Shloka 49
पापात्म-धर्मात्म-लक्षणम् तथा निर्वेदेन मोक्षमार्गः | Marks of the Sinful and the Righteous; Dispassion (Nirveda) as a Path to Liberation
परवानस्मि चेत्युक्त: प्रणयिष्यति तेन च । अत्र चाकुशले जाते स्त्रिया नास्ति व्यतिक्रम:
paravān asmi cety uktaḥ praṇayiṣyati tena ca | atra cākuśale jāte striyā nāsti vyatikramaḥ ||
भीष्म बोले—मैंने विनयपूर्वक कहा, ‘भगवन्! मैं आपके अधीन हूँ।’ मुझे आशा थी कि इस सत्कार से अतिथि मुझ पर स्नेह करेंगे; पर यहाँ इन्द्र की विषयासक्ति से दुःखद घटना घट गई। इसमें स्त्री का कोई अपराध नहीं, न उसने कोई मर्यादा भंग की।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes ethical discernment in assigning blame: even when misfortune arises, one should not accuse the innocent. It also highlights the ideal of atithi-dharma (reverence to guests) and warns that uncontrolled desire—even in a powerful figure like Indra—can cause harm.
The speaker recounts that he humbly submitted himself to a guest’s authority, expecting goodwill in return. Instead, an unfortunate incident occurs because of Indra’s lustful impulse, and the speaker explicitly absolves the woman of wrongdoing.