Shloka 13
Strī-satkāra (On honoring women) — Mahābhārata 13.46
तत् त्वया मम यत् कर्म व्यभिचाराद् भयात्मकम् | नाख्यातमिति जानन्तस्ते त्वामाहुस्तथा द्विज,त्वयाशक्या च दुर्वृक्त्या रक्षितुं प्रमदा द्विज । नच त्वं कृतवान् किंचिदत: प्रीतो5स्मि तेन ते
tat tvayā mama yat karma vyabhicārād bhayātmakam | nākhyātam iti jānantas te tvām āhus tathā dvija | tvayāśakyā ca durvṛktyā rakṣituṁ pramadā dvija | na ca tvaṁ kṛtavān kiñcid ataḥ prīto ’smi tena te ||
Vipula dijo: «Aquel acto mío, nacido del temor a la transgresión, que tú no revelaste—sabiéndolo, así hablan de ti, oh dos veces nacido. Y en verdad, con palabras ásperas no puede protegerse de veras a una mujer, oh bráhmana. Con todo, tú no hiciste nada impropio; por eso me complazco contigo en ello».
विपुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Protection and moral guidance should not rely on harsh speech; restraint and right conduct matter more than scolding. Also, one should not be blamed for wrongdoing when one has not actually acted wrongly.
Vipula addresses a brāhmaṇa, referring to an earlier fear-driven act that the brāhmaṇa did not reveal. Vipula notes that people judge the brāhmaṇa based on this, but affirms that harsh words cannot truly safeguard a woman and concludes that the brāhmaṇa did nothing blameworthy, expressing approval.