Shloka 29
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
किरीटी वज्रधृग् धन्वी मुकुटी बद्धकुण्डल:
kirīṭī vajradhṛg dhanvī mukuṭī baddhakuṇḍalaḥ | bāla! te kadācit mastake kirīṭa-mukuṭaṃ karṇayoḥ kuṇḍale ca hastayoś ca vajraṃ dhanuś ca dhārayitvā yānti, kadācit tuika-muhūrtena caṇḍāla-sadṛśā dṛśyante; punaś ca śikhā-jaṭā-cīra-vastra-dhāriṇo ṛṣaya iva bhavanti ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Anak ko, kung minsan ay nagpapakita sila bilang mga mandirigmang may korona—may diyadema sa ulo, may hikaw sa tainga, at tangan ang vajra at ang busog. Ngunit kung minsan din, sa loob lamang ng isang sandali, nagmumukha silang gaya ng caṇḍāla, isang itinakwil. Muli, nagiging tulad sila ng mga pantas—may tuktok na buhol ng buhok o gusot na jata, at nakadamit ng balat ng punò. Ganyan ang pabagu-bagong anyo nila, kaya’t nalilito ang karaniwang paghatol at itinuturo sa atin na lampasan ang panlabas upang makita ang asal at dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
External marks—royal ornaments, weapons, or ascetic dress—can change quickly and may mislead. Ethical discernment should rest on conduct and adherence to dharma rather than on appearance or social labeling.
Bhishma describes beings (or persons) whose outward forms shift dramatically: sometimes like crowned warriors with weapons, sometimes like outcastes, and sometimes like sages in ascetic attire—highlighting the instability of outward identity and the need for careful moral judgment.