Dialogue on the Ethical Limits of Subsistence and the Five Great Sacrifices
Dharmavyādha, Mātaṅga, and Prasanna
मा च स्नुषा कदाचित् स्याद् या श्वश्रूं जीवतीमिषेत् । एवमुक्त्वा गतो व्याधः स्वगृहं प्रति भामिनि ॥ ८.३९ ॥
mā ca snuṣā kadācit syād yā śvaśrūṃ jīvatīm iṣet | evam uktvā gato vyādhaḥ svagṛhaṃ prati bhāmini || 8.39 ||
Dan jangan pernah ada menantu perempuan yang menginginkan mertua perempuannya mati ketika ia masih hidup. Setelah berkata demikian, wahai bhāminī, sang pemburu pergi menuju rumahnya sendiri.
Vyādha (Hunter) (narrative speech within the text)
It reflects a didactic strand common in Purāṇic literature where narrative speakers articulate social and household norms, offering a window into idealized ethical expectations in premodern Sanskrit textual culture.
No geographic location is mentioned in this verse; the focus is on interpersonal ethics within the household.
The verse articulates a clear moral prohibition against harboring harmful intent toward elders in the family—specifically, condemning a daughter-in-law’s wish for her living mother-in-law’s death.
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
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