Having with my whole heart recourse
to humility and approved rules I serve my meek and truthful lords ever
observant of virtue, regarding them as poisonous snakes capable of being
excited at a trifle. I think that to be eternal virtue for women which is
based upon a regard for the husband. The husband is the wife's god, and
he is her refuge. Indeed, there is no other refuge for her. How can,
then, the wife do the least injury to her lord? I never, in sleeping or
eating or adorning any person, act against the wishes of my lord, and
always guided by my husbands, I never speak ill of my mother-in-law. O
blessed lady, my husbands have become obedient to me in consequence of my
diligence, my alacrity, and the humility with which I serve superiors.
Personally do I wait every day with food and drink and clothes upon the
revered and truthful Kunti--that mother of heroes. Never do I show any
preference for myself over her in matters of food and attire, and never
do I reprove in words that princess equal unto the Earth herself in
forgiveness. Formerly, eight thousand Brahmanas were daily fed in the
palace of Yudhishthira from off plates of gold. And eighty thousand
Brahmanas also of the Snataka sect leading domestic lives were
entertained by Yudhishthira with thirty serving-maids assigned to each.
Besides these, ten thousand yatis with the vital seed drawn up, had their
pure food carried unto them in plates of gold. All these Brahamanas that
were the utterers of the Veda, I used to worship duly with food, drink,
and raiment taken from stores only after a portion thereof had been
dedicated to the Viswadeva.[82] The illustrious son of Kunti had a
hundred thousand well-dressed serving-maids with bracelets on arms and
golden ornaments on necks, and decked with costly garlands and wreaths
and gold in profusion, and sprinkled with sandal paste. And adorned with
jewels and gold they were all skilled in singing and dancing. O lady, I
knew the names and features of all those girls, as also what they are and
what they were, and what they did not. Kunti's son of great intelligence
had also a hundred thousand maid-servants who daily used to feed guests,
with plates of gold in their hands. And while Yudhishthira lived in
Indraprastha a hundred thousand horses and a hundred thousand elephants
used to follow in his train. These were the possessions of Yudhisthira
while he ruled the earth. It was I however, O lady, who regulated their
number and f