, among human beings that course of
conduct which thou wilt lay down will be followed from generation to
generation.[577] Half of my body is made up of half thy body. Thou art
always engaged in doing the work of the deities, and it is thou that art
the cause of the peopling of the earth. O auspicious lady, all the
eternal duties of women are well-known to thee. Do thou, therefore, tell
me in detail what are the duties of thy sex."

"'"'Uma said, "O holy one, O lord of all created things, O source of all
that is past, present, and future, it is through thy grace that the words
I am uttering are taking their rise in my mind. All these Rivers (that
are of my sex), O god of gods, endued with the waters of all the Tirthas,
are approaching thy presence for enabling thee to perform thy ablutions
in them.[578] After consulting them I shall discourse on the topic named,
in due order. That person who, though competent, is still free from
egotism, is rightly called a Purusha.[579] As regards woman, O lord of
all beings, she follows persons of her sex. By consulting these foremost
of Rivers, they will be honoured by me. The sacred Saraswati is the
foremost river of all rivers. She courses towards the ocean and is truly
the first of all streams. Vipasa also here, and Vitasta, and
Chandrabhaga, and Iravati, and Satadru, and the river Devika, and
Kausiki, and Gomati.[580] and this celestial River who has in her all the
sacred Tirthas, viz., the goddess Ganga, who having her rise in Heaven
hath descended on the Earth and is regarded as the foremost of all
streams." Having said this, the spouse of that god of gods, that foremost
of all righteous persons, smilingly addressed all those Rivers of her
sex. Indeed, the spouse of the great god, devoted to the performance of
all duties, questioned those individuals of her sex about the duties of
women. Verily, those foremost of rivers having Ganga for their first are
all conversant with the duties of women.

"'"'Uma said, "The illustrious god has asked a question relating to the
duties of women. I desire to answer Sankara after having consulted with
you. I do not see any branch of knowledge on Earth or Heaven that is
capable of being mastered by any unaided individual. Ye rivers that run
towards the ocean, it is for this that I seek your opinions!" It was in
this way that those foremost of Rivers, all of whom were auspicious and
highly sacred, were questioned by Siva's spouse. Then the celesti