O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, the present virtuous practice hath 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 husbands. Women transgressing the limits
assigned by the Rishi 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.
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