Chapter 51 - The Story of a Faithful Wife

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Narottama said:

1. Of the thirty-three gods and others the lord is the author. He is the one who snatches them away, who protects them, is their father and originator.

2. Whatever fatigue we give to our speech (i.e. however hard we try to describe), we are not fit to describe him. Yet I have a kind of curiosity or thirst and hunger.

3-4a. The dear one should speak when something about what is done is asked. O lord, how does the loyal, chaste wife know the past? (Please) tell me fully as to what her power was.

The lord spoke:

4b-5a. O dear, I have told you (all this) before; yet O brāhmaṇa, you again have curiosity (to hear it). I shall tell you all that you have in your mind (to know).

5b-6a. A devoted, faithful, loyal wife is the (very) life of her husband. She is adorable even for gods and for sages expounding the Vedas.

6b-7a. There will be no great secrecy in honouring that woman who is the wife of a husband and who is regarded as most adorable in the world.

7b-8. O dear, formerly there was a very beautiful city in Madhyadeśa. In it (lived) a brāhmaṇa, chaste lady, named Sevyā. Due to the adverse effect of his former deeds, her husband became a leper (i.e. contracted leprosy).

9. She was always engaged in serving her husband with (pus) trickling from his wounds. She very much satisfied whatever desire of him she could satisfy according to her capacity.

10-11. She would always worship him like a deity, and free from jealousy would love him. Once, he saw an extremely beautiful prostitute, who was going along the road, and through folly became overpowered by the passion of love. Having heaved a very deep sigh, he became dejected.

12-14a. Hearing it, the good lady came out of her house and asked her husband: O lord, whence are you dejected? O lord, whence this (deep) sigh? Tell me what is dear to you—that should be or should not be done. I shall do whatever is dear to you; you alone are my dear lord. Tell me what you desire, O lord, I shall accompli sh it according to my capacity.”

14b-16a. When she had said this, he said to her: “O dear one, why do you talk in vain? Neither you nor I am able (to get what I want). It is not proper to talk fruitlessly. You are not entitled to asking (i.e. please do not ask) since my desire through folly, due to longing after the beautiful woman, is like that of a dwarf, who, remaining on the ground, desires (to pluck) the fruit of a tall tree. I am talking something that is difficult to accomplish for a couple and that is irrelevant.”

The faithful wife said:

16b-19a. I shall be able to accomplish the object (only) after knowing what is going on in your mind. O lord, give me an order as to what is to be done. When I shall be able to accomplish your object difficult to accomplish, then only I will have great good in this and in the next world.

19b. Thus addressed, he was extremely pleased, and said these words.

20-21a. “It is certain that a person asks for a sinful thing because of his practice of doing such things. My mind is burning after having seen that perfectly beautiful prostitute of wholly spotless limbs going on this way.

21 b-23a. If, through your favour, I get that one who is in the prime of youth, then my existence will be fruitful; O good lady, do what is good to me. If that beautiful woman does not come to me, who am a leper, a distressed person, stinking with the odour of pus, having fresh wounds, then it is proper for me to die.”

23b-24a. Having heard the words uttered by him, the good lady said: “O lord, I shall do (everything) according to my capacity; be steady.”

24b-26. Having mentally reflected, she, at the end of night, in the early morning, took cowdung and a broom, and gladly went. Having reached the prostitute’s house, and having cleansed the courtyard she gladly gave (i.e. besmeared with) cowdung to the street and the wall(s). She hurriedly returned home through the fear of being seen by people.

27-29a. In this manner the good lady acted for three days. Then the prostitute also asked her male and female servants: “Who has done (these) good things in the courtyard? Though I did not tell (i.e. order anyone), who has decorated the streets, quadrangles and walls with lovely (drawings etc.)?”

29b-30a. They, having consulted one another, replied to the prostitute: “O good lady, we have not done this work; we have not done the cleansing.”

