Shloka 20
स्त्रीस्वभावप्रश्नः — Nārada and Pañcacūḍā on Strī-svabhāva
Anuśāsana-parva 38
अशव्यं स्प्रष्टमाकाशमचाल्यो हिमवान् गिरि: | अधार्या सेतुना गड्ढा दुर्जया ब्राह्मणा भुवि
bhīṣma uvāca | aśavyaṃ spraṣṭum ākāśam acālyo himavān giriḥ | adhāryā setunā gaḍḍhā durjayā brāhmaṇā bhuvi ||
قال بهيشما: يستحيل لمسُ السماء؛ ولا يمكن زعزعةُ جبل الهيمالايا؛ ولا يُحبَسُ الوادي السحيق ببناء سدّ. وكذلك على هذه الأرض فإنّ البراهمة (Brāhmaṇa) لا يُقهَرون البتّة—فلا يُبتغى قهرُهم، بل يُكرَمون ويُصان شأنُهم وفق الدارما (dharma).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that Brāhmaṇas, as bearers of sacred learning and moral authority, should not be treated as opponents to be subdued; attempting to 'conquer' them is portrayed as futile and adharma, like trying to touch the sky or shake the Himālaya.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma delivers moral counsel using a chain of impossibility-similes (sky, Himālaya, ravine restrained by a dam) to emphasize the social-ethical point that Brāhmaṇas are not to be overpowered and must be respected.