Shloka 52
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
स्त्रिया: पुरुषसंयोगे प्रीतिरभ्यधिका सदा । एतस्मात् कारणाच्छक्र स्त्रीत्वमेव वृणोम्पहम्,देवेन्द्र! सत्रीका पुरुषके साथ संयोग होनेपर स्त्रीको ही पुरुषकी अपेक्षा अधिक विषयसुख प्राप्त होता है, इसी कारणसे मैं स्त्रीत्वका ही वरण करती हूँ"
striyāḥ puruṣa-saṃyoge prītir abhyadhikā sadā | etasmāt kāraṇāc chakra strītvam eva vṛṇomi aham, devendra |
“ഹേ ശക്രാ, ദേവേന്ദ്രാ! പുരുഷനോടുള്ള സംഗമത്തിൽ സ്ത്രീക്കാണ് എപ്പോഴും അധികമായ ആനന്ദം; അതുകൊണ്ടാണ് ഞാൻ സ്ത്രീത്വം തന്നെയെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്നത്.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a comparative claim about sensual delight in sexual union—stating that a woman’s pleasure is greater—and uses that claim to justify a deliberate preference for womanhood. It frames bodily experience as a factor in personal choice, while remaining within a didactic dialogue addressed to Indra.
Bhīṣma addresses Indra (Śakra/Devendra) and states a reasoned preference: because women are said to experience greater pleasure in union with men, he declares that he would choose to be a woman. The line functions as a pointed remark within a moral-discursive context rather than battlefield narration.