Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अलाभात्‌ पुरुषाणां हि भयात्‌ परिजनस्य च । वधबन्धभयाच्चापि स्वयं गुप्ता भवन्ति ता:,पुरुषोंके न मिलनेसे, घरके दूसरे लोगोंके भयसे तथा वध और बन्धनके डरसे ही स्त्रियाँ सुरक्षित रहती हैं

Transliteration

alābhāt puruṣāṇāṃ hi bhayāt parijanasya ca | vadhabandhabhayāc cāpi svayaṃ guptā bhavanti tāḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: “De fato, pela falta de homens, por medo da casa e dos parentes, e também por temor de morte e prisão, essas mulheres permanecem resguardadas—contendo-se por sua própria segurança.”

Word by Word

अलाभात्from non-attainment (non-availability)

पुरुषाणाम्of men

हिindeed/for

भयात्from fear

परिजनस्यof the household/relatives

चand

वधkilling

बन्धbinding/imprisonment

भयात्from fear

चand

अपिalso/even

स्वयम्by themselves

गुप्ताःprotected/guarded

भवन्तिbecome/are

ताःthose (women)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames “safety/guarding” as arising from social constraints and fear—absence of opportunity, fear of family censure, and fear of punishment—highlighting how external pressures can enforce restraint and what is presented as protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and social conduct; here he comments on the factors by which women are said to remain guarded, emphasizing household oversight and deterrence through fear of consequences.