Shloka 5
धर्मलक्षण-प्रश्नः (Marks and Sources of Dharma) | Chapter 251: Inquiry into the Definition of Dharma
ताप: पाक: प्रकाशश्न ज्योतिश्नक्षुश्न॒ पजचमम् । तस्य रूपं गुणं विद्यात् ताम्रगौरासितात्मकम्
tāpaḥ pākaḥ prakāśaś ca jyotiś cakṣuś ca pañcamam | tasya rūpaṃ guṇaṃ vidyāt tāmra-gaurāsitātmakam ||
ব্যাসে ক’লে—তাপ, পাক (ৰন্ধন/পৰিপাক), প্ৰকাশ, জ্যোতি (দীপ্তি) আৰু দৃষ্টিশক্তি—এই সকলো তেজ (অগ্নিতত্ত্ব)ৰ কাৰ্য। ইয়াৰ প্ৰত্যক্ষ ৰূপ-গুণ তাম্ৰবৰ্ণ, গৌৰ/উজ্জ্বল আৰু অসিত/শ্যাম আদি বৰ্ণত প্ৰকাশ পায় বুলি বুজিব লাগে।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tejas (the fire principle) is known by its functions—heat, transformation/cooking, illumination, radiance, and enabling sight—and by its visible qualities such as coppery, bright, or dark coloration; thus one should infer subtle causes from observable effects.
In the Shanti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Vyasa is enumerating the characteristics of a fundamental element (tejas/agni), describing how it manifests in the world and in the senses, as part of a broader teaching on tattvas and discernment.