Shloka 26
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
इन्द्रियाणि हि सर्वाणि प्रवर्तयति सा तदा । ततः सत्त्वं तमोभाव: प्रीतियोगात् प्रवर्तते
indriyāṇi hi sarvāṇi pravartayati sā tadā | tataḥ sattvaṃ tamo-bhāvaḥ prīti-yogāt pravartate ||
Bhishma sprach: Wenn sich der Intellekt mit Rajas (rajas) verbindet, setzt er alle Sinne in nach außen gerichtete Tätigkeit. Aus dem Kontakt mit den Gegenständen entsteht eine angenehme Anhaftung, und die Qualität von Sattva (sattva) tritt als Freude hervor. Danach aber kommt durch die Fehler des Menschen — wie Festhalten und Verblendung — ein tamasischer Zustand (tamas) zur Herrschaft, gekennzeichnet durch Trägheit und Verdunkelung.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma outlines a causal chain in inner life: when intellect is colored by rajas it drives the senses outward; enjoyment of objects produces pleasurable attachment that appears as sattvic delight; but unchecked attachment and related faults then thicken into tamas—obscuring discernment and leading to inertia or delusion. The ethical implication is to govern buddhi and sense-contact to prevent the slide from activity into bondage and darkness.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on conduct and inner discipline, Bhishma is teaching Yudhishthira about the workings of the guṇas and the senses. This verse explains how a rajasic intellect activates the senses and how subsequent pleasure and attachment can culminate in a tamasic state.