Shloka 15
स्त्रीस्वभावप्रश्नः — Nārada and Pañcacūḍā on Strī-svabhāva
Anuśāsana-parva 38
सर्पस्पर्शसमा: केचित् तथान्ये मकरस्पृश: । विभाष्यघातिन: केचित् तथा चक्षुर्हणो5परे
sarpa-sparśa-samāḥ kecit tathānye makara-spṛśaḥ | vibhāṣya-ghātinaḥ kecit tathā cakṣur-haṇo 'pare ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Ada makhluk yang sentuhannya seperti ular, dan ada pula yang sentuhannya seperti buaya. Ada yang membinasakan dengan melafazkan sumpahan, dan ada yang membakar seseorang menjadi abu hanya dengan pandangan murka.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that some individuals possess destructive power through mere contact, speech (especially curse-like utterance), or even an angry look—implying the ethical need for restraint, careful association, and control of anger and speech.
Bhīṣma is describing different kinds of dangerous persons/beings: some harm like a serpent’s touch, others like a crocodile’s grip; some kill through spoken words (curses), and others through a wrathful glance, emphasizing the varied forms of harm.