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

纵在极远处亦似炽燃；纵有汁液亦觉寡味。实则女人乃地狱之火的薪柴——美丽而又可怖。

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)