A discourse on the excellent behaviour of good and chaste women and their power in the three worlds as revealed in the Epic 'Mahabharata'.

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Behaviour of Good and Chaste Women
Women (Part 1-2: From ‘The Mahabharata’)
What the excellent behaviour is of good and chaste women?
Women's duties towards her Husband
(From ‘The Mahabharata’, Anusasana Parva, Section CXXIII)
Bhishma said: Once upon a time, in the celestial regions, a
lady named Sumana, addressing Sandili possessed of great
energy and conversant with the truth relating to everything,
said:
• 'By what conduct, by what course of acts, have you
succeeded in attaining to heaven, purged of every sin?
• You blaze forth with your own energy like a flame of fire.
You wear vestments of pure white, and are quite cheerful
and at your ease.
• You shine with energy multiplied a thousand-fold. You
have not attained to this region of happiness by
inconsiderable penances and gifts and vows.'
Thus questioned sweetly by Sumana, Sandili of sweet smiles
answered:
• 'I never, in heedlessness, addressed any disagreeable or evil
speech to my husband. I was always devoted to the worship
of the deities, the Pitris, and the Brahmanas. Always
heedful, I waited upon and served my mother-in-law and
father-in-law.
• Even this was my resolution that I should never behave
with deceit. I never used to stay at the door of our house nor
did I speak long with anybody. I never did any evil act; I
never laughed aloud; I never did any injury. I never
disclosed any secret. Even thus did I bear myself always?

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Behaviour of Good and Chaste Women
• When my husband, having left home upon any business,
used to come back, I always served him by giving him a
seat, and worshipped him with reverence. I never ate food
of any kind which was unknown to my husband and at
which my husband was not pleased.
• Rising at early dawn I did and caused to be done whatever
was brought about and required to be accomplished for the
sake of relatives and kinsmen. When my husband leaves
home for going to a distant place on any business, I remain
at home engaged in diverse kinds of auspicious acts for
blessing his enterprise. Verily, during the absence of my
husband I never use collyrium or ornaments; I never use
garlands and unguents, or deck my feet with lac-dye, or
person with ornaments.
• When my husband sleeps in peace I never awake him even
if important business required his attention. I was happy to
sit by him lying asleep.
• I never urged my husband to exert more energetically for
earning wealth to support his family and relatives. I always
kept secrets without disclosing them to others.
• I used to keep always our premises clean.
• That woman who with concentrated attention, adheres to
this path of duty, becomes the recipient of considerable
honour in heaven like a second Arundhati."
Bhishma continued: The illustrious and highly blessed
Sandili, of righteous conduct, having said these words unto
Sumana on the subject of woman's duties towards her
husband, disappeared there and then.
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