Shloka 33
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
उमोवाच स्त्रीधर्मो मां प्रति यथा प्रतिभाति यथाविधि । तमहं कीर्तयिष्यामि तथैव प्रश्निता भव
umovāca strīdharmaḥ māṃ prati yathā pratibhāti yathāvidhi | tam ahaṃ kīrtayiṣyāmi tathaiva praśnitā bhava |
Uma berkata: “Sebagaimana dharma perempuan tampak dalam pemahamanku, dan menurut tata cara yang semestinya, demikianlah akan kuuraikan. Maka bertanyalah dengan rendah hati dan hasrat sungguh untuk mengetahui, lalu dengarkanlah sebagaimana mestinya.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ethical instruction: Umā will explain strīdharma in a proper, rule-guided way, and the listener should approach the teaching with humility and sincere inquiry.
In a dialogue involving Maheśvara and Umā, Umā begins her response, announcing that she will expound the topic of women’s dharma as she understands it, and she urges the interlocutor to listen as an earnest, respectful questioner.