Devasharma Praises Vipula; Bhishma on Guarding Women

Verse 1 (13.78.1)

तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य शिष्यं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् । देवशर्मा महातेजा यत्तच्छृणु जनाधिप ॥

tamāgatamabhiprekṣya śiṣyaṃ vākyamathābravīt | devaśarmā mahātejā yattacchṛṇu janādhipa

Seeing his disciple return, the greatly radiant Devasharma spoke to him. Hear, O ruler of men, what he said.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma (the page's heading 'भीष्म उवाच' stands at the top; CE 13.43.1 likewise).

Verse 2 (13.78.2)

किं त्वया मिथुनं दृष्टं तस्मिञ्शिष्य महावने । ते त्वां जानन्ति निपुणा आत्मा च रुचिरेव च ॥

kiṃ tvayā mithunaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ tasmiñśiṣya mahāvane | te tvāṃ jānanti nipuṇā ātmā ca rucireva ca

Disciple, did you see a pair in that great forest? They are keen observers, and they know you, as do your own conscience and Ruchi herself.

Note on the text: Aligned by hand to CE 13.43.2 (first line varies: CE 'kiṃ te vipula dṛṣṭaṃ vai tasminn adya mahāvane'; the page reads 'किं त्वया मिथुनं दृष्टं तस्मिञ्शिष्य महावने', a recension variant, kept).

Verse 3 (13.78.3)

ब्रह्मर्षे मिथुनं किन्तत्के च षट्पुरुषा विभो । ये मां जानन्ति तत्त्वेन यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

brahmarṣe mithunaṃ kintatke ca ṣaṭpuruṣā vibho | ye māṃ jānanti tattvena yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

O Brahmarshi, what is this pair, and who are the six men, O lord, who know me as I truly am, of whom you ask me?

Note on the text: Second line is a recension variant of CE 13.43.3c ('tāṃś ca me vaktum arhasi'); kept.

Verse 4 (13.78.4)

यद्वै तन्मिथुनं ब्रह्मन्नहोरात्रं हि विद्धि तत् । चक्रवत्परिवर्तेत तत्ते जानाति दुष्कृतम् ॥

yadvai tanmithunaṃ brahmannahorātraṃ hi viddhi tat | cakravatparivarteta tatte jānāti duṣkṛtam

That pair, O brahmin, know to be day and night; it turns round like a wheel, and it knows your wrongdoing.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मिन्नहोरात्रं → ब्रह्मन्नहोरात्रं (misprint in Wikisource; 'ब्रह्मिन्' is not a form of the vocative; CE 'brahmann ahorātraṃ').

Verse 5 (13.78.5)

ये च ते पुरुषा विप्र अक्षैर्दीव्यन्ति हृष्टवत् । ऋतूंस्तानभिजानीहि ते ते जानन्ति दुष्कृतम् ॥

ye ca te puruṣā vipra akṣairdīvyanti hṛṣṭavat | ṛtūṃstānabhijānīhi te te jānanti duṣkṛtam

And those men, O brahmin, who play at dice as if in glee, know them to be the seasons; they too know your wrongdoing.

Verse 6 (13.78.6)

न मां कश्चिद्विजानीत इति कृत्वा न विश्वसेत् । नरो रहसि पापात्मा पापकं कर्म वै द्विज ॥

na māṃ kaścidvijānīta iti kṛtvā na viśvaset | naro rahasi pāpātmā pāpakaṃ karma vai dvija

A man of sinful mind who does a wicked deed in secret should not feel secure, thinking, "No one knows me," O brahmin.

Verse 7 (13.78.7)

कुर्वाणं हि नरं कर्म पापं रहसि सर्वदा । पश्यन्ति ऋतवश्चापि तथा दिननिशेऽप्युत ॥

kurvāṇaṃ hi naraṃ karma pāpaṃ rahasi sarvadā | paśyanti ṛtavaścāpi tathā dinaniśe'pyuta

For the seasons, and likewise day and night, always watch a man who does a sinful deed in secret.

