Verse 19

Yagyavalkya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ज्वलना अतिदूरेऽपि सरसा अपि नीरसाः । स्त्रियो हि नरकाग्नीनामिन्धनं चारु दारुणम् ॥१९॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

ज्वलनाः । अति-दूरे । अपि । सरसाः । अपि । नीरसाः । स्त्रियः । हि । नरक-अग्नीनाम् । इन्धनम् । चारु । दारुणम् ॥१९॥

IAST Transliteration

jvalanā atidūre 'pi sarasā api nīrasāḥ | striyo hi narakāgnīnām indhanaṃ cāru dāruṇam ||19||

Translation

تبدو من بعيدٍ كأنها متّقدة، ومع كونها ذاتَ عصارةٍ فهي بلا عصارة. فالنساءُ حقًّا حطبُ نيرانِ الجحيم؛ جميلةٌ في الظاهر، مُروِّعةٌ في الأثر.

Academic Translation

Even from very far they are (as though) blazing; even when sapful they are sapless. For women, indeed, are the fuel of the hell-fires—beautiful yet dreadful.

Verse Context

• Vairāgya (dispassion) as a means toward Mokṣa; critique of kāma as bondage
• Mahavakya: Indirect: supports the preparatory discipline (sādhana-catuṣṭaya) for realizing mahāvākyas such as “ahaṃ brahmāsmi,” by urging dispassion toward sense-attachment.
• Yajur
• Śukla (Vājasaneyin) Shakha
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)