Panchachuda Tells Narada the Nature of Women

Verse 1 (13.73.1)

स्त्रीणां स्वभावमिच्छामि श्रोतुं भरतसत्तम । स्त्रियो हि मूलं दोषाणां लघुचित्ता हि ताः स्मृताः ॥

strīṇāṃ svabhāvamicchāmi śrotuṃ bharatasattama | striyo hi mūlaṃ doṣāṇāṃ laghucittā hi tāḥ smṛtāḥ

I wish to hear the nature of women, best of the Bharatas. Women are the root of faults, and they are said to be light-minded.

Note on the text: Removed a stray question mark printed in place of the danda at the end of the verse. Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.1c (CE: laghucittāḥ pitāmaha); kept.

Verse 2 (13.73.2)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । नारदस्य च संवादं पुंश्चल्या पञ्चचूडया ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | nāradasya ca saṃvādaṃ puṃścalyā pañcacūḍayā

On this subject too they recite an ancient tale, the conversation of Narada with the courtesan Panchachuda.

Note on the text: Corrected पञ्चचूडाया → पञ्चचूडया (misprint in Wikisource; a spurious long ā, which also breaks the metre; CE pañcacūḍayā).

Verse 3 (13.73.3)

लोकाननुचरन्सर्वान्देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा । ददर्शाप्सरसं ब्राह्मीं पञ्चचूडामनिन्दिताम् ॥

lokānanucaransarvāndevarṣirnāradaḥ purā | dadarśāpsarasaṃ brāhmīṃ pañcacūḍāmaninditām

In former times the divine sage Narada, wandering through all the worlds, saw the blameless apsaras Panchachuda, a nymph of Brahma's world.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.3a (CE: lokān anucaran dhīmān); kept.

Verse 4 (13.73.4)

तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं पप्रच्छाप्सरसं मुनिः । संशयो हृदि कश्चिन्मे ब्रूहि तन्मे सुमध्यमे ॥

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā cārusarvāṅgīṃ papracchāpsarasaṃ muniḥ | saṃśayo hṛdi kaścinme brūhi tanme sumadhyame

Seeing her, perfect in every limb, the sage asked the apsaras, "I have a doubt in my heart. Resolve it for me, slender-waisted one."

Note on the text: Corrected पप्रच्चाप्सरसं → पप्रच्छाप्सरसं (misprint in Wikisource; च्च for च्छ, CE papracchāpsarasaṃ).

Verse 5 (13.73.5)

एवमुक्ताऽथ सा विप्रं प्रत्युवाचाथ नारदम् । विषये सति वक्ष्यामि समर्थां मन्यसे च माम् ॥

evamuktā'tha sā vipraṃ pratyuvācātha nāradam | viṣaye sati vakṣyāmi samarthāṃ manyase ca mām

Thus addressed, she replied to the brahmin Narada, "If the matter lies within my scope I shall tell it, if you think me capable."

Verse 6 (13.73.6)

न त्वामविषये भद्रे नियोक्ष्यामि कथञ्चन । स्त्रीणां स्वभावमिच्छामि त्वत्तः श्रोतुं वरानने ॥

na tvāmaviṣaye bhadre niyokṣyāmi kathañcana | strīṇāṃ svabhāvamicchāmi tvattaḥ śrotuṃ varānane

I shall never set you to anything outside your scope, gracious lady. Fair-faced one, I wish to hear from you the nature of women.

Verse 7 (13.73.7)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य देवर्षेरप्सरोत्तमा । प्रत्युवाच न शक्ष्यामि स्त्री सती निन्दितुं स्त्रियः ॥

etacchrutvā vacastasya devarṣerapsarottamā | pratyuvāca na śakṣyāmi strī satī nindituṃ striyaḥ

Hearing these words of the divine sage, the best of apsarases answered, "Being a woman, and a virtuous one, I cannot speak ill of women."

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: narration by Bhishma (the page's heading before verse 6 is Narada's, but this verse reports the apsaras' reply; the CE heads it Bhishma).

Verse 8 (13.73.8)

विदितास्ते स्त्रियो याश्च यादृशाश्च स्वभावतः । न मामर्हसि देवर्षे नियोक्तुं कार्य ईदृशे ॥

viditāste striyo yāśca yādṛśāśca svabhāvataḥ | na māmarhasi devarṣe niyoktuṃ kārya īdṛśe

You know, divine sage, who women are and what they are like by nature. It is not right for you to set me to such a task.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Panchachuda's own words, unheaded on the page (the page's heading is still Narada's from verse 6, and the input carried it over; the CE gives her no heading until 13.38.11, but the verse is plainly hers). Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.8c (CE: praśna īdṛśe; the page's own footnote records it); kept.

