Shloka 17
Vivāha-dharma: Kanyā-pradāna, Śulka, and Pāṇigrahaṇa-niṣṭhā (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४४)
अवैक्षत सहस्राक्षस्तदा दिव्येन चक्षुषा । स ददर्श मुनि तस्या: शरीरान्तरगोचरम्,वहाँ खड़े हुए इन्द्र उसकी पूर्वोक्त बात सुनकर मन-ही-मन बहुत दुःखी हुए। प्रजानाथ! उसके मनोविकार एवं भाव-परिवर्तनको लक्ष्य करके सहस्र नेत्रोंवाले देवराज इन्द्रने दिव्य दृष्टिसे उसकी ओर देखा। फिर तो उसके शरीरके भीतर विपुल मुनिपर उनकी दृष्टि पड़ी
avaikṣata sahasrākṣas tadā divyena cakṣuṣā | sa dadarśa munis tasyāḥ śarīrāntaragocaram ||
Bhishma sprach: Da blickte der tausendäugige Indra mit göttlichem Auge. Und er erblickte den Weisen, der in ihren Körper eingedrungen war—so trat die verborgene Wahrheit hinter dem äußeren Zustand und die innere Ursache ihrer Wandlung zutage.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that moral and factual reality may be concealed by outward appearances, and that true discernment—symbolized by Indra’s divine sight—penetrates to inner causes. Ethically, it cautions against judging solely by externals and points to the need for deeper insight when assessing conduct and consequence.
After hearing what has been said, Indra (called Sahasrākṣa) uses divine vision to look at the woman and perceives a sage present within her body—an unseen factor explaining her inner agitation and the situation’s hidden truth.