Shloka 10
पतिव्रतात्वं भार्याया: परमो धर्म उच्यते | तवोपदेशाज्नागेन्द्र तच्च तत्त्वेन वेझि वै,नागराज! पत्नीके लिये पातिव्रत्य ही सबसे बड़ा धर्म कहा जाता है। आपके उपदेशसे अपने उस धर्मको मैं अच्छी तरह समझती हूँ
patīvratatvaṁ bhāryāyāḥ paramo dharma ucyate | tavopadeśāj nāgendra tac ca tattvena vetsi vai, nāgarāja |
Bhishma said: “Wifely fidelity and steadfast devotion to one’s husband is declared to be the highest duty for a wife. O lord of serpents, through your instruction you truly understand that principle in its essence, O king of nāgas.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that for a wife, pativratā—steadfast fidelity and devotion to her husband—is regarded as the supreme dharma, and it emphasizes grasping this duty in its true essence through proper instruction.
Bhīṣma, in the course of his dharma-discourse in the Śānti Parva, addresses a serpent-king (Nāgendra/Nāgarāja), affirming the teaching about a wife’s highest duty and acknowledging the listener’s understanding gained through instruction.