Shloka 36
Bhaṅgāśvanopākhyāna — On comparative affection in strī–puruṣa union (भङ्गाश्वनोपाख्यानम्)
अवगादश्न सरसि स्त्रीभूतो ब्राह्मणोत्तम । पुत्रान् राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्प वनमस्मि ततो गत:
avagāḍaḥ snānaṃ sarasi strī-bhūto brāhmaṇottama | putrān rājye pratiṣṭhāpya vanam asmi tato gataḥ ||
भीष्म उवाच— ब्राह्मणोत्तम! कस्यचित् सरसि अवगाह्य स्नात्वा अहं पुरुषात् स्त्रीत्वं गतः। ततः पुत्रान् राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्य वनं गतवान्।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma through responsible transition: after an extraordinary personal change, the speaker ensures political continuity by installing heirs, then withdraws to the forest—highlighting duty to the realm followed by renunciant detachment.
Bhīṣma recounts a past episode: bathing in a lake causes a sex transformation (male to female). After this event, the person places his sons in charge of the kingdom and leaves for forest life.