(An excerpt from the Mahabharata also known as "The Brahmana’s Dilemma", translated by His Holiness Hridayananda dasa Goswami)
A brahmana from Ekachakra had been selected as Rakshasha Baka's next victim. His loving wife wishes to go in his place. Her plea makes an interesting study:
"How will I be able to protect our daughter when she is pursued by proud and indecent men unworthy of marriage with our family? Just as birds eagerly chase a piece of meat thrown on the ground, so do all men pursue and exploit a woman who has no strong man to protect her. O best of brahmanas, I will be disturbed by wicked men who will come lusting after me, and I will not have the power to stay on the godly path that is so revered by the decent.
"If you do not see to her religious education, how will I have the energy or authority to keep this young girl, your own daughter, on the path of her father and forefathers? How will I have the strength to instill good and necessary qualities in this young boy when he is fatherless and exploited all around? How will I teach him to care about religion as you do?
"Unworthy men will push me aside and go after your unprotected daughter, like the uncultured men who seek to force their way into the spiritual science. And if I don't want to give them this virgin girl, endowed with all your fine qualities, they will grow violent with me and take her by force, as crows steal clarified butter from the arena of sacrifice.
"When I am forced to see your son grow up unlike his father and your daughter fallen into the hands of unworthy men, and when I am despised by the people and forget my own soul in the company of polluted men, I shall undoubtedly die....
"O brahmana, for women it is the highest felicity and the noblest act to make the final journey before their husband, not to let the husband die and then try to take his place in their children's life....
"To always live for the good of her husband is far better for a woman than practice of austerities, sacrificial rites, religious formulas, and all kinds of charity.
"Putting the whole family on one side and you on the other, all of us are not equal to you. That would certainly be the decision of rational people....
"My gentle husband, it is not irreligious for men to take many wives, but it is most irreligious for women to betray their first husband."