मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं माता मितं सुतः।
अमितस्य हि दातारं भर्तारं का न पूजयेत्॥
mitaṁ dadāti hi pitā mitaṁ mātā mitaṁ sutaḥ
amitasya hi dātāraṁ bhartāraṁ kā na pūjayet
mitam = a little bit; dadāti hi = gives her; pitā = her father; mitam = [gives her] a little bit; mātā = her mother; mitam = [too gives her] a little bit; sutaḥ = her son; amitasya hi = a lot; dātāram = who gives her; bhartāram = her husband; kā = which [experienced] woman; na = not; pūjayet = would honor.
Her father gives her a little bit. Her mother [gives her] a little bit. Her son [too gives her] a little bit. Which [experienced] woman would not honor her husband who gives her a lot?[1
1 A literal translation would be: “Her father gives her limited benefit. Her mother [gives her] limited benefit. Her son [gives her] limited benefit. Who would not honor her husband who gives her unlimitedly?”
1 In other words, a father, mother and a son benefit a woman in this life, but a husband benefits a woman in this life and in the next. All of this, of course, is meant to be considered in an environment of allegiance to Vedic dharma. Despite this, the distribution of benefits is arranged in this manner by the laws of nature.
“A little bit” means “benefits in this life only.” “A lot” means “benefits in this life and in the next.”1