Shloka 10
Śakra–Śambara Saṃvāda: Brāhmaṇa-sevā, Anasūyā, and Vāg-bala (शक्रशम्बरसंवादः)
मुझे इनका अन्त दिखायी नहीं देता। इनके लिये किसी भी दिशाका द्वार बंद नहीं है। ये जिस समय क्रोधमें भर जाते हैं उस समय दावानलकी लपटोंके समान हो जाते हैं और वैसी ही दाहक दृष्टिसे देखने लगते हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | na me teṣām antaḥ pratyakṣo bhavati | na teṣāṁ diśāṁ prati kaścid dvāra-nirodhaḥ | yadā te krodhena samāviṣṭā bhavanti tadā dāvāgnijvālā-sadṛśā bhavanti tathā ca dāhakayā dṛṣṭyā paśyanti || bibhyaty eṣāṁ sāhasikā guṇās teṣām atīva hi | kūpā iva tṛṇacchannā viśuddhā dyaur ivāpare ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Hindi ko makita ang hangganan ng mga taong ito. Walang pintuang nakasara sa kanila sa alinmang direksiyon. Kapag napupuno sila ng galit, nagiging gaya sila ng mga dila ng apoy sa sunog sa gubat, at tumitingin nang may matang nakapapaso. Maging ang matatapang ay natatakot sa kanila, sapagkat napakadakila ng kanilang panloob na kagalingan. Sa mga brāhmaṇa na ito, may ilan na ikinukubli ang kapangyarihan na parang balong natatakpan ng damo, at may ilan namang lantad na nagniningning, dalisay at hayag gaya ng malinaw na langit.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights the formidable spiritual and moral potency attributed to brāhmaṇas: their virtues and inner power can be so great that even the brave fear them, especially when anger is unleashed. He also distinguishes between those who conceal their strength in humility and those whose purity and influence are openly evident.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhīṣma is describing a class of brāhmaṇas and their nature—unbounded in capability, terrifying when enraged, and varied in outward expression: some hide their radiance like a grass-covered well, while others shine like the clear sky.