions, dear friends, and a wife too: the good hold that these exist to bring release in time of calamity.

Verse 35 (1.172.35)

आपदर्थे धनं रक्षेद्दारान्रक्षेद्धनैरपि । आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि ॥

āpadarthe dhanaṃ rakṣeddārānrakṣeddhanairapi | ātmānaṃ satataṃ rakṣeddārairapi dhanairapi

One should guard wealth against misfortune, guard one's wife even at the cost of wealth, and guard oneself always, even at the cost of wife and wealth.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.26*1614).

Verse 36 (1.172.36)

दृष्टादृष्टफलार्थं हि भार्या पुत्रो धनं गृहम् । सर्वमेतद्विधातव्यं बुधानामेष निश्चयः ॥

dṛṣṭādṛṣṭaphalārthaṃ hi bhāryā putro dhanaṃ gṛham | sarvametadvidhātavyaṃ budhānāmeṣa niścayaḥ

Wife, son, wealth and house are all to be had for the sake of rewards seen and unseen; this is the settled view of the wise.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.26*1614).

Verse 37 (1.172.37)

एकतो वा कुलं कृत्स्नमात्मा वा कुलवर्धनः । उभयोः कोऽधिको विद्वन्नात्मा चैवाधिकः कुलात् ॥

ekato vā kulaṃ kṛtsnamātmā vā kulavardhanaḥ | ubhayoḥ ko'dhiko vidvannātmā caivādhikaḥ kulāt

On one side the whole family, on the other oneself, who makes the family grow: which of the two weighs more, learned one? The self is greater than the family.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before the second line, and corrected कोधिको → कोऽधिको (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha in कः + अधिकः, as in the critical edition's apparatus, ko 'dhiko). The first line = CE 1.146.27ab; the second is in the CE apparatus (1.146.27*1615); Wikisource lacks CE 27cd.

Verse 38 (1.172.38)

आत्मनो विद्यमानत्वाद्भुवनानि चतुर्दश । विद्यन्ते द्विजशार्दूल आत्मा रक्ष्यस्ततस्त्वया ॥

ātmano vidyamānatvādbhuvanāni caturdaśa | vidyante dvijaśārdūla ātmā rakṣyastatastvayā

Because the self exists, the fourteen worlds exist, O tiger among the twice-born; therefore you must protect yourself.

Note on the text: Corrected आतमा → आत्मा (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, the critical edition's apparatus reads ātmā). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.27*1615).

Verse 39 (1.172.39)

आत्मन्यविद्यमाने चेदस्य नास्तीह किंचन । एतज्जगदिदं सर्वमात्मना न समं किल ॥

ātmanyavidyamāne cedasya nāstīha kiṃcana | etajjagadidaṃ sarvamātmanā na samaṃ kila

If the self is no more, nothing here remains for a man; this whole world, it is said, is not the equal of the self.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (doubled danda and quote mark). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.27*1615).

Verse 40 (1.172.40)

स कुरुष्व मया कार्यं तारयात्मानमात्मना । अनुजानीहि मामार्य सुतौ मे परिपालय ॥

sa kuruṣva mayā kāryaṃ tārayātmānamātmanā | anujānīhi māmārya sutau me paripālaya

So accomplish your purpose through me, and save yourself by your own act. Give me leave, noble one, and take care of my two children.

Note on the text: Corrected अनुजानीही → अनुजानीहि (misprint in Wikisource; long ी for short ि in the imperative — the critical edition reads anujānīhi).

Verse 41 (1.172.41)

अवध्याः स्त्रिय इत्याहुर्धर्मज्ञा धर्मनिश्चये । धर्मज्ञान्राक्षसानाहुर्न हन्यात्स च मामपि ॥

avadhyāḥ striya ityāhurdharmajñā dharmaniścaye | dharmajñānrākṣasānāhurna hanyātsa ca māmapi

Those who know dharma declare, in settling questions of dharma, that women are not to be killed. Rakshasas too are said to know dharma; so he may not kill even me.

Verse 42 (1.172.42)

निःसंशयं वधः पुंसां स्त्रीणां संशयितो वधः । अतो मामेव धर्मज्ञ प्रस्थापयितुमर्हसि ॥

niḥsaṃśayaṃ vadhaḥ puṃsāṃ strīṇāṃ saṃśayito vadhaḥ | ato māmeva dharmajña prasthāpayitumarhasi

For men, death there is certain; for women it is uncertain. Therefore, knower of dharma, you should send me.

