Shloka 21
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
उस सरोवरमें उतरकर स्नान करते ही दैवने मुझे स्त्री बना दिया। अपनी स्त्रियों और मन्त्रियोंके नाम-गोत्र बताकर उन स्त्रीरूपधारी श्रेष्ठ नरेशने अपने पुत्रोंसे कहा--'पुत्रो! तुमलोग आपसमें प्रेमपूर्वक्क रहकर राज्यका उपभोग करो। अब मैं वनको चला जाऊँगा'
tasmin sarovare avatīrya snātvāiva daivena māṃ strī kṛtam. svāstrīṇāṃ mantriṇāṃ ca nāma-gotrāṇi nivedya strī-rūpa-dhārī sa śreṣṭho nṛpaḥ svaputrebhyaḥ provāca—“putrāḥ! yūyaṃ parasparaṃ premṇā saha vartamānā rājyaṃ bhuṅkṣvadhvam. adhunāhaṃ vanaṃ gamiṣyāmi.”
Begitu aku turun ke telaga itu dan mandi, seketika takdir mengubahku menjadi seorang perempuan. Lalu raja utama itu—kini berwujud perempuan—setelah menyebutkan nama serta garis keturunan para permaisuri dan menterinya, berkata kepada putra-putranya: “Wahai anak-anakku, hiduplah rukun dalam kasih dan nikmatilah kerajaan ini. Adapun aku, kini akan berangkat ke hutan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid extraordinary reversals brought by fate, the ruler’s duty is to secure orderly succession and social stability: he identifies legitimate relations and counselors, urges fraternal concord, and then embraces renunciation, showing restraint and prioritizing dharma over personal attachment.
After bathing in a lake, the narrator is transformed by fate into a woman. In that altered state, the king formally names his wives and ministers by lineage, instructs his sons to rule together in harmony, and announces his departure to the forest.