Bhashya
अथेति हेतूपदेशानन्तर्यप्रदर्शनार्थः ।हेतुप्रधानानि हिवाक्यानि अतीतानि ।तदनन्तरम् आगमप्रधानेन प्रतिज्ञा-तोऽर्थः निगम्यते मैत्रेयीब्राह्मणेन ।ह-शब्दः वृत्तावद्योतकः ।याज्ञवल्क्यस्य ऋषेः किल द्वे भार्ये पत्न्यौ बभूवतुः आस्ताम्-मैत्रेयी च नामत एका, अपरा कात्यायनी नामतः ।तयो-र्भार्ययोः मैत्रेयी ह किल ब्रह्मवादिनी ब्रह्मवदनशीला बभूवआसीत् ; स्त्रीप्रज्ञा- स्त्रियां या उचिता सा स्त्रीप्रज्ञा- सैवयस्याः प्रज्ञा गृहप्रयोजनान्वेषणलक्षणा, सा स्त्रीप्रज्ञैव तर्हितस्मिन्काले आसीत् कात्यायनी ।अथ एवं सति ह किलयाज्ञवल्क्यः अन्यत् पूर्वस्माद्गार्हस्थ्यलक्षणाद्वृत्तात् पारिव्रा-ज्यलक्षणं वृत्तम् उपाकरिष्यन् उपाचिकीर्षुः सन् ॥
In plain words
The word 'now' here simply marks what comes right after a reason has been given — the argument-heavy sentences that came before have run their course. Right on their heels, the scripture-based claim made earlier gets brought home in the Maitreyi section. And the word 'indeed' just signals that what follows is old, remembered story. Yajnavalkya the sage, so the story goes, had two wives: one named Maitreyi, the other named Katyayani. Of the two, Maitreyi could genuinely speak about Brahman — that was simply her nature. 'A woman's understanding' means the kind of understanding suited to running a household and nothing more; and that was exactly the understanding Katyayani had at the time. So, this being the situation, Yajnavalkya — so the story goes — was about to leave the householder's life behind and take up the very different life of a wandering renunciate...
Close to the Sanskrit
'Atha' here indicates the immediacy following the statement of a reason; for sentences dominated by reason have now passed. Immediately after that, the meaning already promised by the scripture-predominant section is now concluded by the Maitreyī-brāhmaṇa. The word 'ha' is an indicator of a well-known past occurrence. Yājñavalkya the sage, indeed, had two wives — so it is said — Maitreyī, one by name, and the other, Kātyāyanī by name. Of these two wives, Maitreyī, indeed, was — so it is said — versed in discourse on Brahman, of the nature of one habituated to speaking of Brahman. 'Strī-prajñā' means: that understanding which is fitting for a woman is 'strī-prajñā' — that very understanding whose scope is limited to seeking out the concerns of the household; possessed of only that woman's understanding was Kātyāyanī at that time. Now, this being so, Yājñavalkya, indeed — so it is said — being about to undertake, being desirous of undertaking, another mode of life, characterized as renunciation, distinct from the former mode of life characterized as householdership...