Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 39: Kausalyā Instructs Sītā
Text 2.39.21
एष स्वभावो नारीणामनुभूय पुरा सुखम्।
अल्पामप्यापदं प्राप्य दुष्यन्ति प्रजहत्यपि॥
eṣa svabhāvo nārīṇām anubhūya purā sukham
alpām apy āpadaṁ prāpya duṣyanti prajahaty api
eṣaḥ = this; svabhāvaḥ = is the nature; nārīṇām = of such women; anubhūya = having experienced; purā = previously; sukham = happiness; alpām = a minor; api = even; āpadam = calamity; prāpya = upon coming across; duṣyanti = they become perverse; prajahati = and abandon [their husband]; api = even.
This is the nature of such women: Having previously experienced happiness, upon coming across even a minor calamity, they become perverse and even abandon [their husband].