The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 — John Shaqi
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
Epic literature, Sanskrit
attend to household furniture and provisions scattered all around the
house, and that always utter words contrary to the wishes of their
husbands. I always avoid those women that are fond of the houses of other
people and that have no modesty. On the other hand, I reside with those
women that are devoted to their husbands, that are blessed in behaviour,
and that are always decked in ornaments and attired in good robes. I
always reside with those women that are truthful in speech, that are of
handsome and agreeable features, that are blessed and that are endued
with all accomplishments. I always avoid such women as are sinful and
unclean or impure, as always lick the corners of their mouths, as have no
patience or fortitude, and as are fond of dispute and quarrelling, as are
given to much sleep, and as always lie down. I always reside in
conveyances and the animals that drag them, in maidens, in ornaments and
good vestments, in sacrifices, in clouds charged with rain, in full-blown
lotuses, and in those stars that bespangle the autumnal firmament. I
reside in elephants, in the cow pen, in good seats, and in lakes adorned
with full-blown lotuses. I live also in such rivers as babble sweetly in
their course, melodious with the music of cranes, having banks adorned
with rows of diverse trees, and restored to by Brahmanas and ascetics and
others crowned with success. I always reside in those rivers also that
have deep and large volumes of rolling waters rendered turbid by lions
and elephants plunging into them for bathing or slaking their thirst. I
reside also in infuriate elephants, in bovine bulls, in kings, on the
throne and good men. I always reside in that house in which the inmate
pours libation on the sacrificial fire and worships kine, Brahmanas and
the deities. I reside in that house where at the proper time offerings
are made unto the deities, in course of worship.[29] I always reside in
such Brahmanas as are devoted to the study of the Vedas, in Kshatriyas
devoted to the observance of righteousness, in Vaisyas devoted to
cultivation, and the Sudras devoted to the (menial) service of the three
upper classes. I reside, with a heart firm and unchangeable, in Narayana,
in my embodied self. In Him is righteousness in its perfection and full
measure, devotion to the Brahmanas, and the quality of agreeableness. Can
I not say, O lady that I do not reside in my embodied form, (in any of
these places that I have mentioned, except Narayana)? That person in whom
I reside in spirit increases in righteousness and fame and wealth and
objects of desire.'"'"
SECTION XII
"'Yudhishthira said, "It behoveth, O king to tell me truly which of the
two viz., man or woman derives the greater pleasure from an act of union
with each other. Kindly resolve my doubt in this respect."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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