Draupadi's Counsel to Satyabhama

Verse 1 (3.235.1)

इमं तु ते मार्गमपेतदोषं । वक्ष्यामि चित्तग्रहणाय भर्तुः । अस्मिन्यथावत्सखि वर्तमाना । भर्तारमाच्छेत्स्यसि कामिनीभ्यः ॥

imaṃ tu te mārgamapetadoṣaṃ | vakṣyāmi cittagrahaṇāya bhartuḥ | asminyathāvatsakhi vartamānā | bhartāramācchetsyasi kāminībhyaḥ

"I will tell you this faultless way to win your husband's heart. If you follow it rightly, friend, you will draw your husband away from rival women.

Verse 2 (3.235.2)

नैतादृशं दैवतमस्ति किंचि- । त्सर्वेषुलोकेषु सदेवकेषु । यथा पतिस्तस्य तु सर्वकामा । लभ्याः प्रसादे कुपितश्च हन्यात् ॥

naitādṛśaṃ daivatamasti kiṃci- | tsarveṣulokeṣu sadevakeṣu | yathā patistasya tu sarvakāmā | labhyāḥ prasāde kupitaśca hanyāt

In all the worlds, with all their gods, there is no deity like the husband. When he is pleased, every wish can be gained from him; when he is angry, he may destroy.

Note on the text: Corrected कुपितश् → कुपितश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads kupitaś ca).

Verse 3 (3.235.3)

तस्मादपत्यं विविधाश्च भोगाः । शय्यासनान्यद्भुतदर्शनानि । वस्त्राणि माल्यानि तथैव गन्धाः । स्वर्गश्चलोको विपुला च कीर्तिः ॥

tasmādapatyaṃ vividhāśca bhogāḥ | śayyāsanānyadbhutadarśanāni | vastrāṇi mālyāni tathaiva gandhāḥ | svargaścaloko vipulā ca kīrtiḥ

From him come children and pleasures of every kind, beds, seats and wondrous sights, clothes, garlands and perfumes, the world of heaven and wide renown.

Note on the text: Corrected विविधाश् → विविधाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads vividhāś ca).

Verse 4 (3.235.4)

सुखं सुखेनेह न जातु लभ्यं । दुःखेन साध्वी लभते सुखानि । सा कृष्णमाराधय सौहृदेन । प्रेम्णा च नित्यं प्रतिकर्मणा च ॥

sukhaṃ sukheneha na jātu labhyaṃ | duḥkhena sādhvī labhate sukhāni | sā kṛṣṇamārādhaya sauhṛdena | premṇā ca nityaṃ pratikarmaṇā ca

Happiness is never won here through ease; a good woman wins happiness through hardship. So worship Krishna with friendship and love, and always with your own service.

Note on the text: Corrected सुखनेह → सुखेनेह (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads sukheneha).

Verse 5 (3.235.5)

स्नानासनैश्चारुभिरग्रमाल्यै- । र्दाक्षिण्ययोगैर्विविधैश्च गन्धैः । अस्याः प्रियोस्मीति यथा विदित्वा । त्वामेव संश्लिष्यति सर्वभावैः ॥

snānāsanaiścārubhiragramālyai- | rdākṣiṇyayogairvividhaiśca gandhaiḥ | asyāḥ priyosmīti yathā viditvā | tvāmeva saṃśliṣyati sarvabhāvaiḥ

Serve him with baths and seats, lovely choice garlands, every courtesy and many fragrances, so that, knowing "I am dear to her", he clings to you alone with all his heart.

Verse 6 (3.235.6)

श्रुत्वा स्वरं द्वारगतस्य भर्तुः । प्रत्युत्थिता तिष्ठ गृहस्य मध्ये । दृष्ट्वा प्रविष्टं त्वरिताऽसनेन । पाद्येन चैनं प्रतिपूजयस्व ॥

śrutvā svaraṃ dvāragatasya bhartuḥ | pratyutthitā tiṣṭha gṛhasya madhye | dṛṣṭvā praviṣṭaṃ tvaritā'sanena | pādyena cainaṃ pratipūjayasva

When you hear your husband's voice at the door, rise and stand ready in the middle of the house; when you see him come in, honour him at once with a seat and water for his feet.

Note on the text: Corrected द्वारगतस् → द्वारगतस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads dvāragatasya).

