Shloka 14
स्त्रीस्वभावप्रश्नः — Nārada and Pañcacūḍā on Strī-svabhāva
Anuśāsana-parva 38
सन्त्येषां सिंहसत्त्वाश्ष व्याप्रसत्त्वास्तथापरे | वराहमृगसत्त्वाश्न॒ जलसत्त्वास्तथापरे,ब्राह्मणोंमें कुछ सिंहके समान शक्तिशाली होते हैं और कुछ व्याप्रके समान। कितनोंकी शक्ति वाराह और मृगके समान होती है। कितने ही जल-जन्तुओंके समान होते हैं
santy eṣāṃ siṃhasattvāś ca vyāghrasattvās tathāpare | varāhamṛgasattvāś ca jalasattvās tathāpare ||
Bhishma berkata: “Dalam kalangan Brahmin itu, ada yang memiliki kekuatan dan semangat seperti singa, dan ada pula seperti harimau. Ada yang bertenaga seperti babi hutan dan rusa, sementara yang lain seperti makhluk-makhluk air.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma emphasizes that even within a revered social group (here, Brahmins), people differ widely in innate disposition and capability—some are bold and powerful like lions or tigers, others have different kinds of strength or adaptability. Ethical judgment and social understanding should account for this diversity of temperament rather than assuming uniformity.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues his instruction on dharma. In this verse he uses animal metaphors to classify differing temperaments among Brahmins, illustrating variation in strength, spirit, and behavioral tendencies.