Shloka 9

Vyādha–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Śāpa, Vṛtta-Dharma, and Counsel Against Viṣāda

Grief

Devanagari script

साध्वाचारा: स्त्रियो ब्रह्मन्‌ यत्‌ कुर्वन्ति सदा55दृता: । दुष्करं खलु कुर्वन्ति पितरं मातरं च वै

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | sādhvācārāḥ striyo brahman yat kurvanti sadādarāḥ | duṣkaraṃ khalu kurvanti pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca vai ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: «أيها البرهمن، إنّ النساء ذوات السيرة الصالحة، الدائمات اليقظة والاحترام، إنما يقمن بما يقمن به على أنه عملٌ بالغ الصعوبة؛ بل إنهنّ يحملن العبء ويخدمن الأب والأمّ معًا.»

Word by Word

• साधु-आचाराः: of good conduct
• साधु-आचाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्वाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• आदृताः: being respectful / attentive
• आदृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• दुष्करम्: a difficult thing
• दुष्करम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• खलु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वै: indeed / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Brāhmaṇa (addressed interlocutor)
• women
• father
• mother

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises disciplined, respectful conduct and highlights the ethical weight of honoring and supporting one’s parents—presented as a demanding but noble duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, in narration to a Brāhmaṇa listener, comments approvingly on the difficult responsibilities borne by virtuous women, emphasizing their continual attentiveness and their role in upholding parental obligations.