Shloka 14
अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च
Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations
रुधिरार्द्रो च धर्मज् चीरवल्कलवासिनी । साभिनिष्क्रम्य राजेन्द्र तादूगूपा भयावहा
rudhirārdrā ca dharmajña cīravalkaḷavāsinī | sābhinīṣkramya rājendra tādṛgūpā bhayāvahā ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “O panginoon ng mga hari, siya—basang-basa sa dugo, ngunit marunong kumilala sa dharma—naninirahan sa kasuotang balat ng puno at mga basahang punit, ay lumabas; at sa anyong iyon mismo siya’y nakapanghihilakbot, nagbubunsod ng takot sa sinumang makakita.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes outward horror (blood-soaked, fearsome appearance) with inner moral clarity (dharmajña). It suggests that ethical authority and dharma can reside even in forms that appear frightening or socially marginal, and that kings should judge by righteousness rather than mere appearance.
Bhīṣma describes a woman emerging before the king, clad in ascetic bark-garments and rags, drenched in blood. Her sudden appearance and dreadful form create fear, setting a tense moral and narrative atmosphere for what follows.