Shloka 14
श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः
Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma
यथा चाल्पेन माल्येन वासितं तिलसर्षपम् । न मुज्चति स्वकं गन्ध॑ तद्वत् सूक्ष्मस्य दर्शनम्
yathā cālpena mālyena vāsitaṃ tilasarṣapam | na muñcati svakaṃ gandhaṃ tadvat sūkṣmasya darśanam ||
قال بهيشما: «كما أنّ زيت السمسم أو الخردل، وإن عُطِّر قليلًا بإكليلٍ صغير من الزهور، لا يترك رائحته الأصيلة، كذلك لا تُنال رؤية اللطيف (براهْمَن) بجهدٍ يسير، ولا تُزال العيوب بقليلٍ من الممارسة».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Small, superficial effort does not uproot ingrained tendencies or faults; likewise, direct realization of the Subtle Reality (Brahman) requires sustained, deeper practice rather than minimal or occasional attempts.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma continues advising the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in the broader frame) using a homely analogy: just as sesame/mustard retains its own smell despite light perfuming, a person’s inner defects and the highest realization are not transformed by slight effort.