Verse 8 (13.78.8)

तथैव हि भवेयुस्ते लोकाः पापकृतो यथा । कृत्वाऽनाचक्षतः कर्म मम तच्च यथा कृतम् ॥

tathaiva hi bhaveyuste lokāḥ pāpakṛto yathā | kṛtvā'nācakṣataḥ karma mama tacca yathā kṛtam

Indeed the worlds of evildoers would be his as well, who, having done a deed, does not declare it, as with that deed of mine, just as it was done.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13,043.007d*0299_01-02. (The input aligned it to CE 13.43.11, a near-repeat of the same lines; this pair is the star passage, whose second line reads 'mama tac ca tvayā kṛtam' where the page has 'मम तच्च यथा कृतम्'; the page's reading is valid and kept.)

Verse 9 (13.78.9)

ते त्वां हर्षस्मितं दृष्ट्वा गुरोः कर्मानिवेदकम् । स्मारयन्तस्तथा प्राहुस्ते यथा श्रुतवान्भवान् ॥

te tvāṃ harṣasmitaṃ dṛṣṭvā guroḥ karmānivedakam | smārayantastathā prāhuste yathā śrutavānbhavān

Seeing you smile with pleasure while not reporting your deed to your teacher, they reminded you and spoke to you as you have heard.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रउतवान् → श्रुतवान् (misprint in Wikisource; stray letter in the conjunct; CE 'śrutavān'). Aligned by hand to CE 13.43.8.

Verse 10 (13.78.10)

अहोरात्रं विजानाति ऋतवश्चापि नित्यशः । पुरुषे पापकं कर्म शुभं वाऽशुभकर्मिणः ॥

ahorātraṃ vijānāti ṛtavaścāpi nityaśaḥ | puruṣe pāpakaṃ karma śubhaṃ vā'śubhakarmiṇaḥ

Day and night, and the seasons too, always know a man's sinful deed, and the good deed as well, and the doings of one who does evil.

Note on the text: Second line is a recension variant of CE 13.43.9c ('śubhaṃ vā śubhakarmaṇaḥ'); kept.

Verse 11 (13.78.11)

तत्त्वया मम यत्कर्म व्यभिचाराद्भयात्मकम् । नाख्यातमिति जानन्तस्ते त्वामाहुस्तथा द्विज ॥

tattvayā mama yatkarma vyabhicārādbhayātmakam | nākhyātamiti jānantaste tvāmāhustathā dvija

That deed of mine, which you did and which was fearful because of the transgression, you did not report; knowing this, they spoke to you so, O brahmin.

Verse 12 (13.78.12)

तेनैव हि भवेयुस्ते लोकाः पापकृतो यथा । कृत्वा नाचक्षतः कर्म मम यच्च त्वया कृतम् ॥

tenaiva hi bhaveyuste lokāḥ pāpakṛto yathā | kṛtvā nācakṣataḥ karma mama yacca tvayā kṛtam

For that very reason those worlds would be his, as they are for evildoers: for one who, having done a deed, does not declare it, the deed concerning me that you did.

Verse 13 (13.78.13)

तथाऽशक्याश्च दुर्वृत्ता रक्षितुं प्रमदा द्विज । न च त्वं कृतवान्किंचिदागः प्रीतोस्मि तेन ते ॥

tathā'śakyāśca durvṛttā rakṣituṃ pramadā dvija | na ca tvaṃ kṛtavānkiṃcidāgaḥ prītosmi tena te

And since wicked-minded women cannot be guarded, O brahmin, and you have committed no fault at all, I am pleased with you for it.

Note on the text: First line varies from CE 13.43.12a ('tathā śakyā ca durvṛttā …'); the page's 'तथाऽशक्याश्च' is a valid variant, kept.

Verse 14 (13.78.14)

मनोदोषविहीनानां न दोषः स्यात्तथा तव । अन्यथाऽऽलिङ्ग्यते कान्ता स्नेहेन दुहिताऽन्यथा ॥

manodoṣavihīnānāṃ na doṣaḥ syāttathā tava | anyathā''liṅgyate kāntā snehena duhitā'nyathā

There is no fault for those free of fault of mind, and so there is none for you. A beloved wife is embraced in one way, in love, and a daughter in another.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick (wiki mark) before मनोदोष-. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13,043.012d*0301_01-02. Verses 14-17 are the eight lines of CE star passage *0301_01-08, two lines each.

Verse 15 (13.78.15)

यतेश्च कामुकानां च योषिद्रूपेऽन्यथा मतिः । अशिक्षयैव मनसः प्रायो लोकस्तु वञ्च्यते ॥

yateśca kāmukānāṃ ca yoṣidrūpe'nyathā matiḥ | aśikṣayaiva manasaḥ prāyo lokastu vañcyate

In a woman's form, the ascetic's mind and the lover's mind differ; for want of training of the mind, people are for the most part deceived.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13,043.012d*0301_03-04.

Verse 16 (13.78.16)

लालेत्युद्विजते लोको वक्त्रासव इति स्पृहा । अबन्धायोग्यमनसामिति मन्त्रात्मदैवकम् ॥

lāletyudvijate loko vaktrāsava iti spṛhā | abandhāyogyamanasāmiti mantrātmadaivakam

People shrink back, saying, "It is only saliva"; longing calls it "the wine of the mouth." So it is for minds unfit for bondage: the matter rests with the mantra and the deity.

Note on the text: Corrected स्पहा → स्पृहा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel-ṛ; CE 'spṛhā'). The page reads 'लाला' where CE star *0301_05 reads 'lolā' ('lolety udvijate'), and 'मन्त्रात्मदैवकम्' for 'mantrātmadaivatam'; both are valid variants, kept. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13,043.012d*0301_05-06.

Verse 17 (13.78.17)

न रागस्नेहलोभान्धं कर्मिणां तन्महाफलम् । निष्कषायो विशुद्धस्त्वं रुच्यावेशान्न दूषितः ॥

na rāgasnehalobhāndhaṃ karmiṇāṃ tanmahāphalam | niṣkaṣāyo viśuddhastvaṃ rucyāveśānna dūṣitaḥ

What is blind with passion, affection and greed is not the great fruit of those who act rightly. You are free of stain and wholly pure, and were not defiled by your entry into Ruchi.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's numbered text: star passage 13,043.012d*0301_07-08.

Verse 18 (13.78.18)

यदि त्वहं त्वां दुर्वृत्तमद्राक्षं द्विजसत्तम । शपेयं त्वामहं क्रोधान्न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा ॥

yadi tvahaṃ tvāṃ durvṛttamadrākṣaṃ dvijasattama | śapeyaṃ tvāmahaṃ krodhānna me'trāsti vicāraṇā

If I had seen you act wickedly, best of brahmins, I would have cursed you in anger; there is no doubt of this.

Verse 19 (13.78.19)

सञ्जन्ति पुरुषे नार्यः पुंसां सोऽर्थश्च पुष्कलः । अन्यथा रक्षतः शापोऽभविष्यत्ते मतिश्च मे ॥

sañjanti puruṣe nāryaḥ puṃsāṃ so'rthaśca puṣkalaḥ | anyathā rakṣataḥ śāpo'bhaviṣyatte matiśca me

Women cling to a man, and that is a man's ample gain. Had you guarded her otherwise, a curse would have fallen on you, and such would have been my resolve.

Note on the text: Second line varies from CE 13.43.14c ('anyathā rakṣataḥ śāpo 'bhaviṣyat te gatiś ca sā'); the page's 'मतिश्च मे' is a valid variant, kept.