Verse 9 (13.73.9)

तामुवाच स देवर्षिः सत्यं वद सुमध्यमे । मृषावादे भवेद्दोषः सत्ये दोषो न विद्यते ॥

tāmuvāca sa devarṣiḥ satyaṃ vada sumadhyame | mṛṣāvāde bhaveddoṣaḥ satye doṣo na vidyate

The divine sage said to her, "Speak the truth, slender-waisted one. There is fault in falsehood; in truth there is no fault."

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: narration by Bhishma, reporting Narada's words (the CE heads this section Bhishma).

Verse 10 (13.73.10)

इत्युक्ता सा कृतमतिरभवच्चारुहासिनी । स्त्रीदोषाञ्शाश्वतान्सत्यान्भाषितुं सम्प्रचक्रमे ॥

ityuktā sā kṛtamatirabhavaccāruhāsinī | strīdoṣāñśāśvatānsatyānbhāṣituṃ sampracakrame

Thus told, the sweetly smiling woman made up her mind and began to speak of the true and everlasting faults of women.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: narration by Bhishma.

Verse 11 (13.73.11)

कुलीना रूपवत्यश्च नाथवत्यश्च योषितः । मर्यादासु न तिष्ठन्ति स दोषः स्त्रीषु नारद ॥

kulīnā rūpavatyaśca nāthavatyaśca yoṣitaḥ | maryādāsu na tiṣṭhanti sa doṣaḥ strīṣu nārada

Women of good family, women of beauty, and women who have protectors do not keep within bounds. That is the fault in women, Narada.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Panchachuda's speech, unheaded on the page (the page's heading is still Narada's from verse 6); the CE heads it pañcacūḍovāca. She speaks to the end of the adhyaya.

Verse 12 (13.73.12)

न स्त्रीभ्यः किञ्चिदन्यद्वै पापीयस्तरमस्ति वै । स्त्रियो हि मूलं दोषाणां तथा त्वमपि वेत्थ ह ॥

na strībhyaḥ kiñcidanyadvai pāpīyastaramasti vai | striyo hi mūlaṃ doṣāṇāṃ tathā tvamapi vettha ha

There is nothing worse than women. Women are the root of faults, as you too know.

Verse 13 (13.73.13)

समाज्ञातानृद्धिमतः प्रतिरूपान्वशे स्थितान् । पतीनन्तरमासाद्य नालं नार्यः परीक्षितुम् ॥

samājñātānṛddhimataḥ pratirūpānvaśe sthitān | patīnantaramāsādya nālaṃ nāryaḥ parīkṣitum

Though their husbands are well known, prosperous, well matched and under their sway, women, once they find an opening, are unable to weigh them rightly.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.13c (CE: nālaṃ nāryaḥ pratīkṣitum); kept.

Verse 14 (13.73.14)

असद्धर्मस्त्वयं स्त्रीणामस्माकं भवति प्रभो । पापीयसो नरान्यद्वै लज्जां त्यक्त्वा भजामहे ॥

asaddharmastvayaṃ strīṇāmasmākaṃ bhavati prabho | pāpīyaso narānyadvai lajjāṃ tyaktvā bhajāmahe

This is the unrighteous way of us women, my lord: casting off shame, we go to worse men.

Verse 15 (13.73.15)

स्त्रियं हि यः प्रार्थयते सन्निकर्षं च गच्छति । ईषच्च कुरुते सेवां तमेवेच्छन्ति योषितः ॥

striyaṃ hi yaḥ prārthayate sannikarṣaṃ ca gacchati | īṣacca kurute sevāṃ tamevecchanti yoṣitaḥ

A woman wants the man who solicits her, comes close to her, and does her even a little service.

Verse 16 (13.73.16)

अनर्थित्वान्मनुष्याणां भयात्परिजनस्य च । मर्यादायाममर्यादाः स्त्रियस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥

anarthitvānmanuṣyāṇāṃ bhayātparijanasya ca | maryādāyāmamaryādāḥ striyastiṣṭhanti bhartṛṣu

Because men do not ask, and from fear of the household, women who have no restraint stay within bounds with their husbands.

