Sthree Dharma - The elixir from Maata Paarvati for Married Women

 In Chapter 146 of Mahabharata, the Grandsire of the Kuru Family Bheeshma Pitamah narrates a story where Narada Maharishi was a witness to an explanatoire on Sthree Dharma made by Jaganmaata Paarvati to an august audience of gods and goddesses.

Narada Maharishi relates that Mahaadev Shiva was wanting to hear from Jaganmaata Paarvati and hence requested Paarvati to reply to his question. Mahaadev Shiva very politely asked “ Paarvati you have been in association with chaste women who are known to have intense fidelity to their husband (Pativratha Sthree) like Saraswati who is Brahma’s wife, Vishnu’s consort Lakshmi, Lord Indra’s wife Sachi, Yama’s wife Ghruti, Markandeya Maharishi’s wife Dhoomorna, Kuber’s wife Riddhi, Varuna’s wife Gauri, Surya’s wife Suvrachalaa, Chandra’s wife Rohini, Agni’s wife Swaahaa, Maharishi Kaashyaps wife Aditi etc.. In relation to the umbrella of duties of a woman (Sthree Dharma), what are the duties of a Married woman (Naari Dharma) I wish you to please educate us on this. Since you have done intense penance to acquire powers that are no less powerful than mine (of Shiva’s) what you say will be an endorsed dictum that is complete and comprehensive to the world to follow. You are also a half embodiment of me too. Moreover, your explanation will be more acceptable to women who will relate to it, find it apt, appropriate and right to follow. This is because women are mostly influenced from a woman’s words more than that of a man. Therefore I request you to please share the knowledge on Naari Dharma.

Jaganmaata Paarvati then sought the responses from other women seated in the congregation pious & holy rivers (Ganga, Saraswati, Vipasha (vyas or Biyaas), Chandrabhaaga (Chanaav), Eeravati (Raavi), Shatadru (Satluj), Sindhu (Indus), Koushiki (Kosi), Goutami (Godaavari), Yamuna, Narmada and Kaveri) about their response to the question posed by Mahaadev Shiva. Based on their responses she will consolidate all their thoughts and give a complete answer to the question. All the holy rivers then asked the Divine River Ganga to reply. Maata Ganga was overwhelmed and thanked Maata Paarvati on behalf of all the rivers saying “it is the greatness of Maata Paarvati to have given regard and respect to all the rivers to voice their opinion and consider them to be worthy inputs to the answer to be given to Mahaadev’s question. Such an act of seeking opinion & inputs from others before voicing theirs certainly depicts Maata Paarvati as a very learned intellectual.” She also goes on to say “It is only Maata Paarvati who has the divine wisdom, experience and is the best ever in this Devlok to answer this question. 

Maata Paarvati then answered: “After marriage the woman

Ø Whose nature (Swabhaav), Behavior (Aacharana) and way of communication is excellent

Ø When the husband feels happy looking at her

Ø Who considers her husband equal to a god and serves him like one would do to a god

Ø Who shows no interest in any other male

Ø Who is pleased/ cheerful in the company of her husband

Ø Who takes care of her husband

Ø Who is devout/ religious and is disciplined when it comes to food preparation and consumption

Ø Who dresses and adorns in an manner that is pleasing and looking beautiful to her husband

Such a woman is A DEVOUT AND A DEPICTION OF PIOUSNESS AND FIDELITY TO HER HUSBAND.” 

She also goes on to say “A woman

Ø Whose husband is un-wealthy or is going through financially tough times, whose husband is unhealthy or suffering with a disease, whose husband is engrasped in sorrow or exhausted with frustrations – the woman who takes meticulous care of such a husband as she would do to her child is worthy of the benefits of Sthree Dharma.   

Ø Who completely trusts/ believes her husband and lives trusting him eternally

Ø Who has an ideal behavior, humility, civility, courtesy, intellect when interacting with her husband.

Ø One who loves to wake up early in the morning, performs her house chores dedicatedly, keeps the house clean, neat and tidy and decorates the house appropriately,

Ø Performs the daily rituals to the gods along with her husband (Agnihotra) and also worships the gods with the stothras/ stuthis.

Ø With her food preparations she satisfies meeting the taste buds, health and the hunger of the family members and guests.

Ø Who takes optimum care of her elderly in-laws as well as upholding the respect, reputation and pride of her parents

Ø Who monitors the well-being of all the family members

Ø Who caters to the food needs and health needs of brahmins and those who are poor, weak, orphaned, blind and disabled by rightful help (daana or donations/ sponsorship).

Ø Come what may, un-flinched who always stands by & lives/stays with her husband in troubled times, through problematic situations, in struggle times, in his painful states and in his every situation as a companion

Such a woman is a beholder of Sati Dharma (Duties of a Wife) and is the considered, rewarded and blessed as a DEVOUT DEPICTION OF PIOUSNESS AND FIDELITY TO HER HUSBAND. This is STHREE DHARMA which is a noble way of life to be led by a married woman.”

Bheeshma Pitamah then said “After listening to this and feeling really elated with the knowledge and wisdom shared by Maata Paarvati, Lord Mahaadev Shiva respectfully honoured Maata Paarvati for educating all of the gods and goddesses present and then thanked the congregation for their presence. On seeking permission from the Lord Mahaadev, the gods were then permitted to leave to their own abode on closure of the congregation. Then the Gods, Godesses, Rivers, Gandharvas, Angels (Apsaras) and other divine beings then departed to their respective abodes.”

After listening to Indumati Katdhare (with love addressed as Indu Tai) on the 28^th January 2024 (yesterday) while being part of the intellectual congregation on rejuvenating the education system of our country to produce worth, valuable contributive visionaries who will lead a life of piety, bliss and as enlightened successful beings rather than living a consumeristic distraught life, I was impressed with the eloquence with which she stated the problem, offered a pathway to achieve and entrusted a vision to the audience to look at ways to contribute intellectually and infrastructurally such that we become a better nation driven by values, ethics and self-respect earned by establishing in all the necessary dimensions – Social, Economic, Political and Individual through the knowledge and wisdom of ancient Bhaarat that has been transcended since time immemorial. This inspired me to translate this text feeling it apt for all the women who are to be married or have been married such that, a value based living begins in each home. A realized and enlightened woman is the core of a developed society and the designer of the future of a nation (the essence that I understood from the speech of Swamy Shri Shri Abhinava Shankara Bhaarati of Shaarada Peetha on this very day too where he mentioned education beings in each home and it is here that MAN-MAKING should begin). I thank Indumati Tai and Shri Shri Abhinava Swami Ji for that instant spark that has today made me offer my contribution in this sphere of their vision. This is the least that I could do and will keep doing so in the future.  This translation of mine is for those English reading/ speaking audience. The details of the source is herein below mentioned.

 

SOURCE: Sankshipta Mahaabhaarat; Khand 12; Raadhika Laddha; Punarutthaan Prakaashan Seva Trust; Gyaan Saagar Granthamaala