Verse 5.153

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

नास्ति स्त्रीणां पृथग् यज्ञो न व्रतं नाप्युपोषणम् ।
पतिं शुश्रूषते येन तेन स्वर्गे महीयते ॥ १५३ ॥

nāsti strīṇāṃ pṛthag yajño na vrataṃ nāpyupoṣaṇam |
patiṃ śuśrūṣate yena tena svarge mahīyate || 153 ||

There is no separate sacrificing for women, no observances, no fastings; it is by means of serving her husband that she becomes exalted in heaven.—(153).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

It has been more than once explained that women, separated from their husbands are not entitled to the performance of sacrifices. From this it follows that, when going to keep an observance or to take to a fast, she should obtain his permission.

‘Observance’ here stands for the vow to give up meat, wine and such things; it does not stand for the Kṛcchra and other penancce; because the repeating of mantras and offering of libertions form part of these latter, end to these the women is not entitled. It will not be right to argue here that—“it would be possible for the woman to perform the Kṛcchra and other penances, omitting the mantras and the libations” because it can never be right to abandon, at one’s will, the details of a sacrificial performance; specially as it is only the act complete in all its details that is regarded as lending to prosperity and success. Nor does the dropping or adding of details depend upon the varying capacities of performers. Then again, a woman has always available men of her own caste, among the three higher castes, who could perform for her the mid acts. For these reasons neither the woman nor the Śūdra, desiring her own welfare, is entitled to the performance of the Kṛcchra and other penances. We shall explain this in detail under the Expiatory Rites.

‘Fasting’—living without food, giving up eating for one day. two days or such limited periods.

^‘Serves’—attends upon.—(153).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(Verse 155 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, pp. 52 and 129), which says that if she does the fasting with the husband’s permission, there is nothing wrong;—in Saṃskāraratnamālā (p. 675), which says that this refers to the ‘month-fast’ and so forth, and not to those in connection with the Gaurīvrata and the like;—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 67a);—in Varṣakriyākaumudī, (p. 579);—in Purṣārthacintāmaṇi, (p. 201);—in Smṛtisāroddhara, (p. 101);—in Hemādri (Kāla, p. 176);—in Kālamādhava (p. 257);—in Aparārka (p. 602), which adds that the wife may, with her husband’s permission, keep such fasts and observances as are not incompatible with her attendance upon him;—in Madanapārijāta (p. 193);—and in Vidhānapārijāta (II, p. 729) to the effect that religious acts art; to be performed by the wife only in association with her husband.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 5.152-153)

See Comparative notes for Verse 5.152.