Shloka 50

Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

रूयुवाच स्त्रीत्वमेव वृणे शक्र पुंस्त्वं नेच्छामि वासव । एवमुक्तस्तु देवेन्द्रस्तां स्त्रियं प्रत्युवाच ह

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | strītvam eva vṛṇe śakra puṁstvaṁ necchāmi vāsava | evam uktas tu devendras tāṁ striyaṁ pratyuvāca ha |

Translation

স্ত্রী বলল— “হে শক্র! আমি নারীত্বই বরণ করি; হে বাসব! আমি আর পুরুষ হতে চাই না।” এ কথা শুনে দেবরাজ ইন্দ্র সেই নারীর প্রতি আবার বললেন।

Word by Word

• रूयुः: Rūyu (proper name)
• रूयुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्त्रीत्वम्: womanhood
• स्त्रीत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वृणे: I choose
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वृञ् वरणे)
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Atmanepada

• शक्र: O Śakra (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुंस्त्वम्: manhood
• पुंस्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• इच्छामि: I desire/want
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वासव: O Vāsava (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been addressed/so spoken to
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• देवेन्द्रः: the lord of the gods (Indra)
• देवेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ताम्: her/that (woman)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• स्त्रियम्: woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards/in reply to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Indra
• Śakra
• Vāsava
• the woman (strī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical agency: even when a powerful deity is addressed, the speaker asserts a deliberate choice regarding identity and embodiment. It suggests that dharma involves owning one’s chosen path and accepting its consequences, rather than seeking advantage through a change of form.

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman speaks to Indra (Śakra/Vāsava), declaring that she chooses to remain a woman and does not want manhood. Indra, hearing this, responds by questioning her—continuing a divine-human (or divine-mortal) exchange about her wish and its implications.