Shloka 21
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
अप्च्छद् देवमहिषी स्त्रीधर्म धर्मवत्सला । स्त्रीधर्मकुशलास्ता वै गड़ाद्या: सरितां वरा:,ऐसा कहकर देवाधिदेव महादेवजीकी पत्नी, धर्मात्माओंमें श्रेष्ठ, धर्मवत्सला, देवमहिषी उमाने स्त्री-धर्मके ज्ञानमें निपुण गंगा आदि उन समस्त श्रेष्ठ सरिताओंको मन्द मुसकानके साथ सम्बोधित करके उनसे स्त्रीधर्मके विषयमें प्रश्न किया
apacchad devamahiṣī strīdharma dharmavatsalā | strīdharma-kuśalās tā vai gaṅgādyāḥ saritāṁ varāḥ ||
Then the divine queen Umā—devoted to dharma and foremost among the righteous—addressed with a gentle smile the excellent rivers beginning with Gaṅgā, who were well-versed in the duties of women, and questioned them about strī-dharma (the ethical and religious conduct proper to women).
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच