Verse 19

Yagyavalkya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ज्वलना अतिदूरेऽपि सरसा अपि नीरसाः । स्त्रियो हि नरकाग्नीनामिन्धनं चारु दारुणम् ॥१९॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

ज्वलनाः । अति-दूरे । अपि । सरसाः । अपि । नीरसाः । स्त्रियः । हि । नरक-अग्नीनाम् । इन्धनम् । चारु । दारुणम् ॥१९॥

IAST Transliteration

jvalanā atidūre 'pi sarasā api nīrasāḥ | striyo hi narakāgnīnām indhanaṃ cāru dāruṇam ||19||

Translation

மிகத் தொலைவில் இருந்தாலும் அவை எரிவதுபோல் தோன்றும்; ரசமுள்ளதாயினும் ரசமற்றதுபோல் தெரியும். பெண்களே நரகஅக்கினிகளின் எரிபொருள்—அழகும், அச்சமூட்டும் தன்மையும் உடையவை॥১৯॥

Academic Translation

Even from very far they are (as though) blazing; even when sapful they are sapless. For women, indeed, are the fuel of the hell-fires—beautiful yet dreadful.

Verse Context

• Vairāgya (dispassion) as a means toward Mokṣa; critique of kāma as bondage
• Mahavakya: Indirect: supports the preparatory discipline (sādhana-catuṣṭaya) for realizing mahāvākyas such as “ahaṃ brahmāsmi,” by urging dispassion toward sense-attachment.
• Yajur
• Śukla (Vājasaneyin) Shakha
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)