Chapter 118 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 118.2

नैतदाश्चर्यमार्यायां यन्मां त्वमनुभाषसे। विदितं तु ममाप्येतद् यथा नार्याः पतिर्गुरुः॥ यद्यप्येष भवेद् भर्ता अनार्यो वृत्तिवर्जितः। अद्वैधमत्र वर्तव्यं तथाप्येष मया भवेत्॥

naitadāścaryamāryāyāṃ yanmāṃ tvamanubhāṣase| viditaṃ tu mamāpyetad yathā nāryāḥ patirguruḥ|| yadyapyeṣa bhaved bhartā anāryo vṛttivarjitaḥ| advaidhamatra vartavyaṃ tathāpyeṣa mayā bhavet||

English Meaning

I know that a woman's spiritual guide is her husband. Even if a husband should be poor and of a disreputable character, he should be ungiudgingly obeyed by the like of me. one

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)