FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.10.55

प्रेम्णानुवृत्त्या शीलेन प्रश्रयावनता सती । भिया ह्रिया च भावज्ञा भर्तु: सीताहरन्मन: ॥ ५५ ॥
premṇānuvṛttyā śīlena
[premnaanuvrittyaa sheelena]
praśrayāvanatā satī
[prashrayaavanataa satee]
bhiyā hriyā ca bhāva-jñā
[bhiyaa hriyaa cha bhaava-jnaa]
bhartuḥ sītāharan manaḥ
[bhartuh seetaaharan manah]
premṇā anuvṛttyā — because of service rendered to the husband with love and faith śīlena — by such good character praśraya-avanatā — always very submissive and ready to satisfy the husband satī — chaste bhiyā — by being afraid hriyā — by shyness ca — also bhāva-jñā — understanding the attitude (of the husband) bhartuḥ — of her husband, Lord Rāmacandra sītā — mother Sītā aharat — simply captivated manaḥ — the mind.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
premṇānuvṛttyā śīlena
premṇā anuvṛttyā
because of service rendered to the husband with love and faith
śīlena
by such good character
praśrayāvanatā satī
praśraya-avanatā
always very submissive and ready to satisfy the husband
satī
chaste
bhiyā hriyā ca bhāva-jñā
bhiyā
by being afraid
hriyā
by shyness
ca
also
bhāva-jñā
understanding the attitude (of the husband)
bhartuḥ sītāharan manaḥ
bhartuḥ
of her husband, Lord Rāmacandra
sītā
mother Sītā
aharat
simply captivated
manaḥ
the mind.
Mother Sītā was very submissive, faithful, shy and chaste, always understanding the attitude of her husband. Thus by her character and her love and service she completely attracted the mind of the Lord.

As Lord Rāmacandra is the ideal husband ( eka-patnī-vrata ), mother Sītā is the ideal wife. Such a combination makes family life very happy. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: whatever example a great man sets, common people follow. If the kings, the leaders, and the brāhmaṇas, the teachers, would set forth the examples we receive from Vedic literature, the entire world would be heaven; indeed, there would no longer be hellish conditions within this material world.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Tenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, Rāmacandra.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
By her character and her love and service, by submissiveness, shyness and fear, understanding the love of her husband, Sītā attracted the mind of the Lord. Thus ends the commentary on the Tenth Chapter of the Ninth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Eleven Character of Rāma
Sītā is submissive, faithful, shy, chaste, attuned to her husband's mood — and thereby completely attracts the Lord. The combination of an ideal husband and an ideal wife makes home a kind of heaven.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the qualities listed here am I most lacking in my closest relationship?
  • What single attunement to my partner's actual mood could I practice today?
📝 My note

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