Verse 9.13

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

पानं दुर्जनसंसर्गः पत्या च विरहोऽटनम् ।
स्वप्नोऽन्यगेहवासश्च नारीसन्दूषणानि षट् ॥ १३ ॥

pānaṃ durjanasaṃsargaḥ patyā ca viraho'ṭanam |
svapno'nyagehavāsaśca nārīsandūṣaṇāni ṣaṭ || 13 ||

Drinking, associating with wicked people, separation from her husband, rambling, sleeping and residence at other’s house are the six corrupters of women.—(13)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Rambling’—in the market place, for purchasing vegetables etc. and also in temples and such places.

‘Residence in other’s houses’—Living for several days in the houses of relatives.

‘Corrupters of women.’—These contaminate the minds of women, and they come to lose all fear of their father-in-law and others, as also all regard for public opinion.—(XIII).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Durjanasaṃsargaḥ’—‘Associating with wicked people, e.g., other unfaithful wives’ (Nārāyaṇa);—‘with adulterers’ (Rāghavānanda).

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 108);—and in Vivādaratnākara (p. 430), which adds that what are mentioned here are only by way of a few illustrations of what leads to the deterioration of a woman’s character.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Śukranīti (3.30-5.3).—‘Living with other men, speaking with them even in public and freedom even for a moment, should not be granted to women, by their husband, father, King, son, father-in-law and other relatives; nor time for anything besides domestic duties.’

Do. (4.4.40-42).—‘The good wife should give up words that indicate senselessness, lunacy, anger, or envy; also the contemptible vices of meanness, jealousy, excessive attachment to worldly things, vanity and boastfulness, ungodliness, adventurousness and thieving.’

Bṛhaspati (24.5, 7).—‘Let not a woman reside in another man’s house separated from her father, husband or sons; by giving way to malicious propensities, she is sure to lose her reputation. Drinking wine, roaming about, sleeping during the day, and neglect of daily duties are the faults disgracing a woman.’

Viṣṇu (25.3, 9, 10-12).—‘To show reverence to her mother-in-law, father-in-law, elders, divinities and to guests; not to decorate herself with ornaments while her husband is absent from home; not to resort to the houses of others; not to stand at the door or at windows; not to act by herself in any matter.’

Śaṅkha (Aparārka, p. 108).—‘Without permission, she should not go out of the house; nor without an upper garment; she should not walk very fast; nor converse with men, except with traders, renunciates, the aged and physicians; she should not expose her navel; she should wear clothes hanging down to the ankles; should never uncover her breasts; should never laugh without covering her face; should never bear ill-will towards her husband or his relations; should never sit with a prostitute or other such bad women; as one’s character becomes besmirched by associating with bad characters.’

Vyāsa (Do., p. 108).—‘Sitting at the door, peeping out of the window, improper conversation and laughing go to disgrace women of noble families.’

Hārīta (Vivādaratnākara, p. 432).—‘She should avoid looking at and conversing with other men and associating with wicked ascetics and others; should never go to the house of strangers, to the public road or road-crossings or lanes, or to the abode of ascetics; should avoid standing on the path to the wells and roaming in the morning and in the evening; she should never think of using the bed, seat, clothes and ornaments belonging to others, until they have been cleansed and repaired, etc., etc., etc.’