Verse 43 (1.172.43)

भुक्तं प्रियाण्यवाप्तानि धर्मश्च चरितो मया । त्वच्छुश्रूषणसंभूता कीर्तिश्चाप्यतुला मम । त्वत्प्रसूतिः प्रिया प्राप्ता न मां तप्स्यत्यजीवितं ॥

bhuktaṃ priyāṇyavāptāni dharmaśca carito mayā | tvacchuśrūṣaṇasaṃbhūtā kīrtiścāpyatulā mama | tvatprasūtiḥ priyā prāptā na māṃ tapsyatyajīvitaṃ

I have enjoyed life, I have had what is dear to me, and I have practised dharma; from serving you I have also won matchless renown. Through you I have had the joy of children; death will not grieve me.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around the middle line, which is in the critical edition's apparatus (1.146.31*1617); the first and third lines = CE 1.146.31.

Verse 44 (1.172.44)

जातपुत्रा च वृद्धा च प्रियकामा च ते सदा । समीक्ष्यैतदहं सर्वं व्यवसायं करोम्यतः ॥

jātaputrā ca vṛddhā ca priyakāmā ca te sadā | samīkṣyaitadahaṃ sarvaṃ vyavasāyaṃ karomyataḥ

I have borne children, I am growing old, and I have always sought your good. Having weighed all this, I have made my resolve.

Verse 45 (1.172.45)

उत्सृज्यापि हि मामार्य प्राप्स्यस्यन्यामपि स्त्रियम् । ततः प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मो भविष्यति पुनस्तव ॥

utsṛjyāpi hi māmārya prāpsyasyanyāmapi striyam | tataḥ pratiṣṭhito dharmo bhaviṣyati punastava

Even after giving me up, noble one, you will find another wife; then your dharma will again be established.

Verse 46 (1.172.46)

न चाप्यधर्मः कल्याण बहुपत्नीकता नृणाम् । स्त्रीणामधर्मः सुमहान्भर्तुः पूर्वस्य लङ्घने ॥

na cāpyadharmaḥ kalyāṇa bahupatnīkatā nṛṇām | strīṇāmadharmaḥ sumahānbhartuḥ pūrvasya laṅghane

It is no wrong, good husband, for men to have many wives; but for women it is a great wrong to pass over their first husband.

Verse 47 (1.172.47)

एतत्सर्वं समीक्ष्य त्वमात्मत्यागं च गर्हितम् । आत्मानं तारयाद्याशु कुलं चेमौ च दारकौ ॥

etatsarvaṃ samīkṣya tvamātmatyāgaṃ ca garhitam | ātmānaṃ tārayādyāśu kulaṃ cemau ca dārakau

Weighing all this, and knowing that to give up your own life is condemned, save yourself now, quickly, and your family and these two children.

Verse 48 (1.172.48)

एवमुक्तस्तया भर्ता तां समालिङ्ग्य भारत । मुमोच बाष्पं शनकैः सभार्यो भृशदुःखितः ॥

evamuktastayā bhartā tāṃ samāliṅgya bhārata | mumoca bāṣpaṃ śanakaiḥ sabhāryo bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ

Spoken to thus by her, O Bharata, her husband embraced her, and in deep grief he and his wife slowly shed tears together.

Verse 49 (1.172.49)

मैवं वद त्वं कल्याणि तिष्ठ चेह सुमध्यमे । न तु भार्यां त्यजेत्प्राज्ञः पुत्रान्वापि कदाचन ॥

maivaṃ vada tvaṃ kalyāṇi tiṣṭha ceha sumadhyame | na tu bhāryāṃ tyajetprājñaḥ putrānvāpi kadācana

Do not speak so, my good wife; stay here, slender-waisted one. A wise man should never abandon his wife, or his children either.

Note on the text: Speaker set to the Brahmin: the husband's reply to his wife (Wikisource prints no heading after the narration of verse 48). Removed a stray backtick. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.36*1621).

Verse 50 (1.172.50)

विशेषतः स्त्रियं रक्षेत्पुरुषो बुद्धिमानिह । त्यक्त्वा तु पुरुषो जीवेन्न हातव्यानिमान्सदा । न वेत्ति कामं धर्मं च अर्थं मोक्षं च तत्त्वतः ॥

viśeṣataḥ striyaṃ rakṣetpuruṣo buddhimāniha | tyaktvā tu puruṣo jīvenna hātavyānimānsadā | na vetti kāmaṃ dharmaṃ ca arthaṃ mokṣaṃ ca tattvataḥ

Above all, a sensible man should protect his wife in this world. These are never to be given up; a man who goes on living after forsaking them does not truly know desire, dharma, wealth or liberation.

Note on the text: Speaker set to the Brahmin (his words continue). Removed stray wiki marks (doubled danda and quote mark). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.146.36*1621).