| Philosophy and Religion / Harivamsa |
Harivaṃśa
135. Punyaka described by Umā
UMĀ said:-O you of pure smiles, when by the grace of my lord I became omniscient I came to know of the sacred regulations of all the religious rites (1).
O Arundhati, although the regulation of sacred rites exists eternally I however came to know of it through the favour of Mahādeva (2).
O you blameless lady, by the command of my husband, the divine and intelligent Bhava, I performed the religions rites (3).
In the Puranas the religious rites have been sanctioned for them who desire to practise chastity and holy rites. O pious Arundhati, gifts, fastings and performance of good and religious works are fruitless for unchaste women (4-5).
Religious rites are contaminated by the sin of sexual intercourse. Thereupon those, who deceive their husbands or hold a sinful intercourse, do not attain to the fruits of sacred rites; on the other hand they go to hell (6).
Those good-natured and chaste damsels, having husband for their God, are upholding the universe, who do not know any other man but their lord, who cherish whole-minded devotion for virtue and who follow the way of a chaste woman as their only refuge (7).
Those, who do not commit sin even by speech, who are pure, intelligent, sweet-speeched and always perform pious rites, are preserving the world (8).
A wife, under no circumstances, should relinquish her husband even if he be poor, deseased or outcasted. Such is the eternal virtue (9).
A wife can save herself and her husband even if he be devoid of accomplishments, if he perpetrates wrong deeds and be outcasted (10).
In the Vedas the sages have laid down purificatory rites for women who commit sin by words. But there is no penance (laid down) for them who commit sin by sexual intercourse; consider them as fallen for ever (11).
O blessed lady, the woman, who wishes to wend the ways of the pious, should perform rites and fasts according to the desire of her husband (12).
By a promiscuous intercourse a woman is born in a degraded birth. And she does not attain to a better life even within a thousand births (13).
If accidently an unchaste woman is born as a woman she is born as a Chandāla, becomes highly wicked and lives on a dog's flesh (14).
O you having asceticism for your wealth, the sages have designated the husband as the God of women. She is a pious and chaste woman with whom her husband is pleased (15).
There is no sacred region for those women whose fall has been brought about by curiosity. O gentle lady, those women, whose minds are devoted to and fixed on their husbands,
and who do not disregard them even by their words, actions and mind, attain to the fruits of religious rites. Such has been laid down by those who are engaged in religious ceremonies (16–17).
O beautiful lady, listen you all to the regulations of religious rites intended for the celestial region which I have witnessed by virtue of my asceticism (18).
O you of firm vows, having risen up early in the morning and bathed, a chaste woman, desirous of performing a penance or fasting, should salute the feet of her father-in-law and mother-in-law and then communicate it to her husband.
Then taking Kusa grass and a copper vessel she should first sprinkle the right horn of a cow with water. And then with this water she should sprinkle first the head of her husband who had controlled himself and performed ablutions.
She should then pour it on her own head. In the code of ordinances this practice is called bathing at all the holy shrines (19–22).
O great Arundhati, while performing a Vrata or a fast both the husband and wife should bathe in this way (23).
By Hara's energy and by virtue of my asceticism I have seen it myself. While performing a religious ceremony one should herself wash her feet; and using an arrow, sleeping and sitting are forbidden.
While fasting or performing a Vrata, a woman should not shed tears, quarrel or be angry or else she would be immediately fallen (24–25).
O you born of the Moon, on the occasion of a Vrata or a fast, a woman should use a white cloth and a white under-vest. She should use shoes made of reeds and such-like grasses.
She should avoid collyrium, perfumeries and flowers. Without rubbing her teeth with a piece of wood and washing her head she should perform all the purificatory rites with earth.
With Vilwa and Amlaki mixed with water and free from earth she should wash her head. She should rub oil on her head, feet and body.
While fasting or performing a Vrata one should always avoid conveyances drawn by bullocks, camels and asses and should not bathe naked.
O auspicious daughter of Soma, it is better to bathe in the water of a river or fountain, not to speak of bathing in the tanks and wells full of water-born plants, which is always regarded greatly.
It is not convenient for women, who do not come out publicly, consequently they are allowed to bathe with water from a vessel. In such a procedure the ancient custom is to use new vessels. One, washing her head in this way, attains to the fruits of Tapas (26-35).
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