Verse 7 (3.235.7)

संप्रेषितायामथ चैव दास्या- । मुत्थाय सर्वं स्वयमेव कार्यम् । जानातु कृष्णस्तव भावमेतं । सर्वात्मना मां भजतीति सत्ये ॥

saṃpreṣitāyāmatha caiva dāsyā- | mutthāya sarvaṃ svayameva kāryam | jānātu kṛṣṇastava bhāvametaṃ | sarvātmanā māṃ bhajatīti satye

Even when he has sent a maid on an errand, rise and do it all yourself, so that Krishna may know this feeling of yours, Satya: "She is devoted to me with her whole being."

Verse 8 (3.235.8)

त्वत्संनिधौ यत्कथयेत्पतिस्ते । यद्यप्यगुह्यं परिरक्षितव्यम् । काचित्सपत्नी तव वासुदेवं । प्रत्यादिशेत्तेन भवेद्विरागः ॥

tvatsaṃnidhau yatkathayetpatiste | yadyapyaguhyaṃ parirakṣitavyam | kācitsapatnī tava vāsudevaṃ | pratyādiśettena bhavedvirāgaḥ

Whatever your husband says in your presence, even if it is no secret, you must keep to yourself; for some co-wife might repeat it to Vasudeva, and that would turn him against you.

Verse 9 (3.235.9)

प्रियांश्च रम्यांश्च हितांश्च भर्तु- । स्तान्भोजयेथा विविधैरुपायैः । द्वेष्यैरुपेक्ष्यैरहितैश्च तस्य । भिद्यस्व नित्यं कुहकोद्धतैश्च ॥

priyāṃśca ramyāṃśca hitāṃśca bhartu- | stānbhojayethā vividhairupāyaiḥ | dveṣyairupekṣyairahitaiśca tasya | bhidyasva nityaṃ kuhakoddhataiśca

Those whom your husband holds dear, who please him and wish him well, you should feed by every means; but from those who are hateful to him, unworthy of notice, ill-wishers and full of deceit, always keep apart.

Note on the text: Corrected हितांश् → हितांश्च and रहितैश् → रहितैश्च (misprints in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads ca), रविविधैः → विविधैः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र that breaks the metre; the critical edition reads vividhair) and भिद्स्वनित्यं → भिद्यस्व नित्यं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, words run together; the critical edition reads bhidyasva nityaṃ).

Verse 10 (3.235.10)

मदं प्रमादं पुरुषेषु हित्वा । संयच्छ मानं प्रतिगृह्य वाचम् । प्रद्युम्नसाम्बावपि ते कुमारौ । नोपासितव्यौ रहिते कदाचित् ॥

madaṃ pramādaṃ puruṣeṣu hitvā | saṃyaccha mānaṃ pratigṛhya vācam | pradyumnasāmbāvapi te kumārau | nopāsitavyau rahite kadācit

Put aside wildness and carelessness in the company of men; curb your pride and guard your speech. Never sit alone with the young princes, not even Pradyumna and Samba.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतिगृह् → प्रतिगृह्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads pratigṛhya).

Verse 11 (3.235.11)

महाकुलीनाभिरपापिकाभिः । स्त्रीभिः सतीभिस्तव सख्यमस्तु । चण्डाश्च शौण्डाश्च महाशनाश्च । चोराश्च दुष्टाश्चपलाश्च वर्ज्याः ॥

mahākulīnābhirapāpikābhiḥ | strībhiḥ satībhistava sakhyamastu | caṇḍāśca śauṇḍāśca mahāśanāśca | corāśca duṣṭāścapalāśca varjyāḥ

Make friends with women of high family, free of sin and chaste. Women who are fierce, overbearing, gluttonous, thievish, wicked or fickle are to be avoided.

Note on the text: Corrected चण्डाश् → चण्डाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads caṇḍāś ca).

Verse 12 (3.235.12)

एतद्यशस्यं भगवेतनं च । स्वार्थं तदा शत्रुनिबर्हणं च । महार्हमाल्याभरणाङ्गरागा । भर्तारमाराधय पुण्यगन्धैः ॥

etadyaśasyaṃ bhagavetanaṃ ca | svārthaṃ tadā śatrunibarhaṇaṃ ca | mahārhamālyābharaṇāṅgarāgā | bhartāramārādhaya puṇyagandhaiḥ

This brings renown and good fortune, serves your own good and destroys your enemies as well. Adorned with costly garlands, ornaments and unguents, worship your husband with sacred fragrances."