Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
दिव्यज्ञाने दिवि श्रेष्ठे दिव्यपुण्यै: सहोत्थिते । त्वमेवा्हसि नो देवि स्त्रीधर्माननुभाषितुम्
divyajñāne divi śreṣṭhe divyapuṇyaiḥ sahotthite | tvam evāhasi no devi strīdharmān anubhāṣitum ||
Maheshvara disse: “Ó Deusa, só tu és verdadeiramente apta a expor-nos os deveres das mulheres—esses princípios elevados, alicerçados no conhecimento divino, supremos no céu, e surgidos juntamente com o mérito celestial.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
The verse establishes authority and fitness for instruction: the Goddess is presented as uniquely qualified to teach strī-dharma, framing women’s ethical duties as rooted in sacred knowledge and merit rather than mere social convention.
Maheshvara addresses the Goddess and invites her to expound the doctrine of strī-dharma to the listeners, introducing a didactic section where divine discourse becomes the source for ethical guidance.