← Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind

Chapter 14: King Citraketu's Lamentation

Verse 40 of 60
SB 6.14.40

धिगप्रजां स्त्रियं पापां पत्युश्चागृहसम्मताम् सुप्रजाभिः सपत्नीभिर्दासीमिव तिरस्कृताम्

dhig aprajāṁ striyaṁ pāpāṁ patyuś cāgṛha-sammatām suprajābhiḥ sapatnībhir dāsīm iva tiraskṛtām

Synonyms

dhikall condemnation; aprajāmwithout a son; striyamupon a woman; pāpāmfull of sinful activities; patyuḥby the husband; caalso; a-gṛha-sammatāmwho is not honored at home; su-prajābhiḥwho have sons; sapatnībhiḥby co-wives; dāsīma maidservant; ivaexactly like; tiraskṛtāmdishonored..

Translation

A wife who has no sons is neglected at home by her husband and dishonored by her co-wives exactly like a maidservant. Certainly such a woman is condemned in every respect because of her sinful life.

Purport

As stated by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita:

mātā yasya gṛhe nāsti
bhāryā cāpriya-vādinī
araṇyaṁ tena gantavyaṁ
yathāraṇyaṁ tathā gṛham

"A person who has no mother at home and whose wife does not speak sweetly should go to the forest. For such a person, living at home and living in the forest are equal." Similarly, for a woman who has no son, who is not cared for by her husband and whose co-wives neglect her, treating her like a maidservant, to go to the forest is better than to remain at home.

Verse 40 of 60
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