Text 20
vyaktaṁ tvam utkṛṣṭa-gateḥ prajāpateḥ
priyātmajānām asi subhru me matā
tathāpi mānaṁ na pituḥ prapatsyase
mad-āśrayāt kaḥ paritapyate yataḥ
vyaktam — it is clear; tvam — you; utkṛṣṭa-gateḥ — having the best behavior; prajāpateḥ — of Prajāpati Dakṣa; priyā — the pet; ātmajānām — of the daughters; asi — you are; subhru — O you with the beautiful eyebrows; me — my; matā — considered; tathā api — yet; mānam — honor; na — not; pituḥ — from your father; prapatsyase — you will meet with; mat-āśrayāt — from connection with me; kaḥ — Dakṣa; paritapyate — is feeling pain; yataḥ — from whom.
My dear white-complexioned wife, it is clear that of the many daughters of Dakṣa you are the pet, yet you will not be honored at his house because of your being my wife. Rather, you will be sorry that you are connected with me.
Lord Śiva put forward the argument that even if Satī proposed to go alone, without her husband, still she would not be received well because she was his wife. There was every chance of a catastrophe, even if she wanted to go alone. Therefore Lord Śiva indirectly requested her not to go to her father’s house.