and beasts without any (exhibition of) jealousy. That practice, sanctioned by precedent, is applauded by great Rishis. O thou of taper thighs, the practice is yet regarded with respect amongst the Northern Kurus. Indeed, that usage, so lenient to women hath the sanction of antiquity. The present practice, however (of women's being confined to one husband for life) hath been established but lately. I shall tell thee in detail who established it and why.
"It hath been heard by us that there was a great Rishi of the name of Uddalaka, who had a son named Swetaketu who also was an ascetic of merit. O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, the present vituous practice bath been established by that Swetaketu from anger. Hear thou the reason. One day, in the presence of Swetaketu's father a Brahmana came and catching Swetaketu's mother by the hand, told her, -Let us go-Beholding his mother seized by the hand and taken away apparently by force, the son was greatly moved by wrath. Seeing his son indignant. Uddalaka addressed him and said, -Be not angry O son! This is the practice sanctioned by antiquity. The women of all orders in this world are free, O son, men in this matter, as regards their respective orders, act as kine--The Rishi's son Swetaketu, however, disapproved of the usage and established in the world the present practice as regards men and women. It hath been heard by us, O thou of great virtue, that the existing practice dates from that period among human beings but not among beings of other classes. Accordingly, since the establishment of the present usage, it is sinful for women not to adhere to their busbands. Women transgressing the limits assigned by the Rishs became guilty of slaying the embryo. And men, too. violating a chaste and loving wife who hath from her maidenhood observed the vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin. The woman also who, being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, refuses to do his bidding, becometh equally sinful.
"Thus, o timid one, was the existing usage established of old by Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka in defiance of antiquity. O thou of taper thighs, it hath also been heard by us that Madayanti, the wife of Saudasa, commanded by her husband to raise offspring, went unto Rishi Vasistha. And on going in unto him, the handsome Mada yanti obtained a son named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her husband. O thou of lotus-eyes thou knowest, o timid girl, how we ourselves, for the prepetuation of the Kuru race. were begotten by Krishna Dwaipayana. O faultless one, beholding all these precedents it behoveth thee to do my bidding, which is not inconsistent with virtue. O princess, who is devoted to her
