Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच सत्स्त्रीणां समुदाचारं सर्वधर्मभृतां वर श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं त्वत्तस्तं मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O you who know all duties, I wish to hcar in full, what forms the excellent conduct of good and chaste women. Do you, O grandfather, describe this to me.!
भीष्म उवाच सर्वज्ञां सर्वधर्मज्ञां देवलोके मनस्विनीम् कैकेयी सुमना नाम शाण्डिलीं पर्यपृच्छत
AI Translation: Bhishma said: The wise one, who knew everything and all the duties, in the world of the gods, Sumana, the daughter of Kaikeyi, asked Shaandilya.
केन वृत्तेन कल्याणि समाचारेण केन वा विधूय सर्वपापानि देवलोकं त्वमागता
AI Translation: By what conduct, O fortunate one, by what good conduct, having cast off all sins, have you come to the world of the gods?
हुताशनशिखेव त्वं ज्वलमाना स्वतेजसा सुता ताराधिपस्येव प्रभया दिवमागता
AI Translation: You are like the flame of the fire, blazing with your own brilliance, Like a daughter of the moon, come to heaven with your radiance.
अरजांसि च वस्त्राणि धारयन्ती गतक्लमा विमानस्था शुभे भासि सहस्रगुणमोजसा
M. N. Dutt: You put on dresses of pure white, and as quite cheerful and at your case. Scated on that celestial car, you shine, O auspicious dame, with energy multiplied a thousand fold.
न त्वमल्पेन तपसा दानेन नियमेन वा इमं लोकमनुप्राप्ता तस्मात्तत्त्वं वदस्व मे
M. N. Dutt: You have not, I understand, attained to this region of happiness by great penances and gifts and vows. Do you tell me the truth!
इति पृष्टा सुमनया मधुरं चारुहासिनी शाण्डिली निभृतं वाक्यं सुमनामिदमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Thus asked by Sumana, the sweet-smiling one, Śāṇḍilī spoke these words to Sumana in a low voice:
नाहं काषायवसना नापि वल्कलधारिणी न च मुण्डा न जटिला भूत्वा देवत्वमागता
AI Translation: I am not one who wears saffron robes, nor one who wears bark garments, Nor one who is shaven-headed or matted-haired, having come to be a god.
अहितानि च वाक्यानि सर्वाणि परुषाणि च अप्रमत्ता च भर्तारं कदाचिन्नाहमब्रुवम्
AI Translation: All harsh words, all unpleasant words, I never spoke to my husband, who was ever attentive.
देवतानां पितॄणां च ब्राह्मणानां च पूजने अप्रमत्ता सदायुक्ता श्वश्रूश्वशुरवर्तिनी
M. N. Dutt: I was always devoted to the adoration of the celestials the departed Manes, and the Brahmanas. Always careful I waited upon and served my motherin law and father-in-law.
पैशुन्ये न प्रवर्तामि न ममैतन्मनोगतम् अद्वारे न च तिष्ठामि चिरं न कथयामि च
M. N. Dutt: This was my resolution that I should never act deceitfully. I never used of stay at the door of our house nor did I speak long with anybody.
असद्वा हसितं किंचिदहितं वापि कर्मणा रहस्यमरहस्यं वा न प्रवर्तामि सर्वथा
M. N. Dutt: I never did any evil deed. I never laughed aloud; I never did any injury; I never gave out any secret. Thus did I myself act.
कार्यार्थे निर्गतं चापि भर्तारं गृहमागतम् आसनेनोपसंयोज्य पूजयामि समाहिता
M. N. Dutt: When my husband, having left home upon any business, used to return, I always served him by giving him a seat, and adored him with respect.
यद्यच्च नाभिजानाति यद्भोज्यं नाभिनन्दति भक्ष्यं वाप्यथ वा लेह्यं तत्सर्वं वर्जयाम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: I never ate food of any kind which was unknown to my husband and with which my husband was not pleased.
कुटुम्बार्थे समानीतं यत्किंचित्कार्यमेव तु प्रातरुत्थाय तत्सर्वं कारयामि करोमि च
M. N. Dutt: Rising early in the morning I did and caused to be done whatever was brought about and required to be done for the sake of relatives and kinsmen.
Supplementary Passages:
13.124.15 After 15, D10 S ins.: *617 अग्निसंरक्षणपरा गृहशुद्धिं च कारये पात्राणां धनधान्यानां शयनासनवस्तुनाम् कुमारान्पालये नित्यं कुमारीः परिशिक्षये आत्मप्रियाणि हित्वापि गर्भसंरक्षणे रता बालानां वर्जये नित्यं शापं कोपं प्रतापनम् अविक्षिप्तानि धान्यानि नान्नविक्षेपणं गृहे रत्नवत्स्पृहये गेहे गावः सयवसोदकाः समुद्गम्य च शुद्धाहं भिक्षां दद्यां द्विजातिषु
प्रवासं यदि मे भर्ता याति कार्येण केनचित् मङ्गलैर्बहुभिर्युक्ता भवामि नियता सदा
M. N. Dutt: When my husband leaves home for going to a distant place on any errand, I remained at home engaged in various kinds of auspicious deeds for blessing his enterprise.
अञ्जनं रोचनां चैव स्नानं माल्यानुलेपनम् प्रसाधनं च निष्क्रान्ते नाभिनन्दामि भर्तरि
M. N. Dutt: During the absence of my husband I never use collyrium or ornaments; I never wash myself properly or use garlands and unguents or adorn my feet with lacdye or body with ornaments.
नोत्थापयामि भर्तारं सुखसुप्तमहं सदा आतुरेष्वपि कार्येषु तेन तुष्यति मे मनः
M. N. Dutt: When my husband sleeps in peace I never awake him even if important business wanted his attention. I was happy to sit by him lying asleep.
Supplementary Passages:
13.124.18 M1-3 subst. for 18ab: D10 T2 G ins. after 18ab: *618 नोत्थापये सुखं सुप्तं ह्यातुरं पालये पतिम्
नायासयामि भर्तारं कुटुम्बार्थे च सर्वदा गुप्तगुह्या सदा चास्मि सुसंमृष्टनिवेशना
M. N. Dutt: I never urged my husband to work hard for acquiring riches to support his family and relatives. I always kept secrets without giving them out to others. I used to always keep our premises clean.
Supplementary Passages:
13.124.19 After 19, D4-9 ins.: *619 बन्धकीं वर्जयाम्येव कुहकामूलकर्म च
इमं धर्मपथं नारी पालयन्ती समाहिता अरुन्धतीव नारीणां स्वर्गलोके महीयते
M. N. Dutt: That woman who with rapt attention, follows her duty, receives profuse honors in the celestial region like a second Arundhati.
भीष्म उवाच एतदाख्याय सा देवी सुमनायै तपस्विनी पतिधर्मं महाभागा जगामादर्शनं तदा
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The illustrious and highly blessed Shandili, of pious conduct having said these words to Sumana on the subject of woman's duties towards her husband, disappeared there and then.
यश्चेदं पाण्डवाख्यानं पठेत्पर्वणि पर्वणि स देवलोकं संप्राप्य नन्दने सुसुखं वसेत्
M. N. Dutt: That man, O son of Pandu, who reads this discourse at every full moon and new moon, succeeds in acquiring the celestial region and enjoying great happiness in the bowers of Nandana.