Savitribai Phule · Sanskrit Story
No Child Should Be a Bride
बाला वधू न भवेत्
Hari Narke (ed.) — Savitribai Phule Samagra Vangmay; R. O'Hanlon — Caste, Conflict and Ideology (1985) · Intermediate
The Empty Seat
एकस्मिन् दिने कक्षायां एकम् आसनं रिक्तम् आसीत्। सावित्री अपृच्छत् — "लक्ष्मी कुत्र?" बालिकाः मौनाः — तदनन्तरम् एका अवदत् — "तस्याः विवाहः सन्ध्याकाले।" सावित्री क्षणम् स्तब्धा — तदनन्तरं लेखनीम् उत्थाप्य अलिखत्। "इदं पाप्म — बालवयसि विवाहः।"
One day in the classroom one seat (āsana — आसनम्) was empty (rikta — रिक्तम्). Savitribai asked — "Where is Lakshmi?" The girls were silent — then one said — "Her wedding is this evening." Savitribai was momentarily still — then she picked up her pen and wrote. "This is a sin — marriage in childhood."
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