Varaha Purana - Adhyaya 209
Varaha PuranaAdhyaya 20921 Shlokas

Adhyaya 209: Description of the Greatness of the Pativratā (Marital Fidelity and Ethical Devotion)

Pativratāmāhātmya-varṇana

Ethical-Discourse / Social Conduct (Strīdharma, Gṛhastha-ethics)

在《婆罗诃往世书》教诲式框架(婆罗诃—大地女神Pṛthivī)中,本章展开一段次级对话:那罗陀询问阎摩,众生——尤其是奉克里希纳Kṛṣṇa者——如何获得“uttamā gati”(最高归趣)。阎摩指出,外在苦行与戒律(niyama、tapas、upavāsa、dāna)并非根本,反而推崇“pativratā”之德:妻子警醒守护丈夫的福祉,谨慎言语,并与其日常作息相应。经文反复说此坚贞“不会见到死亡之门”,将忠贞、自制以及家居清净与秩序(śauca-ācāra、gṛha-mārjana)视为能转化品行的修持。亦含示此伦理维系社会安定,从而扶持大地Pṛthivī的平衡。

Speakers

VarāhaPṛthivīNāradaYama

Key Concepts

pativratā-dharma (ethics of marital fidelity)niyama and tapas contrasted with everyday ethical disciplinemṛtyu-dvāra (the ‘door of death’) as a moral metaphorśauca-ācāra (purity and regulated conduct)gṛhastha-śrama (household labor as ethical practice)bhartṛ-priyahita (prioritizing the spouse’s well-being)devapūjā within domestic lifekīrti (social exemplarity and reputation)
Sanskrit recitationVaraha Purana Adhyaya 209

Shlokas in Adhyaya 209

Verse 1

अथ पतिव्रतामाहात्म्यवर्णनम् ॥ नारद उवाच ॥ कर्मणा केन राजेन्द्र तपसा वा तपोधनाः ॥ उत्तमां च गतिं यान्ति कृष्णवासः प्रशंस मे ॥

于是开始宣说贞顺妻(pativratā)之伟大。那罗陀曰:“大王啊,修行者以何业行、以何苦行(tapas)而得至上归趣?克里希纳瓦萨(Kṛṣṇavāsa)啊,请为我解说并称扬此义。”

Verse 2

एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा नारदेनाब्रवीत्तदा ॥ यम उवाच ॥ न तस्य नियमो विप्र तपो नैव च सुव्रत ॥

如是被问,彼正法之者遂答那罗陀。阎摩曰:“为得此果,婆罗门啊,并无特定戒则(niyama),亦无须苦行(tapas),善誓者啊。”

Verse 3

उपवासो न दानं वा न देवो वा महामुने ॥ यादृशी तु भवेद्विप्र शृणु तत्त्वं समासतः ॥

这并非斋戒,也非布施,亦非甚至对神祇的礼拜,噢大牟尼。相反,婆罗门啊,请简要聆听其真实要义:究竟是何种品行。

Verse 4

प्रसुप्ते या प्रस्वपिति जागर्ति विबुधे स्वयम् ॥ भुङ्क्ते तु भोजिते विप्र सा मृत्युम् जयति ध्रुवम् ॥

当(其夫)已睡她便睡,当他醒来她便醒;当他已被奉食她才进食——婆罗门啊——她必定战胜死亡。

Verse 5

मौने मौना भवेद्या तु स्थिते तिष्ठति या स्वयम् ॥ सा मृत्युम् जायते विप्र नान्यत्पश्यामि किञ्चन ॥

当他沉默她亦沉默,当他站立她亦站立——婆罗门啊——她战胜死亡;我不见还有别的决定之因。

Verse 6

एकदृष्टिरेकमना भर्त्तुर्वचनकारिणी ॥ तस्या बिभीमहे सर्वे ये तथान्ये तपोधन ॥

目光专一,心念专一,奉行夫君之言;对这样的女子,我们众人皆怀敬畏,其他修行者亦然,苦行丰厚之圣者啊。

Verse 7

देवानामपि सा साध्वी पूज्या परमशोभना ॥ भर्त्रा चाभिहिता यापि न प्रत्याख्यायिनी भवेत् ॥

