Shloka 25
Manu Offers Devahūti to Kardama; The Sage Accepts with a Devotional Vow
अशक्नुवंस्तद्विरहं मुञ्चन् बाष्पकलां मुहु: । आसिञ्चदम्ब वत्सेति नेत्रोदैर्दुहितु: शिखा: ॥ २५ ॥
aśaknuvaṁs tad-virahaṁ muñcan bāṣpa-kalāṁ muhuḥ āsiñcad amba vatseti netrodair duhituḥ śikhāḥ
ਸਮਰਾਟ ਧੀ ਦੇ ਵਿਛੋੜੇ ਨੂੰ ਸਹਿ ਨਾ ਸਕਿਆ। ਵਾਰ ਵਾਰ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਹੰਝੂ ਵਗੇ ਅਤੇ ‘ਅੰਮਾ! ਵਤ્સੇ!’ ਕਹਿ ਕੇ ਰੋਂਦਿਆਂ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਧੀ ਦੇ ਸਿਰ ਦੇ ਵਾਲ ਹੰਝੂਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਭਿੱਜਾ ਦਿੱਤੇ।
The word amba is significant. A father sometimes addresses his daughter in affection as “mother” and sometimes as “my darling.” The feeling of separation occurs because until the daughter is married she remains the daughter of the father, but after her marriage she is no longer claimed as a daughter in the family; she must go to the husband’s house, for after marriage she becomes the property of the husband. According to Manu-saṁhitā, a woman is never independent. She must remain the property of the father while she is not married, and she must remain the property of the husband until she is elderly and has grown-up children of her own. In old age, when the husband has taken sannyāsa and left home, she remains the property of the sons. A woman is always dependent, either upon the father, husband or elderly sons. That will be exhibited in the life of Devahūti. Devahūti’s father handed over responsibility for her to the husband, Kardama Muni, and in the same way, Kardama Muni also left home, giving the responsibility to his son, Kapiladeva. This narration will describe these events one after another.
FAQs
It shows that even a great sage may feel intense parental affection, yet this emotional moment sets the stage for accepting separation as part of higher spiritual duty.
Kardama could not tolerate the pain of separation from his beloved daughter, so he wept and affectionately addressed her as “mother” and “child,” expressing deep parental love.
It reminds us that love and emotion are natural, but we should also cultivate inner strength and spiritual purpose when facing inevitable separations and life transitions.