Shloka 47
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
रूयुवाच स्त्रियास्त्वभ्यधिक: स्नेहो न तथा पुरुषस्य वै | तस्मात् ते शक्र जीवन्तु ये जाता: स्त्रीकृतस्य वै
bhīṣma uvāca | striyās tv abhyadhikaḥ sneho na tathā puruṣasya vai | tasmāt te śakra jīvantu ye jātāḥ strīkṛtasya vai ||
স্ত্ৰীয়ে ক’লে— “হে শক্ৰ! স্ত্ৰীৰ স্নেহ নিশ্চয় অধিক; পুৰুষৰ স্নেহ তেনেকুৱা নহয়। সেয়ে, হে ইন্দ্ৰ, মই স্ত্ৰীৰূপত থাকোঁতে যিসকল জন্মিছিল, তেওঁলোকেই জীৱিত হওক।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical insight that maternal (or feminine-coded) affection is portrayed as especially intense and self-giving, and it uses that premise to justify a compassionate request: that those connected through such a birth relationship should be granted life.
Bhishma reports a statement addressed to Indra (Śakra): invoking the idea that a woman’s love for her children is greater than a man’s, the speaker asks Indra to restore to life those who were born when the speaker had taken on a female form.