Shloka 13
Strī-satkāra (On honoring women) — Mahābhārata 13.46
तत् त्वया मम यत् कर्म व्यभिचाराद् भयात्मकम् | नाख्यातमिति जानन्तस्ते त्वामाहुस्तथा द्विज,त्वयाशक्या च दुर्वृक्त्या रक्षितुं प्रमदा द्विज । नच त्वं कृतवान् किंचिदत: प्रीतो5स्मि तेन ते
tat tvayā mama yat karma vyabhicārād bhayātmakam | nākhyātam iti jānantas te tvām āhus tathā dvija | tvayāśakyā ca durvṛktyā rakṣituṁ pramadā dvija | na ca tvaṁ kṛtavān kiñcid ataḥ prīto ’smi tena te ||
Випула сказал: «То моё деяние, рождённое страхом перед проступком, о котором ты не сказал,—зная это, люди и говорят о тебе так, о дважды-рождённый. И впрямь, суровой речью женщину не уберечь, о брахман. Однако ты не сделал ничего неподобающего; потому я доволен тобою за это».
विपुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Protection and moral guidance should not rely on harsh speech; restraint and right conduct matter more than scolding. Also, one should not be blamed for wrongdoing when one has not actually acted wrongly.
Vipula addresses a brāhmaṇa, referring to an earlier fear-driven act that the brāhmaṇa did not reveal. Vipula notes that people judge the brāhmaṇa based on this, but affirms that harsh words cannot truly safeguard a woman and concludes that the brāhmaṇa did nothing blameworthy, expressing approval.