Shloka 15

Śāṇḍilī–Sumanā-saṃvāda: Sat-strī-samudācāra and Pati-dharma

Conduct of the Virtuous Wife

Devanagari script

पुण्यस्यैवाभिगन्धस्ते मनन्‍्ये कर्मविधानजम्‌ । अधिकं मार्जनात्‌ तात तथा चैवानुलेपनात्‌

Transliteration

puṇyasyaivābhigandhas te manye karmavidhānajam | adhikaṃ mārjanāt tāta tathā caivānulepanāt ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ— “ତୁମଠାରୁ ଯେ ପୁଣ୍ୟର ସୁଗନ୍ଧ ସଦା ପ୍ରସାରିତ ହୁଏ, ତାହାକୁ ମୁଁ ଧର୍ମକର୍ମର ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନର—ବିଶେଷତଃ ଦାନରୂପ ପୁଣ୍ୟର—ଫଳ ଭାବେ ମନେ କରେ। ତାତ, ଦାନ ସ୍ନାନ-ଶୁଚିତା ଓ ଅଙ୍ଗଲେପନଠାରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଧିକ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ।”

Word by Word

• पुण्यस्य: of merit/virtue
• पुण्यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभिगन्धः: fragrance/scent
• अभिगन्धः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिगन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• मन्ये: I think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Ātmanepada

• कर्मविधानजम्: born from the performance/ordinance of rites
• कर्मविधानजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मविधानज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधिकम्: greater/more
• अधिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मार्जनात्: than cleansing/purification
• मार्जनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• तात: dear one/son (term of address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तथा: so/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अनुलेपनात्: than anointing/smearing (with unguents)
• अनुलेपनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुलेपन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True purity is not merely external (cleansing and anointing) but arises from righteous conduct—especially charity—whose merit becomes visible as a ‘fragrance’ of virtue.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a listener affectionately and interprets the person’s constant ‘scent of merit’ as the result of properly performed virtuous acts, highlighting dāna (giving) as superior to outward acts of purification.