Yudhishthira Asks Markandeya About Women's Dharma

Vaishampayana said: Then King Yudhishthira asked the immensely radiant Markandeya an extremely difficult question about dharma. “O illustrious one! O brahmana! I wish to hear about the supreme greatness of women. Tell me the details about the subtleties of dharma. O brahmana rishi! O foremost one! The sun, the moon, the wind, the earth and the fire seem to me to be gods. O illustrious one! O great one! O descendant of the Bhrigu lineage! So are the father, the mother, the cow — and whatever else has been ordained. All of these have to be revered as preceptors. And I look upon devoted wives in the same way. “It seems to me that devotion to husbands and serving them must be very difficult. O lord! If you so wish, please tell me about the greatness of devotion to husbands. O unblemished one! Restraining the senses and controlling the mind — it must be very difficult to continuously think of husbands as gods. O illustrious one! O lord! This seems to me to be extremely difficult. “O brahmana! The serving of the father, the mother and the husband by women — the dharma of womanhood — seems to me to be extremely terrible and difficult. O brahmana! Faithful women are always devoted in their conduct. But this must be difficult, as are acts towards the father and the mother. “There are women who are devoted to one single person and speak the truth. They bear an embryo in the womb for a full ten months. What can be more wonderful than that? They bear great difficulties and immense pain. O lord! They give birth to sons after great pain. O supreme among brahmanas! Then they rear them with great affection. “I also think that those who perform cruel deeds and are abhorred for that — but always continue to perform them — must find it very difficult. O brahmana! Tell me in detail about the dharma of kshatriyas. O brahmana! Dharma must be difficult for a cruel and evil-minded one. O illustrious one! You are supreme among those who know the answers to questions. O best among those of the Bhrigu lineage! O one who maintains good vows! I wish to hear the answer to my question.” Markandeya replied: “O best among the Bharata lineage! Yes, I will tell you everything about this extremely difficult question of yours. Pay attention to my words. O son! Some hold the mother to be superior, others the father. However, the mother performs the most difficult task — she propagates the species. Through austerities, worshipping the gods, endurance and resorting to magical spells, fathers desire sons. O brave one! After undergoing such great difficulties, one obtains a son, difficult to obtain, and one wonders about what this son will end up doing. “O descendant of the Bharata lineage! A father and a mother wish for fame, deeds, wealth, prosperity, offspring and dharma for the son — a son who will make their desires successful and be devoted to dharma, one who will bring satisfaction to the father and the mother and will attain eternal fame and dharma in this world and the next. “O Indra among kings! But a woman does not need sacrifices, funeral ceremonies or fasting. When she serves her husband, she obtains heaven. O king! O Yudhishthira! On this, listen attentively to the dharma of those who are devoted to their husbands.”