Shloka 2
Strī-dharma: Śiva’s Inquiry, Umā’s Consultation, and Gaṅgā’s Instruction
परदाररतिर्यश्न यश्व वन्ध्यामुपासते । ब्रह्मस्वं हरते यश्ष समदोषा भवन्ति ते
paradāra-ratir yaś ca vandhyām upāsate | brahmasvaṁ harate yaś ca sama-doṣā bhavanti te ||
Lomaśa berkata: Orang yang terpikat pada istri orang lain, orang yang mencari persetubuhan dengan perempuan mandul, dan orang yang merampas harta seorang Brāhmaṇa—ketiganya dipandang memikul cela yang sama.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse equates three acts as equally blameworthy: adultery (attachment to another’s wife), improper sexual conduct (consorting with a barren woman, presented here as a censured act), and stealing a Brāhmaṇa’s property. It underscores that violations of sexual restraint and violations against the sanctity of the Brāhmaṇa’s wealth are serious breaches of dharma.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting, Lokaśa delivers a moral classification of wrong actions. Rather than advancing plot, the passage functions as instruction—grouping certain behaviors together to warn the listener about comparable ethical consequences.