he women of a family, in consequence of the treatment they receive,
grieve and shed tears, that family soon becomes extinct. Those houses
that are cursed by women meet with destruction and ruin as if scorched by
some Atharvan rite. Such houses lose their splendour. Their growth and
prosperity cease. O king, Manu, on the eve of his departure for Heaven,
made over women to the care and protection of men, saying that they are
weak, that they fall an easy prey to the seductive wiles of men,[294]
disposed to accept the love that is offered them, and devoted to truth.
There are others among them that are full of malice, covetous of honours,
fierce in disposition, unlovable, and impervious to reason. Women,
however, deserve to be honoured. Do ye men show them honour. The
righteousness of men depends upon women. All pleasures and enjoyments
also completely depend upon them. Do ye serve them and worship them. Do
ye bend your wills before them. The begetting of offspring, the nursing
of children already born, and the accomplishment of all acts necessary
for the needs of society, behold, all these have women for their cause.
By honouring women, ye are sure to attain to the fruition of all objects.
In this connection a princess of the house of Janaka the ruler of the
Videhas, sang a verse. It is this: Women have no sacrifices ordained for
them. There are no Sraddhas which they are called upon to perform. They
are not required to observe any fasts. To serve their husbands with
reverence and willing obedience is their only duty. Through the discharge
of that duty they succeed in conquering heaven. In childhood, the sire
protects her. The husband protects her in youth. When she becomes old,
her sons protect her. At no period of her life does woman deserve to be
free. Deities of prosperity are women. The person that desire affluence
and prosperity should honour them. By cherishing women, O Bharata, one
cherishes the goddess of prosperity herself, and by afflicting her, one
is said to afflict the goddess of prosperity."'"

SECTION XLVII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Thou art fully conversant with the ordinances of all
the scriptures. Thou art the foremost of those that are acquainted with
the duties of kings. Thou art celebrated over the whole world as a great
dispeller of doubts. I have a doubt, do thou explain it to me, O
grandsire! As regards this doubt that has arisen in my mind, I shall not
ask any other person for its solution. It be