Verse 20 (13.78.20)

रक्षिता च त्वया पुत्र मम चापि निवेदिता । अहं ते प्रीतिमांस्तात स्वस्थः स्वर्गं गमिष्यसि ॥

rakṣitā ca tvayā putra mama cāpi niveditā | ahaṃ te prītimāṃstāta svasthaḥ svargaṃ gamiṣyasi

You guarded her, my son, and handed her back to me. I am pleased with you, dear one; you will go to heaven at ease.

Note on the text: Second line varies from CE 13.43.15c ('svasti svargaṃ gamiṣyasi'); the page's 'स्वस्थः' is a valid variant, kept.

Verse 21 (13.78.21)

इत्युक्त्वा विपुलं प्रीतो देवशर्मा महानृषिः । मुमोद स्वर्गमास्थाय सहभार्यः सशिष्यकः ॥

ityuktvā vipulaṃ prīto devaśarmā mahānṛṣiḥ | mumoda svargamāsthāya sahabhāryaḥ saśiṣyakaḥ

Having spoken thus to Vipula, the great sage Devasharma, well pleased, went to heaven and rejoiced there with his wife and his disciple.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma. The page prints no heading here, so the input carried Devasharma over; the narration is Bhishma's, as the critical edition heads it ('bhīṣma uvāca', 13.43.16).

Verse 22 (13.78.22)

इदमाख्यातवांश्चापि ममाख्यानं महामुनिः । मार्कण्डेयः पुरा राजन्गङ्गाकूले कथान्तरे ॥

idamākhyātavāṃścāpi mamākhyānaṃ mahāmuniḥ | mārkaṇḍeyaḥ purā rājangaṅgākūle kathāntare

The great sage Markandeya told me this story long ago, O king, on the bank of the Ganga, in the course of a conversation.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma (continuation; the input carried Devasharma over).

Verse 23 (13.78.23)

तस्माद्ब्रवीमि पार्थ त्वां स्त्रियो रक्ष्याः सदैव च । उभयं दृश्यते तासु सततं साध्वसाधु च ॥

tasmādbravīmi pārtha tvāṃ striyo rakṣyāḥ sadaiva ca | ubhayaṃ dṛśyate tāsu satataṃ sādhvasādhu ca

Therefore I tell you, Partha, that women must always be guarded. Both are ever seen in them: the good and the bad.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma. Aligned by hand to CE 13.43.18 (CE 'tvā striyaḥ sarvāḥ sadaiva ca'; the page's 'त्वां स्त्रियो रक्ष्याः सदैव च' is a variant, kept).

Verse 24 (13.78.24)

स्त्रियः साध्व्यो महाभागाः सम्मता लोकमातरः । धारयन्ति महीं राजन्निमां सवनकाननाम् ॥

striyaḥ sādhvyo mahābhāgāḥ sammatā lokamātaraḥ | dhārayanti mahīṃ rājannimāṃ savanakānanām

Virtuous women, greatly fortunate, honoured as mothers of the worlds, support this earth with its forests and groves, O king.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma.

Verse 25 (13.78.25)

असाध्व्यश्चापि दुर्वृत्ताः कुलघ्नाः पापनिश्चयाः । विज्ञेया लक्षणैर्दुष्टैः स्वगात्रसहजैर्नृप ॥

asādhvyaścāpi durvṛttāḥ kulaghnāḥ pāpaniścayāḥ | vijñeyā lakṣaṇairduṣṭaiḥ svagātrasahajairnṛpa

But women who are unvirtuous, of bad conduct, destroyers of the family and set on wickedness, are to be known, O king, by the evil marks born with their bodies.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma.

Verse 26 (13.78.26)

एवमेतासु रक्षा वै शक्या कर्तुं महात्मभिः । अन्यथा राजशार्दूल न शक्या रक्षितुं स्त्रियः ॥

evametāsu rakṣā vai śakyā kartuṃ mahātmabhiḥ | anyathā rājaśārdūla na śakyā rakṣituṃ striyaḥ

In this way, great-souled men can guard them; otherwise, tiger among kings, women cannot be guarded.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma.

