Shloka 38
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
पुत्रवक्त्रमिवाभी क्षणं भर्तुर्वदनमी क्षते । या साध्वी नियताहारा सा भवेद् धर्मचारिणी
putravaktram ivābhīkṣṇaṁ bhartur vadanaṁ īkṣate | yā sādhvī niyatāhārā sā bhaved dharmacāriṇī ||
ಮಹೇಶ್ವರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಯಾವ ಸ್ತ್ರೀ ಮಗನ ಮುಖವನ್ನು ನೋಡುವಂತೆ ಸ्नेಹದಿಂದ ಭರ್ತನ ಮುಖವನ್ನು ಮರುಮರು ನೋಡುವಳು, ಇರ್ಷ್ಯೆ-ಸಂದೇಹರಹಿತಳಾಗಿರುವಳು; ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಧ್ವಿ, ನಿಯಮಶೀಲ, ನಿಯತಾಹಾರಿಣಿಯಾಗಿರುವಳು—ಅವಳೇ ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಧರ್ಮಚಾರಿಣಿ ಆಗುತ್ತಾಳೆ।
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines dharmic conduct for a wife as affectionate, non-suspicious regard toward her husband—likened to a mother’s pure gaze toward her child—combined with personal discipline, especially temperance and regulated living.
Śrīmaheśvara is instructing on standards of righteous household conduct, describing the qualities by which a woman is recognized as sādhvī (virtuous) and dharmacāriṇī (one who practices dharma).