Shloka 37
अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति
Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence
भार्या पति: सम्प्रविश्य स यस्माज्जायते पुन: । जायायास्तद्धि जायात्वं पौराणा: कवयो विदु:,“पति ही पत्नीके भीतर गर्भरूपसे प्रवेश करके पुत्ररूपमें जन्म लेता है। यही जाया (जन्म देनेवाली स्त्री)-का जायात्व है, जिसे पुराणवेत्ता विद्वान् जानते हैं
bhāryā patiḥ sampraviśya sa yasmāj jāyate punaḥ | jāyāyās taddhi jāyātvaṃ paurāṇāḥ kavayo viduḥ ||
Duṣyanta said: “A wife is called so because the husband, entering into her as seed, is born again as a son. This is precisely the ‘jāyā-ness’ of a jāyā—the woman who causes birth—which the ancient, Purāṇa-knowing poets understand.”
दुष्यन्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse grounds the ethical and social meaning of marriage in continuity of lineage: the wife is honored as ‘jāyā’ because through her the husband is ‘born again’ as a son. It highlights procreation and family succession as a key dimension of gṛhastha-dharma.
Duṣyanta is speaking about the status and definition of a wife, using traditional etymology to explain why she is called ‘jāyā’ and invoking the authority of ancient Purāṇa-knowing sages to support his point.