Verse 27 (13.78.27)

एता हि मनुजव्याघ्र तीक्ष्णास्तीक्ष्णपराक्रमाः । नासामस्ति प्रियो नाम मैथुने सङ्गमेति यः ॥

etā hi manujavyāghra tīkṣṇāstīkṣṇaparākramāḥ | nāsāmasti priyo nāma maithune saṅgameti yaḥ

They are sharp, tiger among men, and sharp in their prowess; for them no one is truly dear, whoever comes to union with them.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma. Second line varies from CE 13.43.22c ('nāsām asti priyo nāma maithune saṃgame nṛbhiḥ'); the page's 'सङ्गमेति यः' is a variant, kept.

Verse 28 (13.78.28)

एताः कृत्याश्च कष्टाश्च कृतघ्ना भरतर्षभ । न चैकस्मिन्नमन्त्येताः पुरुषे पाण्डुनन्दन ॥

etāḥ kṛtyāśca kaṣṭāśca kṛtaghnā bharatarṣabha | na caikasminnamantyetāḥ puruṣe pāṇḍunandana

They are like spirits of sorcery, hard to bear and ungrateful, bull of the Bharatas; and they do not bend to a single man, son of Pandu.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma. Aligned by hand to CE 13.43.23 (CE 'kṛtyāś ca kāryāś ca kṛtāś ca … na caikasmin ramanty etāḥ'; the page's 'कृत्याश्च कष्टाश्च कृतघ्ना … नमन्त्येताः' is a valid variant, kept).

Verse 29 (13.78.29)

नासु स्नेहो नरैः कार्यस्तथैवेर्ष्या जनेश्वर । खेदमास्थाय भुञ्जीत धर्ममास्थाय चैव ह । अनृताविह पर्वादिदोषवर्जं नराधिप ॥

nāsu sneho naraiḥ kāryastathaiverṣyā janeśvara | khedamāsthāya bhuñjīta dharmamāsthāya caiva ha | anṛtāviha parvādidoṣavarjaṃ narādhipa

Men should show them no excessive fondness, nor jealousy, lord of men. One should enjoy them reluctantly and in keeping with dharma, and not out of season, here, avoiding the faults of the parva days and the like, O ruler of men.

Note on the text: Removed the wiki marks (a backtick before अनृताविह and the closing quote mark and doubled danda printed with the third line). The page prints a three-line verse (13-78-29a,b,c): lines 1-2 are CE 13.43.24a,c; line 3 is CE star passage 13,043.024d*0302_01 ('anṛtāv iha parvādidoṣavarjaṃ narādhipa'), which is not in the numbered text.

Verse 30 (13.78.30)

विहन्येतान्यथा कुर्वन्नरः कौरवनन्दन । सर्वथा राजशार्दूल युक्तः सर्वत्र युज्यते ॥

vihanyetānyathā kurvannaraḥ kauravanandana | sarvathā rājaśārdūla yuktaḥ sarvatra yujyate

A man who acts otherwise comes to ruin, delight of the Kurus. In every way, tiger among kings, a disciplined man prospers everywhere.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma. Second line varies from CE 13.43.25c ('yuktiḥ sarvatra pūjyate'); the page's 'युक्तः सर्वत्र युज्यते' is a valid variant, kept.

Verse 31 (13.78.31)

तेनैकेन तु रक्षा वै विपुलेन कृता स्त्रियाः । नान्यः शक्तस्त्रिलोकेऽस्मिन्रक्षितुं नृप योषितः ॥

tenaikena tu rakṣā vai vipulena kṛtā striyāḥ | nānyaḥ śaktastriloke'sminrakṣituṃ nṛpa yoṣitaḥ

By that means Vipula alone guarded a woman; no other man in the three worlds, O king, is able to guard women.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma. The critical edition's last line reads 'nānyaḥ śakto nṛloke 'smin' (in this world of men); the page reads 'त्रिलोकेऽस्मिन्', a variant, kept.