Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

पूज्या लालयितव्याश्ष स्त्रियो नित्यं जनाधिप । नरेश्वर! यदि स्त्रीकी रुचि पूर्ण न की जाय तो वह अपने पतिको प्रसन्न नहीं कर सकती और उस अवस्थामें उस पुरुषकी संतानवृद्धि नहीं हो सकती। इसलिये सदा ही स्त्रियोंका सत्कार और दुलार करना चाहिये

Transliteration

pūjyā lālayitavyāś ca striyo nityaṃ janādhipa | nareśvara! yadi strīkī ruci pūrṇa na kīyate to sā svapatiṃ prasannaṃ na karoti, tathā ca tasminn avasthāyāṃ tasya puruṣasya santāna-vṛddhir na bhavati | tasmāt sadā strīṇāṃ satkāraś ca lālanaṃ ca kartavyam, bharatanandana! striya eva gṛhasya lakṣmī bhavanti | unnatiṃ kāṅkṣatā puruṣeṇa tāsāṃ yathāvat satkāraḥ kartavyaḥ | sva-vaśe sthāpayitvā pālanena strī śrī-rūpā bhavati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，人中之主，女子应当恒常受人敬奉，并以慈爱之情加以抚育。若女子的愿望与心意不得满足，她便不能对其夫保持欢悦；在此情形下，那男子的家族亦不能因子嗣而兴盛。故而，噢婆罗多的后裔，当不断以尊敬与温柔相待于女子。女子实为家宅之拉克什米（Lakṣmī，福泽女神）。求取兴隆的男子，应当如法敬重她们；当他在家道秩序之内抚养并护持她们时，女子便成为室利（Śrī，吉祥与财富）之化身。”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'pūjyā', 'definition': 'worthy of honor

• to be revered'}, {'term': 'lālayitavyāḥ', 'definition': 'to be cherished/caressed

• to be treated with affectionate care'}, {'term': 'striyaḥ', 'definition': 'women'}, {'term': 'nityaṃ', 'definition': 'always

• continually'}, {'term': 'janādhipa / nareśvara', 'definition': 'lord of the people

• king'}, {'term': 'ruci', 'definition': 'liking, preference, wish, inclination'}, {'term': 'prasanna', 'definition': 'pleased, satisfied, gracious'}, {'term': 'pati / svapati', 'definition': 'husband

• one’s own husband'}, {'term': 'santāna-vṛddhi', 'definition': 'increase/prosperity of progeny

• growth of lineage'}, {'term': 'satkāra', 'definition': 'honor, respectful reception, proper regard'}, {'term': 'bharatanandana', 'definition': 'delighter of the Bharatas

• epithet addressing the Kuru king'}, {'term': 'gṛhasya lakṣmī', 'definition': 'the fortune/auspicious prosperity of the household'}, {'term': 'unnati', 'definition': 'rise, advancement, prosperity'}, {'term': 'sva-vaśe sthāpayitvā', 'definition': 'having kept within one’s governance/household order (lit. ‘in one’s control’)'}, {'term': 'pālana', 'definition': 'protection, maintenance, care'}, {'term': 'śrī-rūpā', 'definition': 'having the form of Śrī

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira (implied addressee: janādhipa, nareśvara, bharatanandana)
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that household prosperity and continuity of lineage depend on honoring women with respect and affectionate care; women are described as the household’s Lakṣmī, and proper regard for them is presented as a key element of gṛhastha-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhishma instructs King Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here, within the discussion of marriage duties and praise of women (strī-praśaṃsā), he emphasizes the ethical and practical necessity of treating women with honor and tenderness for domestic harmony and prosperity.