Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
एष देव मया प्रोक्तः स्त्रीधर्मो वचनात् तव । या त्वेवंभाविनी नारी सा पतिव्रतभागिनी
eṣa deva mayā proktaḥ strīdharmaḥ vacanāt tava | yā tv evaṃbhāvinī nārī sā pativratabhāginī ||
Wika ni Maheshvara: “O Panginoon, sa pagsunod sa iyong utos ay inilahad ko ang dharma ng mga babae. Ang babaeng humuhubog ng kanyang buhay ayon sa paraang inilarawan ay karapat-dapat makibahagi sa bunga ng pativratā—ang matatag at banal na panata ng katapatan at pagtalima sa asawa.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
The verse affirms that the previously described strīdharma, taught under divine instruction, yields spiritual merit: a woman who lives in accordance with that code becomes a participant in the fruit of pativratā—devotional fidelity understood as a sacred vow.
Maheśvara concludes or seals his exposition by stating that he has delivered the teaching on women’s dharma at the Lord’s command, and he declares the promised result: the woman who embodies that teaching attains the merit associated with pativratā.