Shloka 44

Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)

Devanagari script

वायुरूपेण वा शक्रो गुरुपत्नीं प्रधर्षयेत्‌

Transliteration

vāyurūpeṇa vā śakro gurupatnīṃ pradharṣayet

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—శక్రుడు (ఇంద్రుడు) గాలిరూపం ధరించి గురుపత్నిని అవమానించినా, అది మహాపాతకమైన ఘోర అపరాధమే.

Word by Word

• वायुरूपेण: in the form of wind
• वायुरूपेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायुरूप
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुपत्नीम्: the teacher's wife
• गुरुपत्नीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुपत्नी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रधर्षयेत्: might violate/assault
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-धृष्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śakra (Indra)
• guru-patnī (the teacher’s wife)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma does not excuse sexual violation on the basis of power, divinity, or disguise; the guru’s wife is especially protected, and violating her is a serious adharma regardless of who commits it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is laying down a strict ethical principle in his instruction: even the highest deity (Indra), even if acting invisibly like wind, would be blameworthy for violating the guru’s wife—emphasizing the inviolability of certain relationships and boundaries.