Shloka 163
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
पुनरायात् पुरं तात स्त्रीकृतो नृपसत्तम: । “अब स्त्रीभाव आ जानेसे उस अश्वपर कैसे चढ़ सकूँगी?” तात! किसी-किसी तरह महान् प्रयत्न करके वे स्त्रीरूपधारी नरेश घोड़ेपर चढ़कर अपने नगरमें आये
punar āyāt puraṃ tāta strīkṛto nṛpasattamaḥ |
Kemudian, wahai anakku, raja termulia itu—yang telah berubah menjadi perempuan—kembali ke kotanya. Ia berpikir, “Kini setelah kewanitaan menimpaku, bagaimana aku dapat menaiki kuda itu?” Namun dengan upaya yang besar, bagaimanapun caranya, ia menaiki kuda dalam wujud perempuannya dan tiba di ibu kota.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one’s condition changes abruptly and brings embarrassment or practical difficulty, steadiness of mind and determined effort enable one to continue one’s rightful course; dignity is shown through perseverance rather than surrender to circumstance.
Bhishma narrates that a king, transformed into a woman, worries about how to mount a horse in that state, yet with great effort manages to mount and returns to his city.