Shloka 38
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
पुत्रवक्त्रमिवाभी क्षणं भर्तुर्वदनमी क्षते । या साध्वी नियताहारा सा भवेद् धर्मचारिणी
putravaktram ivābhīkṣṇaṁ bhartur vadanaṁ īkṣate | yā sādhvī niyatāhārā sā bhaved dharmacāriṇī ||
قال ماهيشڤارا: «التي تنظر مرارًا إلى وجه زوجها كما تنظر إلى وجه ابنها—برفقٍ ومودةٍ ومن غير ريبة—وهي عفيفة فاضلة، منضبطة السلوك، ممسكة عن الطعام، فإنها حقًّا تصير سالكةً في الدهرما.»
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines dharmic conduct for a wife as affectionate, non-suspicious regard toward her husband—likened to a mother’s pure gaze toward her child—combined with personal discipline, especially temperance and regulated living.
Śrīmaheśvara is instructing on standards of righteous household conduct, describing the qualities by which a woman is recognized as sādhvī (virtuous) and dharmacāriṇī (one who practices dharma).