Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच इमे वै मानवा लोके स्त्रीषु सज्जन्त्यभीक्ष्णशः मोहेन परमाविष्टा दैवादिष्टेन पार्थिव स्त्रियश्च पुरुषेष्वेव प्रत्यक्षं लोकसाक्षिकम्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said Overcome by the illusion of the divine Being, all men, O king in this world, are seen to attach themselves to women.
अत्र मे संशयस्तीव्रो हृदि संपरिवर्तते कथमासां नराः सङ्गं कुर्वते कुरुनन्दन स्त्रियो वा तेषु रज्यन्ते विरज्यन्तेऽथ वा पुनः
M. N. Dutt: Why, O delighter of the Kurus, do men still attach themselves to women? Who, again, are those men with whom are women highly pleased, and who are they with whom they are displeased.
इति ताः पुरुषव्याघ्र कथं शक्याः स्म रक्षितुम् प्रमदाः पुरुषेणेह तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: You should, O chief of men, explain to me how men are capable of protecting women?
एता हि मयमायाभिर्वञ्चयन्तीह मानवान् न चासां मुच्यते कश्चित्पुरुषो हस्तमागतः गावो नवतृणानीव गृह्णन्त्येव नवान्नवान्
M. N. Dutt: While men take pleasure in women and sport with them, women, it seems, are engaged in imposing upon men. Then, again, if a man once falls into their hands, it is difficult for him to escape from them. Like kine ever liking pastures new, women like new men one after another.
शम्बरस्य च या माया या माया नमुचेरपि बलेः कुम्भीनसेश्चैव सर्वास्ता योषितो विदुः
AI Translation: The women know all the magic of Śambara, and the magic of Namuci, and of Bala and Kumbhinasi.
हसन्तं प्रहसन्त्येता रुदन्तं प्ररुदन्ति च अप्रियं प्रियवाक्यैश्च गृह्णते कालयोगतः
AI Translation: When he laughs, they laugh; when he cries, they cry. They accept what is unpleasant with pleasant words, in accordance with the proper time.
Supplementary Passages:
13.39.6 After 6, S ins.: *289 यदि जिह्वासहस्रं स्याज्जीवेच्च शरदां शतम् अनन्यकर्मा स्त्रीदोषाननुक्त्वा निधनं व्रजेत्
उशना वेद यच्छास्त्रं यच्च वेद बृहस्पतिः स्त्रीबुद्ध्या न विशिष्येते ताः स्म रक्ष्याः कथं नरैः
AI Translation: Uśanā knows the scriptures and so does Bṛhaspati. They are not distinguished by their female intellect. How can they be protected by men?
अनृतं सत्यमित्याहुः सत्यं चापि तथानृतम् इति यास्ताः कथं वीर संरक्ष्याः पुरुषैरिह
AI Translation: They say that what is false is true and what is true is false. O hero, how are these women to be protected by men here?
Supplementary Passages:
13.39.8 T2.3 G M1.3 ins. after 8ab: M2 after 8: *290 दोषास्पदेऽशुचौ देशे ह्यासां रक्तास्त्वहो नराः
स्त्रीणां बुद्ध्युपनिष्कर्षादर्थशास्त्राणि शत्रुहन् बृहस्पतिप्रभृतिभिर्मन्ये सद्भिः कृतानि वै
AI Translation: O destroyer of enemies, the treatises on economics were composed by the wise, such as Brihaspati, based on the conclusions of the intellect of women.
संपूज्यमानाः पुरुषैर्विकुर्वन्ति मनो नृषु अपास्ताश्च तथा राजन्विकुर्वन्ति मनः स्त्रियः
AI Translation: Being worshipped by men, they move in the minds of men. And being rejected, they move in the minds of women.
Supplementary Passages:
13.39.10 After 10, V1 B1-3.5 Dn D8.10 ins.: *291 इमाः प्रजा महाबाहो धार्मिक्य इति नः श्रुतम् सत्कृतासत्कृताश्चापि विकुर्वन्ति मनः सदा
कस्ताः शक्तो रक्षितुं स्यादिति मे संशयो महान् तन्मे ब्रूहि महाबाहो कुरूणां वंशवर्धन
AI Translation: Who is able to protect them? This is my great doubt. Therefore, tell me, O mighty-armed one, O enhancer of the Kuru lineage,
यदि शक्या कुरुश्रेष्ठ रक्षा तासां कथंचन कर्तुं वा कृतपूर्वा वा तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: You should tell me, O chief of Kuru's race, whether women are truly capable of being governed within the limits prescribed by the scriptures or whether any one before our time did really succeeded in so controlling them.