Adhyaya 23 — The Brahmin and His Wife
सद्धर्मचारिणीं पत्नीं तां मुक्त्वा गजगामिनीम् ।
काञ्चिन्नाङ्गीकरिष्यामीत्येतत् सत्यं मयोदितम् ॥
saddharmacāriṇīṃ patnīṃ tāṃ muktvā gajagāminīm / kāñcin nāṅgīkariṣyāmīty etat satyaṃ mayoditam
സദ്ധർമ്മത്തിൽ നടക്കുന്ന, ആനനടയുള്ള ആ ഭാര്യയെ ഒഴികെ ഞാൻ മറ്റാരെയും സ്വീകരിക്കുകയില്ല; ഇതാണ് ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞ സത്യം।
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
The verse reinforces the dharmic ideal that a virtuous spouse is not replaceable; the speaker binds himself by satya to a standard of restraint and loyalty, presenting marital commitment as a moral vow rather than convenience.
Again, vaṃśānucarita-type instruction through narrative conduct; it is exemplary dharma rather than sarga/manvantara material.
By repeatedly sealing the vow with ‘satyam mayoditam,’ speech becomes a sacred act (vāk-śakti disciplined). Such truth-bound speech is portrayed as shaping destiny, a subtle purāṇic theme about the performative power of vow (vrata).