पतिव्रतात्वं भार्याया: परमो धर्म उच्यते | तवोपदेशाज्नागेन्द्र तच्च तत्त्वेन वेझि वै,नागराज! पत्नीके लिये पातिव्रत्य ही सबसे बड़ा धर्म कहा जाता है। आपके उपदेशसे अपने उस धर्मको मैं अच्छी तरह समझती हूँ
patīvratatvaṁ bhāryāyāḥ paramo dharma ucyate | tavopadeśāj nāgendra tac ca tattvena vetsi vai, nāgarāja |
Wika ni Bhishma: “Para sa isang asawa, ang katapatan at matatag na debosyon sa kanyang kabiyak (pativratā) ang ipinahahayag na pinakamataas na tungkulin. O panginoon ng mga ahas, sa pamamagitan ng iyong turo ay tunay mong nauunawaan ang prinsipyong iyon sa pinakadiwa nito, O hari ng mga nāga.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse asserts that for a wife, pativratā—steadfast fidelity and devotion to her husband—is regarded as the supreme dharma, and it emphasizes grasping this duty in its true essence through proper instruction.
Bhīṣma, in the course of his dharma-discourse in the Śānti Parva, addresses a serpent-king (Nāgendra/Nāgarāja), affirming the teaching about a wife’s highest duty and acknowledging the listener’s understanding gained through instruction.