Verse 17 (13.73.17)

नासां कश्चिदगम्योस्ति नासां वयसि निश्चयः । विरूपं रूपवन्तं वा पुमानित्येव भुञ्जते ॥

nāsāṃ kaścidagamyosti nāsāṃ vayasi niścayaḥ | virūpaṃ rūpavantaṃ vā pumānityeva bhuñjate

For them no man is unapproachable, and they have no fixed rule about age. Ugly or handsome, they enjoy him, thinking only, "a man."

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 13.38.17a only in the last word (CE: vayasi saṃsthitiḥ, Wikisource वयसि निश्चयः); kept.

Verse 18 (13.73.18)

न भयान्नाप्यनुक्रोशान्नार्थहेतोः कथञ्चन । न ज्ञातिकुलसम्बन्धात्स्त्रियस्तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥

na bhayānnāpyanukrośānnārthahetoḥ kathañcana | na jñātikulasambandhātstriyastiṣṭhanti bhartṛṣu

Not from fear, nor from compassion, nor for wealth, nor through ties of kin and family do women stay with their husbands.

Verse 19 (13.73.19)

यौवने वर्तमानानां मृष्टाभरणवाससाम् । नारीणां खैरवृत्तीनां स्पृहयन्ति कुलस्त्रियः ॥

yauvane vartamānānāṃ mṛṣṭābharaṇavāsasām | nārīṇāṃ khairavṛttīnāṃ spṛhayanti kulastriyaḥ

Women of good family long for those wanton women who, in their youth, wear bright ornaments and garments.

Verse 20 (13.73.20)

याश्च शश्वद्बहुमता रक्ष्यन्ते दयिताः स्त्रियः । अपि ताः सम्प्रसज्जन्ते कुब्जान्धजडवामनैः ॥

yāśca śaśvadbahumatā rakṣyante dayitāḥ striyaḥ | api tāḥ samprasajjante kubjāndhajaḍavāmanaiḥ

Even women who are always honoured, beloved and guarded cling to hunchbacks, the blind, idiots and dwarfs.

Verse 21 (13.73.21)

पङ्गुष्वथ च देवर्षे ये चान्ये कुत्सिता नराः । स्त्रीणामगम्यो लोकेऽस्मिन्नास्ति कश्चिन्महामुने ॥

paṅguṣvatha ca devarṣe ye cānye kutsitā narāḥ | strīṇāmagamyo loke'sminnāsti kaścinmahāmune

And to the lame, divine sage, and to any other despised men. There is no man in this world, great sage, who is beyond the reach of women.

Verse 22 (13.73.22)

यदि पुंसां गतिर्ब्रह्मन्कथंचिन्नोपपद्यते । अप्यन्योन्यं प्रवर्तन्ते न हि तिष्ठन्ति भर्तृषु ॥

yadi puṃsāṃ gatirbrahmankathaṃcinnopapadyate | apyanyonyaṃ pravartante na hi tiṣṭhanti bhartṛṣu

If, brahmin, no access to men can somehow be had, they turn even to one another; but they do not stay with their husbands.

Verse 23 (13.73.23)

दुष्टाचाराः पापरता असत्या मायया वृताः । अदृष्टबुद्धिबहुलाः प्रायेणेत्यवगम्यताम् ॥

duṣṭācārāḥ pāparatā asatyā māyayā vṛtāḥ | adṛṣṭabuddhibahulāḥ prāyeṇetyavagamyatām

They are ill-conducted, given to sin, false, wrapped in deceit, and for the most part of hidden designs: so it should be understood.

Note on the text: Removed the stray opening backtick by which Wikisource marks this as an addition (the page has no closing quote). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE star passage 13.38.22d*0286_01-02 (duṣṭācārāḥ pāparatā asatyā māyayā vṛtāḥ / adṛṣṭabuddhibahulāḥ prāyeṇety avagamyatām).

Verse 24 (13.73.24)

अलाभात्पुरुषाणां हि भयात्परिजनस्य च । वधबन्धभयाच्चापि स्वयं गुप्ता भवन्ति ताः ॥

alābhātpuruṣāṇāṃ hi bhayātparijanasya ca | vadhabandhabhayāccāpi svayaṃ guptā bhavanti tāḥ

It is from lack of men, from fear of the household, and from fear of death or imprisonment that they keep themselves guarded.

