Shloka 39
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
नीलोत्पलसवर्णाभ॑ तीक्षणदंष्टं कृशोदरम् । प्रांशुं सुदुर्धरषतरं तथैव हमितौजसम्
nīlotpalasavarṇābhaṃ tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭraṃ kṛśodaram | prāṃśuṃ sudurdharṣataraṃ tathaiva hamitaujasam ||
Bhishma berkata: “Warna tubuhnya gelap seperti teratai biru; taringnya tampak amat tajam, dan perutnya sangat kurus. Ia kelihatan sangat tinggi, sama sekali sukar ditandingi, serta memiliki sinar keagungan yang tiada terukur.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how extraordinary power and fearsome appearance can coexist with austerity-like leanness; in Shanti Parva’s ethical frame, such descriptions often serve to highlight the awe inspired by formidable beings and to caution that true discernment should look beyond mere external terror or brilliance when judging dharma.
Bhishma is describing a formidable being’s physical traits—dark-blue-lotus hue, sharp fangs, lean abdomen, great height, and immeasurable radiance—emphasizing its near-invincibility and overwhelming presence within the ongoing discourse of Shanti Parva.