Shloka 12

Putra-Bheda: Kṣetraja, Kṛtaka, Apasada, and Saṃskāra Determinations (पुत्रभेद-निर्णयः)

Devanagari script

विदेहराजदुहिता चात्र श्लोकमगायत

Transliteration

videharāja-duhitā cātra ślokam agāyat | (strīṇāṃ kartavya-viṣaye) videha-rājo janako 'sya putrī ekasya ślokasya gānaṃ cakāra, yasya sārāṃśaḥ evam—striyai na kaścid yajñādi-karma, na śrāddhaṃ, na upavāsaḥ avaśyakaḥ; strīṇāṃ dharmaḥ pati-sevā; tayā eva striyaḥ svarga-lokaṃ jayanti |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“此处，毗提诃王之女曾歌一偈，论女子之本分。毗提诃之主阇那迦之女其意大略曰：女子不必强制行诸祭祀之业，亦不必作施罗陀（祭祖供养），亦不必持斋；其法（dharma）在于专心奉事其夫。由此奉事，女子得于天界获胜而至。”

Word by Word

• विदेह: of Videha
• विदेह: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेह
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• राज: of the king
• राज: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दुहिता: daughter
• दुहिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• श्लोकम्: a verse
• श्लोकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अगायत्: sang
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (गायति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Janaka
• Videha
• daughter of the king of Videha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage prioritizes ethical duty (dharma) defined as devoted marital service for women, presenting it as sufficient for spiritual merit, even without undertaking major ritual observances like yajña, śrāddha, or fasting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, while instructing on dharma in the Anuśāsana Parva, cites a remembered verse sung by Janaka’s daughter of Videha to support a teaching about women’s prescribed duties and the religious value attributed to them.