Shloka 5
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
क्षुरधारा विषं सर्पो वल्विरित्येकतः स्त्रिय: । प्रजा इमा महाबाहो धार्मिक्य इति न: श्रुतम्
kṣuradhārā viṣaṃ sarpo valvir ity ekataḥ striyaḥ | prajā imā mahābāho dhārmikyā iti naḥ śrutam ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Lưỡi dao cạo, chất độc, rắn độc và lửa—người ta nói phụ nữ giống như tất cả những thứ ấy gộp lại. Thế nhưng, hỡi bậc dũng sĩ tay mạnh, ta cũng từng nghe rằng chính những người phụ nữ ấy, tự tính lại là dhārmikī—có bản chất thuận theo Chánh pháp.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes a harsh proverbial warning about the potential danger associated with women (likened to razor, poison, serpent, fire) with a counter-tradition affirming their capacity for righteousness. Ethically, it signals that inherited stereotypes exist, yet dharma requires a more balanced recognition of women’s moral agency and virtue.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instructional setting, Bhīṣma continues advising the king on dharma. Here he cites a traditional saying that portrays women as perilous, then immediately notes another received teaching that calls them dhārmikī, setting up a nuanced discussion rather than a one-sided condemnation.