那位贞善的女子,即使在诸天之中亦堪受敬礼,光辉无比;即便丈夫对她有所吩咐,她也不应拒绝其言。

Verse 8

वर्त्तमानापि विप्रेन्द्र प्रत्याख्यातापि वा सदा ॥ न दैवतं सम्प्रयाति पत्युर्न्यं कदाचन ॥

婆罗门中最胜者啊,即使她与夫分居,或常遭弃绝,她也从不、在任何时候,归依除其夫之外的任何“神明”。

Verse 9

सा न मृत्युमुखं याति एवं या स्त्री पतिव्रता ॥ एवं या तु भवेद्नित्यं भर्त्तुः प्रियहिते रता ॥

如此之女不入“死亡之口”;这就是奉夫为誓的贞妇。又那恒常致力于丈夫所爱且有益之事者,亦如是称。

Verse 10

एष माता पिता बन्धुरेष मे दैवतं परम् ॥ एवं शुश्रूषते या तु सा मां विजयते सदा ॥

“他于我为母、为父、为亲族;他是我至上的神圣归依。”能如此侍奉(其夫)之女,恒常胜过我(被判为最上)。

Verse 11

पतिव्रता तु या साध्वी तस्यां चाहं कृताञ्जलिः ॥ भर्तारमनुध्यायन्ती भर्तारमनुगच्छती ॥

然而那位奉夫为誓的贤淑贞妇,我亦合掌致敬。她观想其夫,随夫而行。

Verse 12

भर्तारमनुशोचन्ती मृत्युद्वारं न पश्यति ॥ गीतवादित्रनृत्यानि प्रेक्षणीयान्यनेकशः ॥

她哀念(或深切思慕)其夫,不见“死亡之门”。歌唱、乐器与舞蹈等,诸多可观之种种戏乐——

Verse 13

न शृणोति न पश्येद्या मृत्युद्वारं न पश्यति ॥ स्नान्ती च तिष्ठती वापि कुर्वन्ती वा प्रसाधनम् ॥

那位不去听闻、也不去观看此类娱乐的女子——她不见死亡之门。无论她在沐浴、站立忙碌,或正在妆饰自身——

Verse 14

नान्यं या मनसा पश्येन्मृत्युद्वारं न पश्यति ॥ देवतार्चयन्तं वा भुज्यमानमपि द्विज ॥

那位在心中不向他人(男子)倾视的女子——她不见死亡之门。无论其夫正在礼敬诸神,或甚至正在进食,噢二次生者——

Verse 15

पतिं न त्यजते चित्तान्मृत्युद्वारं न पश्यति ॥ भानौ चानुदिते वापि उत्थाय च तपोधन ॥

她在心中不舍弃其夫;她不见死亡之门。即使太阳尚未升起,也早起而起身,噢苦行之宝——

Verse 16

गृहं मार्जयते नित्यं मृत्युद्वारं न पश्यति ॥ चक्षुर्देहश्च भावश्च यस्या नित्यं सुसंवृतम् ॥

她恒常清扫家宅;她不见死亡之门。她的眼目、身体与心性,常常善加约束、谨慎守护。

Verse 17

शौचाचारसमायुक्ता सापि मृत्युम् न पश्यति ॥ भर्तुर्मुखं प्रपश्येद्या भर्त्तुश्चित्तानुसारिणी ॥

具足清净与正行者,她亦不见死亡。那位凝视丈夫之面容,并随顺丈夫心意者——

Verse 18

वर्तते च हिते भर्त्तुर्मृत्युद्वारं न पश्यति ॥ एवं कीर्त्तिमतां लोके दृश्यन्ते दिवि देवताः ॥

当她安住于对丈夫有益之事时,便不见“死亡之门”。因此,在世间,具足名声者被人看见,如同天界诸神一般。

Verse 19

मया तस्मात्तु विप्रर्षे यथावृत्तं यथाश्रुतम् ॥ गुह्यमेतत्ततो दृष्ट्वा पूजयामि पतिव्रताः ॥