30b-3la. She was amazed and (kept on) thinking. When the night was over, she saw her (i.e. the chaste wife) having again come over there.

31 b-34a. Having seen that great good lady—a loyal wife—she clasped her feet, and said: “(Please) forgive me. O you loyal wife, you are as it were darting for the destruction of these—viz. (my) life, body, wealth, glory, (my) aims and (my) fame. O good lady, whatever you ask for—viz. gold, gems, jewels or garments or any other desired object—I shall certainly always give it to you.”

34b-35. Then the good lady said to her: “I have nothing to do with wealth. I have some other piece of work (to be done) by you. I shall tell it if you will do it. Then I will have delight in my heart, (thinking) 'Now you have done everything.’”

The prostitute said:

36. O you loyal wife, I shall truly (i.e. surely) do (what you tell me); (please) speak out quickly. O mother, protect me, quickly tell me my mission.

37. Due to bashfulness she spoke out humble words that were dear to her (i.e. the chaste lady); the prostitute, having thought for a while, said with patience:

38. “I shall be very unhappy in the company of the leper, stinking with pus. I shall do it (i.e. give him company) for a day, if he comes to my house.”

The faithful wife said:

39. O beautiful lady, tonight I shall come to your house, and will take (back) to my house, my husband, who will have enjoyed what he wants to enjoy.

The prostitute said;

40-41. O loyal wife, O illustrious lady, quickly go (back) to your house; let your husband come to my house at midnight. I have many lovers—kings and (others) like them. One of them always stays in my house.

42. Today I shall keep the house free (from) them for your fear (i.e. lest you may fear). Let your husband come, and having met me, let him go (back).

43-44. Having heard this, that good lady went home, and informed her husband: “O lord your mission (i.e. the mission you entrusted to me) is successful. She tells you to go to her house tonight. She has many masters; (so) there is no time (i.e. opportunity) for you (i.e. she cannot remain in your company for a long time).”

The brāhmaṇa said:

45. How shall I go to her house? I cannot walk. Knowing this how can I have patience? How can the work to be done be accomplished?

The faithful wife said:

46. Putting you on my back I shall take you to her house; and after (your) work is done, I shall bring you back along the same path.

The brāhmaṇa said:

47. O auspicious one, by your doing this, all I want will be done, since what you have done is unbearable for even ladies.

48-49. In the beautiful city, there was always ample wealth in the house of a rich man. The citizens and the king heard that at that time (i.e. during that night) it was stolen. Hearing about it the king called all the officers keeping watch at night, and angrily said to them: “Ifyou desire to live, then today hand over the thief to me.”

50. Receiving the king’s order, they, agitated with the desire to capture the thief, forcibly arrested the thief by the king’ s order.

51-52. Māṇḍavya, the excellent sage, having great lustre and resembling fire, best among the contemplating sages, remained in abstract meditation at the root of a tree in a dense forest in the outskirts of the city. With wind having entered the tubular organ^[1] of his body, he did not cognise anything.

53. Seeing that great sage, resembling Brahman, and remaining (in abstract meditation), the wicked ones (said:) “This is a thief; the rogue, of a wonderful form, lives in the forest.”

54. Saying so the sinful ones bound the best sage. He did not say (anything to) nor did he see those very terrible men.

55. Then the king said this: “I have (now) secured the thief. On the path at the gate in the vicinity (of the city) inflict a severe punishment on him.”

56. The sage Māṇḍavya was fixed to the stake there on the road. They inserted the stake into the anus upto (i.e. the stake went through his body) the head.

57. Due to his having restrained his senses, he, whose body was pierced through at the stake, was not conscious of the pain. Others also punished him as they liked.

58. In the meanwhile, the loyal wife took her husband on her back and went (to the prostitute’s house) in the pitchy darkness.

59. Due to the contact of the leper, the stinking odour came (to the sage). Due to the contact of the leper, the abstract meditation of the sage was verily disturbed.

