Shloka 17
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
तस्या रूपेण सम्मत्ता देवगन्धर्वदानवा:
tasyā rūpeṇa sammattā devagandharvadānavāḥ
Bhīṣma disse: «Enfeitiçados por sua beleza, os deuses, os Gandharvas e os Dānavas ficaram todos cativados—mostrando como a forma exterior pode influenciar até seres excelsos e tornar-se uma força poderosa na ordem moral e social da narrativa.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the compelling power of external beauty and the ethical need for restraint: even lofty beings can be swayed by attraction, so dharma requires vigilance, self-mastery, and right discernment rather than being driven by infatuation.
Bhīṣma describes a woman whose beauty captivates multiple orders of beings—Devas, Gandharvas, and Dānavas—emphasizing her extraordinary allure and setting up the moral and social consequences that such fascination can trigger in the story.