Shloka 3
ध्यानयोगवर्णनम्
Description of the Path of Meditation
भरद्वाज उवाच अग्नेर्यथा तथा तस्य यदि नाशो न विद्यते | इन्धनस्योपयोगान्ते स चाग्नि्नोपलभ्यते,भरद्वाजने पूछा--भगवन्! यदि अग्निके समान जीवका नाश नहीं होता तो ईंधनके जल जानेपर वह भी तो बुझ ही जाती है; फिर उसकी तो उपलब्धि नहीं होती है
bharadvāja uvāca | agner yathā tathā tasya yadi nāśo na vidyate | indhanasyopayogānte sa cāgnir nopalabhyate ||
ভরদ্বাজ বললেন—ভগবন! যদি অগ্নির মতো জীবের নাশ না হয়, তবে ইন্ধন সম্পূর্ণ ভোগ হয়ে গেলে সেই অগ্নিই বা কেন আর উপলব্ধ হয় না? তেমনি, যদি জীব অবিনশ্বর হয়, দেহরূপ আশ্রয় ক্ষয় হলে তার স্থিতি কীভাবে জানা যাবে?
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an epistemic challenge: even if something is said to be imperishable (like fire as a principle), it may become unperceived when its supporting conditions (fuel) are exhausted. Bharadvāja presses the teacher to explain how the self’s non-destruction can be reconciled with the apparent disappearance at death—distinguishing reality from mere perceptibility.
In a philosophical dialogue in Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja raises a doubt using the example of fire: when fuel is consumed, fire is no longer seen. He asks how, by analogy, one can claim the jīva/ātman does not perish if it is not apprehended once the body’s sustaining factors end.