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IX, 24.
DUTIES OF HUSBAND AND WIFE. 1
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21. If a woman thinks in her heart of anything that would pain her husband, the (above-mentioned text) is declared (to be a means for) completely removing such infidelity.
22. Whatever be the qualities of the man with whom a woman is united according to the law, such qualities even she assumes, like a river (united) with the ocean.
23. Akshamâlâ, a woman of the lowest birth, being united to Vasishtha and Sarangt, (being united) to Mandapala, became worthy of honour.
24. These and other females of low birth have
Sânkhâyana Grihya-sätra III, 13, and in the Kâturmâsya portion of the Kathaka recension of the Black Yągur-veda. According to the former work it is to be recited by an Anyatrakarana, 'the son of a paramour.' But the Kathas prescribe its use by every sacrificer who offers a Kâturmâsya sacrifice. Medh., Gov., and Kull. probably allude to the custom of the latter school when they say that the Mantra must be recited by every sacrificer, and that its viniyoga or destination is to be repeated at the Kâturmâsya and at the Anvashtakâ-srâddha. Gov., Kull., Râgh., Nár., and Nand. explain retah,
seed,' by mâtriragorûpam skannam, and vrinktâm, 'may he keep away,' either by bhagatâm (svîkarotu, Nâr., Nand.), 'may he take for himself,' or by sodhayatu, may he purify' (Gov., Kull., Râgh.). Medh. likewise knows the last explanation. But he gives also another, retah pituh sambandhi yad retah sukram, and vrinktam, apanudatu, which comes nearer to that given above. Nidarsanam,
a scriptural text,' means according to Medh., drishlântah, "an example,' and the other commentators explain it similarly.
22. I.e. as a river becomes salt after uniting with the ocean. It must be borne in mind that, according to the Indian poets, the rivers are the wives of the ocean.
23. Akshamála or Arundhatî was a Kândálî (Gov., Râgh.), and became, as the Sruti states (Râgh.), with the permission of the Rishis, the wife of the sage Vasishtha. The story of Mandapâla is told in the Mahabharata I, 8335 seg. (Adhy. 229). Medh., Gov., and K. read Sârngî instead of Sârangî or Sarangi.
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