Shloka 136
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
अपि विश्वकृता तात कुतस्तु पुरुषैरिह । तात! लोकस्रष्टा ब्रह्मा-जैसा पुरुष भी स्त्रियोंकी किसी प्रकार रक्षा नहीं कर सकता, फिर साधारण पुरुषोंकी तो बात ही क्या
api viśvakṛtā tāta kutas tu puruṣair iha |
Bhishma berkata: “Anakku, bila bahkan Sang Pencipta alam semesta seperti Brahma pun tidak mampu menjamin perlindungan perempuan dalam segala hal, maka apa yang dapat dilakukan lelaki biasa di dunia ini?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores human limitation in guaranteeing safety and control over outcomes: if even the cosmic Creator cannot ensure complete protection in all circumstances, ordinary people should act responsibly yet remain aware that results are not fully within their power.
Bhīṣma, instructing Yudhiṣṭhira in the Anuśāsana Parva’s dharma teachings, makes a rhetorical comparison to Brahmā to emphasize that absolute protection cannot be promised by any human agent.