Shloka 15
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
व्यायामे कर्कशत्वं च वीर्य च पुरुषे गुणा: । पौरुषं विप्रणष्टं वै स्त्रीत्वं केनापि मे5भवत्
vyāyāme karkaśatvaṃ ca vīryaṃ ca puruṣe guṇāḥ | pauruṣaṃ vipraṇaṣṭaṃ vai strītvaṃ kenāpi me 'bhavat ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Härte, die aus Anstrengung erwächst, und Kraft und Tapferkeit — dies gilt als männliche Tugend. Doch meine Manneskraft ist wahrlich geschwunden, und aus unbekanntem Grund hat sich in mir ein weibliches Wesen offenbart.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reflects on socially recognized ‘qualities’ associated with masculinity—toughness through exertion and valor—while acknowledging their impermanence. It points to the instability of embodied attributes and cautions against grounding identity or worth solely in gendered traits, a theme relevant to ethical self-understanding in dharma discourse.
Bhishma, speaking in the Anushasana Parva’s instructional setting, describes a personal change: despite the expected masculine qualities of effort and heroism, he experiences a loss of manly vigor and the arising of a feminine disposition, attributing it to an unknown cause. The statement functions as introspective testimony within a broader moral-ethical exposition.