Shloka 47
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
न कामेषु न भोगेषु नैश्वर्ये न सुखे तथा । स्पृहा यस्या यथा पत्यौ सा नारी धर्मभागिनी
na kāmeṣu na bhogeṣu naiśvarye na sukhe tathā | spṛhā yasyā yathā patyau sā nārī dharmabhāginī ||
Disse Śrī Maheśvara: A mulher cujo anseio está firmemente fixado no marido—de tal modo que não sente desejo comparável por prazeres sensuais, gozos, poder mundano ou mesmo conforto—essa mulher é verdadeira co-participante do dharma, companheira na retidão por sua fidelidade conjugal inabalável.
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises single-minded marital fidelity: a woman is called a ‘sharer in dharma’ when her primary longing is for her husband and she is not driven by cravings for sensual pleasure, enjoyment, power, or comfort. The ethical emphasis is on restraint (spṛhā-nirodha) and prioritizing duty and commitment within the household order.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Śrī Maheśvara speaks as an authoritative teacher, defining the qualities of a pativratā and explaining how such steadfast devotion is regarded as participation in dharma and a source of religious merit.