Shloka 78
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः
Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma
द्रवमाणे च भीते च तवास्मीति च वादिनि । स्त्रियां स्त्रीनामथेये च विकले चैकपुत्रके
dravamāṇe ca bhīte ca tavāsmīti ca vādini | striyāṃ strīṇām atheye ca vikale caikaputrake
Bhīṣma berkata: “Janganlah memukul atau mencederakan seorang wanita—terutama ketika dia lari dalam panik, ketika dia ketakutan, ketika dia merayu menyerah sambil berkata ‘aku milikmu’, ketika dia berada di kalangan wanita tanpa pelindung, ketika dia cacat atau tidak berdaya, atau ketika dia satu-satunya ibu kepada seorang anak lelaki tunggal.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma articulates a dharmic restraint: even amid conflict, one must protect those who are vulnerable and non-combatant—especially women in fear, flight, surrender, isolation, disability, or precarious family dependence (an only son).
In Bhīṣma Parva, Bhīṣma is presenting norms of righteous conduct connected with warfare and protection. This verse lists specific conditions under which a woman is to be treated as inviolable and safeguarded rather than harmed.