Draupadi and Satyabhama are alone, talking. Satyabhama asks
Draupadi how she is able to keep the five brothers so obedient to her wishes
and how is it that they never get angry at her. She asks: “Do you keep them
under control because of your youthful appearance, recitation of a particular
formula, use of collyrium or some other medicine or practice of vows or the use
of homa?”.
Draupadi answers by saying that they are methods used by
wicked women. How can I know about them? She says: “I keep aside my vanity,
desire and anger and serve the brothers and their wives. I control my jealousy
and serve them with complete devotion. I never set my eyes on any other men and
I do not eat or sleep till my husbands are fed and have gone to bed. I keep the
house in order and serve food at proper times. I keep away from gossip and
idleness. I do not laugh inappropriately and do not linger at the door
unnecessarily. I give alms and take care of our ancestors according to the instruction
by the venerable Kunti Devi. I do not act against my husband’s words and never
speak ill of my mother-in-law. Those are
my charms and not those of wicked women”.
This is the last dialogue from Book 3. The next in the series will start from Book 5.
This is the last dialogue from Book 3. The next in the series will start from Book 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment