Shloka 50
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
रूयुवाच स्त्रीत्वमेव वृणे शक्र पुंस्त्वं नेच्छामि वासव । एवमुक्तस्तु देवेन्द्रस्तां स्त्रियं प्रत्युवाच ह
bhīṣma uvāca | strītvam eva vṛṇe śakra puṁstvaṁ necchāmi vāsava | evam uktas tu devendras tāṁ striyaṁ pratyuvāca ha |
La femme dit : «Ô Śakra, je choisis la condition de femme seule ; ô Vāsava, je ne souhaite plus être un homme.» Lorsqu’elle eut parlé ainsi, le seigneur des dieux répondit à cette femme et la questionna davantage.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.