Shloka 2
Vyādha–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Śāpa, Vṛtta-Dharma, and Counsel Against Viṣāda
Grief
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन् स्त्रीणां माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् | कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र सूक्ष्मं धर्म्य च तत्त्वत:,वे बोले--“भगवन्! मैं आपके मुखसे (पतिव्रता) स्त्रियोंके सूक्ष्म, धर्मसम्मत एवं उत्तम माहात्म्यका यथार्थ वर्णन सुनना चाहता हूँ
śrotum icchāmi bhagavan strīṇāṃ māhātmyam uttamam | kathyamānaṃ tvayā vipra sūkṣmaṃ dharmyaṃ ca tattvataḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Revered sir, I wish to hear the supreme greatness of women—set forth by you, O brāhmaṇa—in a subtle manner, in harmony with dharma, and in accordance with the truth of the matter.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the inquiry as a dharmic and truthful investigation: the greatness of women (often exemplified through pativratā ideals) should be explained with subtlety, ethical propriety, and fidelity to reality rather than mere praise.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana introduces a request addressed to a learned brāhmaṇa: the speaker asks to hear an accurate, dharma-aligned exposition on the exalted qualities and spiritual power attributed to women.