因此,婆罗门圣仙啊,我已如其所发生、如其所闻而叙述。既知此为秘密之教,我因此礼敬诸位守夫之誓的贞妇(pativratā)。

Verse 20

अनुवेष्टनभावेन भर्त्तारमनुगच्छति ॥ सा तु मृत्युमुखद्वारं न गच्छेद्ब्रह्मसम्भव ॥

以贴身侍奉、坚定随行之心,她追随其夫。然而,她并不前往那“死亡之口”的门槛,噢,梵天所生者。

Verse 21

मानुषाणां च भार्या वै तत्र देशे तु दृश्यते ॥ कथितैव पुरा विप्र आदित्येन पतिव्रता ॥

并且确实,在那一方之地可见人间之妻。往昔,婆罗门啊,守夫之誓的贞妇(pativratā)曾由阿底提耶(太阳神)宣说。

Inside Adhyaya 209

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Within the broader Varāha–Pṛthivī didactic atmosphere, the chapter shifts into a subsidiary moral-theological inquiry: Nārada approaches Yama to ask what truly leads beings—especially Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas—to an uttamā gati (highest post-mortem destination).

  2. Central event

    Yama answers by de-centering external markers of religiosity (niyama, tapas, upavāsa, dāna) and elevating pativratā-dharma as a decisive ethical discipline: a wife’s vigilant alignment with her husband’s welfare, speech, daily rhythms, and household order (śauca-ācāra, gṛha-mārjana), presented as spiritually potent and socially stabilizing.

  3. Climax resolution

    The teaching culminates in the strong moral metaphor that the steadfast pativratā “does not see the door of death” (mṛtyu-dvāra): fidelity, restraint, and regulated domestic conduct are framed as transformative power that overrides the need for conspicuous austerity and secures superior destiny.

Geographical context

No explicit toponyms or river systems are named in the supplied verses. The setting is primarily ethical and domestic rather than pilgrimage-geographical; the only contextual marker is cosmological/social (humans and devas) rather than locational.

Ritual instructions

  • Primary RitualPativratā-ācāra as daily dharma (ethical-votive household discipline rather than a date-bound rite)
  • BenefitAttainment of uttamā gati; moral power expressed as not ‘seeing’ the mṛtyu-dvāra (a metaphor for overcoming death’s claim through exemplary dharma and devotion).

The narrative frame

  • Yama (in dialogue) within the Varāha Purāṇa’s overarching Varāha–Pṛthivī pedagogical settingNārada · Didactic, corrective, and ethically emphatic; prioritizes inner discipline and household virtue over external austerity

The emotional journey

  • Dominant RasaŚānta (ethical serenity with dharma-centered gravity)
  • Emotional ProgressionInquiry and uncertainty about the highest path → authoritative clarification by Yama → intensification into a strong promise/metaphor of death-transcendence → settling into a stable ethic of daily, quiet devotion and order.

Planning a pilgrimage

  • Visit FeasibilityNot applicable as a tirtha-focused itinerary: the chapter is primarily domestic-ethical and does not specify a pilgrimage site; it is best ‘practiced’ as household discipline rather than visited as geography.

Frequently Asked Questions

The text prioritizes pativratā-dharma—steady, self-regulated marital fidelity and attention to a spouse’s welfare—over external ascetic markers such as fasting, donations, or formal vows. Yama’s response frames everyday ethical discipline (speech, attention, household order, and restraint) as a decisive cause of elevated post-mortem destiny and moral power.

No tithi, lunar phase, festival calendar, or seasonal timing is specified in the supplied verses. The only temporal cues are daily-routine markers (e.g., rising before sunrise and maintaining continual attentiveness), indicating an ethic of constant practice rather than date-bound ritual performance.

While it does not explicitly discuss rivers, forests, or land-management, it advances a Purāṇic logic in which social order and disciplined household life stabilize the human sphere that rests upon Pṛthivī. By emphasizing cleanliness (śauca), regulated domestic activity, and non-disruptive conduct, the chapter can be read as indirectly supporting terrestrial balance through norms that reduce disorder and promote sustainable household governance.

The chapter references Nārada (sage-messenger figure) and Yama (administrator of death and moral order). It also gestures to a prior exemplum associated with Āditya (the Sun) concerning a pativratā, but no royal genealogy or named human dynasty is provided in the supplied text.

Ask anything about Adhyaya 209 of the Varaha Purana

Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.

Not sure where to start?

A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.

Read Varaha Purana in the Vedapath app

Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.

Continue reading in the Vedapath app

Open in App