Māṇḍavya spoke:

60. May he, who caused me affliction, causing pain to my body, be consumed to ashes before the sun rises.

61. He, who was thus addressed by Māṇḍavya, fell on the ground. Then the loyal wife said: “Certainly the sun^[2] shall not rise.”

62. Then taking him to the house, for three days she remained in the house, and supported her husband lying on a beautiful bed.

63-64. Having cursed him (i.e. the chaste lady’s husband), the sage went to the desired country. When, for three days the sun did not rise, gods, seeing all the three worlds including the mobile and the immobile distressed, led by Indra, went to the grandsire.

65. The gods reported the matter to the Lotus-born (god Brahmā). “We do not know the cause (of this). You (please) do whatever is proper for us.”

Brahmā said:

66. Due to what has happened to the chaste lady and to sage Māṇḍavya, the sun is not rising.

67. O Brāhmaṇa, then the gods led by Brahmā, quickly went to the earth, to the leper, in the aeroplanes.

68. Due to the brightness of the aeroplanes, and the rays of (i.e. shooting from the bodies of) the sages, in the interior of the houses and not elsewhere it appeared as it were a hundred suns (had arisen).

69. “Oh I am doomed! How is it that the sun has come to (i.e. his rays have reached) my house?” She saw the gods with the aeroplanes resembling swans.

70-71. In the meanwhile, Brahmā said to that loyal wife: “How do you like it since all gods, brāhmaṇas and cows (are about to) die? O mother, give up your anger towards sun-rise.”

The faithful wife said:

72-73. Surpassing all people my husband alone is my lord; but due to the curse of the sage he will die when the sun rises; for this reason only I cursed the sun. (I have not done so) through anger, delusion, greed, or desire of carnal gratification or hatred.

Brahmā said:

74. There will be good to the three worlds by the death of one. Thereby (i.e. by saving the worlds), O mother, you will earn more merit.

75. The chaste lady there said to Brahmā in front of the gods: “I do not really like any good by abandoning my husband.”

Brahmā said:

76-78. O good lady, when the sun rises, and your husband is consumed to ashes and when the three worlds are composed, I shall do good to you. From the ashes a man, resembling the god of love in lustre, will be born. He, your husband, will be endowed with all qualities and you will always be like Rati. Your couple will be honoured in heaven, as Hari is worshipped by gods and as Lakṣmī is honoured (by them). Therefore (please) do as I tell you.

The faithful wife said:

79. O Brahman, which worlds shall I, a widow on the death of my husband condemned by people, and with my customary practices foiled and having become unrighteous, go to?

Brahmā said:

80. So you are not at fault. Your husband is not dead yet. Due to our words the leper will become (handsome like) the god of love.

81. When the creator was speaking like this, she having reflected for a moment, said: “All right.” Then the sun rose.

82-83. Afflicted by the sage’s curse he was turned into ashes. From the ashes the brāhmaṇa, oppressed by (passion of) love, came out. Having seen him, all the citizens were amazed, the hosts of gods were delighted, and the people became more composed.

84. That good lady went to heaven along with her husband in an aeroplane that was like the sun in colour and that had come from heaven.

85. Thus, since the chaste lady is auspicious and like me, therefore she knows the account of the past, future and present.

86. The sin of him, committed in existence after existence, who recites to others this excellent, meritorious account, perishes.

87. He obtains inexhaustible heaven (i.e. lives eternally in heaven), and is united with gods. O good brāhmaṇa, a brāhmaṇa gets (mastery over) the Veda in every existence.

88. He who listens to it (just) once, becomes purified, and is freed from the stream of sins. He obtains (i.e. goes to) heaven, and fallen from heaven, becomes a rich man.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Nāḍī—tubular organ of the body.

[2]:

Bradhna=the sun. The words Sūra (in v. 69) and Khaga (in v. 76) have the same meaning.