Note on the text: The CE adds a star line 13.38.24b*0287_01 after 13.38.24a; it is not on the page and is not added.

Verse 25 (13.73.25)

चलस्वभावा दुःसेव्या दुर्ग्राह्या भावतस्तथा । प्राज्ञस्य पुरुषस्येह यथाभावास्तथा स्त्रियः ॥

calasvabhāvā duḥsevyā durgrāhyā bhāvatastathā | prājñasya puruṣasyeha yathābhāvāstathā striyaḥ

Their nature is unsteady; they are hard to serve and hard to grasp in their feelings. To a discerning man here, women are just as their dispositions are.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.24c (CE: prājñasya puruṣasyeha yathā vācas tathā striyaḥ); kept.

Verse 26 (13.73.26)

नाग्निस्तृप्यति काष्ठानां नापगानां महोदधिः । नान्तकः सर्वभूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचनाः ॥

nāgnistṛpyati kāṣṭhānāṃ nāpagānāṃ mahodadhiḥ | nāntakaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ na puṃsāṃ vāmalocanāḥ

Fire is never sated with fuel, the ocean never with rivers, Death never with all creatures, nor fair-eyed women with men.

Verse 27 (13.73.27)

इदमन्यच्च देवर्षे रहस्यं सर्वयोषिताम् । दृष्ट्वैव पुरुषं ह्यन्यं योनिः प्रक्लिद्यते स्त्रियाः ॥

idamanyacca devarṣe rahasyaṃ sarvayoṣitām | dṛṣṭvaiva puruṣaṃ hyanyaṃ yoniḥ praklidyate striyāḥ

Here is another secret of all women, divine sage: at the very sight of another man a woman's loins grow moist.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.26c (CE: dṛṣṭvaiva puruṣaṃ hṛdyaṃ yoniḥ praklidyate striyaḥ); kept. The CE adds a two-line star passage 13.38.26d*0288_01-02 that is not on the page and is not added.

Verse 28 (13.73.28)

कामानामपि दातारं कर्तारं मानसान्त्वयोः । रक्षितारं न मृष्यन्ति स्वभर्तारमसत्स्त्रियः ॥

kāmānāmapi dātāraṃ kartāraṃ mānasāntvayoḥ | rakṣitāraṃ na mṛṣyanti svabhartāramasatstriyaḥ

Unchaste women cannot bear their own husband, even one who gives them every pleasure, who brings them comfort of mind and consolation, and who protects them.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.38.27. Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.38.27c (CE: rakṣitāraṃ na mṛṣyanti bhartāraṃ paramaṃ striyaḥ); kept.

Verse 29 (13.73.29)

न कामभोगान्विपुलान्नालङ्कारार्थसञ्चयान् । तथैव बहुमन्वन्ते यथा रत्यामनुग्रहम् ॥

na kāmabhogānvipulānnālaṅkārārthasañcayān | tathaiva bahumanvante yathā ratyāmanugraham

They do not value great enjoyments, or heaps of ornaments and wealth, as highly as they value favour in love.

Verse 30 (13.73.30)

अन्तकः शमनो मृत्युः पातालं बडबामुखम् । क्षुरधारा विषं सर्पो वह्निरित्येकतः स्त्रियः ॥

antakaḥ śamano mṛtyuḥ pātālaṃ baḍabāmukham | kṣuradhārā viṣaṃ sarpo vahnirityekataḥ striyaḥ

Antaka, Shamana and Death; the nether world and the Mare's-Mouth fire; the razor's edge, poison, the serpent and fire: all these are united in women.

Verse 31 (13.73.31)

यतश्च भूतानि महान्ति पञ्च यतश्च लोका विहिता विधात्रा । यतः पुमांसः प्रमदाश्च निर्मितास्ततश्च दोषाः प्रमदासु नारद ॥

yataśca bhūtāni mahānti pañca yataśca lokā vihitā vidhātrā | yataḥ pumāṃsaḥ pramadāśca nirmitāstataśca doṣāḥ pramadāsu nārada

From the source whence come the five great elements, whence the worlds were ordered by the Creator, whence men and women were made: from that very source, Narada, come the faults found in women.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this as four lines (13-73-31a to 31d), with the word निर्मितास्ततश्च broken after निर्मिता-; rejoined into the two long lines of the CE verse (13.38.30a, 30c) and the broken sandhi closed.