Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 61: Kausalyā Condemns Daśaratha in Extreme Distress
Text 2.61.26
गतिरेका पतिर्नार्या द्वितीया गतिरात्मजः।
तृतीया ज्ञातयो राजंश्चतुर्थी नेह विद्यते॥
gatir ekā patir nāryā dvitīyā gatir ātmajaḥ
tṛtīyā jñātayo rājaṁś caturthī neha vidyate
gatiḥ = shelter; ekā = the first; patiḥ = is her husband; nāryāḥ = of a woman; dvitīyā = her second; gatiḥ = shelter; ātmajaḥ = is her son; tṛtīyā = her third shelter; jñātayaḥ = is her father and other relatives; rājan = O king; caturthī = a fourth shelter; na iha vidyate = she does not have.
The first shelter of a woman is her husband. Her second shelter is her son. Her third shelter is her father and other relatives. O king, she does not have a fourth shelter.
Because of the king’s unethical action, she is lost. She expresses this here.
A woman’s first shelter, that is, her primary shelter is her husband. Her second shelter refers to her shelter in the absence of her husband.1 Her third shelter refers to her shelter in the absence of her husband and sons. Her fourth shelter refers to her independence. [This does not exist in a community that follows Vedic authority.] This is stated in the Smṛti:
pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvane
vārdhake tanayo rakṣen na strī svātantryam arhati
“Her father protects her in her childhood. Her husband protects her in her youth. Her son should protect her in her old age. A woman should not be given independence.”2