SB 6.14.40
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 40
- dhig aprajāṁ striyaṁ pāpāṁ
- patyuś cāgṛha-sammatām
- suprajābhiḥ sapatnībhir
- dāsīm iva tiraskṛtām
SYNONYMS
dhik—all condemnation; aprajām—without a son; striyam—upon a woman; pāpām—full of sinful activities; patyuḥ—by the husband; ca—also; a-gṛha-sammatām—who is not honored at home; su-prajābhiḥ—who have sons; sapatnībhiḥ—by co-wives; dāsīm—a maidservant; iva—exactly like; tiraskṛtām—dishonored.
TRANSLATION
A wife who has no sons is neglected at home by her husband and dishonored by her co-wives exactly like a maidservant. Certainly such a woman is condemned in every respect because of her sinful life.
PURPORT
As stated by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita:
- mātā yasya gṛhe nāsti
- bhāryā cāpriya-vādinī
- araṇyaṁ tena gantavyaṁ
- yathāraṇyaṁ tathā gṛham
"A person who has no mother at home and whose wife does not speak sweetly should go to the forest. For such a person, living at home and living in the forest are equal." Similarly, for a woman who has no son, who is not cared for by her husband and whose co-wives neglect her, treating her like a maidservant, to go to the forest is better than to remain at home.