Chapter 144

“Bhishma said, ‘In one of the branches of that tree, a pigeon withbeautiful feathers, O king, lived for many years with his family. Thatmorning his wife had gone out in search of food but had not yet returned.Seeing the night had come and his wife still unreturned, the bird beganto indulge in lamentations: ‘Oh, great has been the storm and painful theshower that came today! Alas, thou has not yet returned, O dear wife! Woeis on me, what can be the cause that she has not yet comeback to us? Isevery thing right with that dear spouse of mine in the forest? Separatedfrom her, this my home appears to me empty! A house-holder’s home, evenif filled with sons and grandsons and daughters-in-law and servants, isregarded empty if destitute of the housewife. One’s house is not one’shome; one’s wife only is one’s home. A house without the wife is asdesolate as the wilderness. If that dear wife of mine, of eyes fringedwith red, of variegated plumes, and of sweet voice, does not come backtoday, my life itself will cease to be of any value. Of excellent vows,she never eats before I eat, and never bathes before I bathe. She neversits before I sit down, and never lies before I lie down. She rejoices ifI rejoice, and becomes sorry when I am sorry. When I am away she becomescheerless, and when I am angry she ceases not to speak sweetly. Everdevoted to her lord and ever relying upon her lord, she was ever employedin doing what was agreeable to and beneficial for her lord. Worthy ofpraise is that person on earth who own such a spouse. That amiablecreature knows that I am fatigued and hungry. Devoted to me and constantin her love, my famous spouse is exceedingly sweet-tempered and worshipsme devoutly. Even the foot of a tree is one’s home if one lives therewith one’s spouse as a companion. Without one’s spouse, a very palace istruly a desolate wilderness. One’s spouse is one’s associate in all one’sacts of Virtue, Profit and Pleasure. When one sets out for a strange landone’s wife is one’s trusted companion. It is said that the wife is therichest possession of her lord. In this world the wife is the onlyassociate of her lord in all the concerns of life.[433] The wife is everthe best of medicines that one can have in sickness and woe. There is nofriend like unto the wife. There is no refuge better than the wife. Thereis no better ally in the world than the wife in acts undertaken for theacquisition of religious merit. He that has not in his house a wife thatis chaste and of agreeable speech, should go to the woods. For such a manthere is no difference between home and wilderness.'”