Shloka 9

Vyādha–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Śāpa, Vṛtta-Dharma, and Counsel Against Viṣāda

Grief

Devanagari script

साध्वाचारा: स्त्रियो ब्रह्मन्‌ यत्‌ कुर्वन्ति सदा55दृता: । दुष्करं खलु कुर्वन्ति पितरं मातरं च वै

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | sādhvācārāḥ striyo brahman yat kurvanti sadādarāḥ | duṣkaraṃ khalu kurvanti pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca vai ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Brāhmaṇa, women of good conduct, ever attentive and respectful, perform what they do as a truly difficult task—indeed, they bear and serve both father and mother as well.”

Word by Word

• साधु-आचाराः: of good conduct
• साधु-आचाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्वाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• आदृताः: being respectful / attentive
• आदृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• दुष्करम्: a difficult thing
• दुष्करम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• खलु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वै: indeed / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Brāhmaṇa (addressed interlocutor)
• women
• father
• mother

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises disciplined, respectful conduct and highlights the ethical weight of honoring and supporting one’s parents—presented as a demanding but noble duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, in narration to a Brāhmaṇa listener, comments approvingly on the difficult responsibilities borne by virtuous women, emphasizing their continual attentiveness and their role in upholding parental obligations.