Shloka 11

ज्ञानेन हि यदा जन्तुरज्ञानप्रभवं तम: । व्यपोहति तदा ब्रह्म प्रकाशति सनातनम्‌,जब जीव तत्त्वज्ञानद्वारा अज्ञानजनित अन्धकारको दूर कर देता है, तब उसके हृदयमें सनातन ब्रह्म प्रकाशित हो जाता है

jñānena hi yadā jantur ajñāna-prabhavaṁ tamaḥ | vyapohati tadā brahma prakāśati sanātanam ||

Bhīṣma sprach: Wenn ein Lebewesen durch wahres Wissen die aus Unwissenheit entstandene Finsternis vertreibt, dann wird der ewige Brahman im Innern offenbar—im Herzen strahlend. Die ethische Stoßrichtung lautet: Innere Befreiung wird nicht durch äußere Gewalt erlangt, sondern durch das Entfernen der Unwissenheit mittels Unterscheidungskraft und rechter Einsicht.

ज्ञानेनby knowledge
ज्ञानेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
यदाwhen
यदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदा
जन्तुःthe living being
जन्तुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अज्ञानप्रभवम्born of ignorance
अज्ञानप्रभवम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअज्ञान-प्रभव
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तमःdarkness
तमः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतमस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
व्यपोहतिremoves/drives away
व्यपोहति:
TypeVerb
Rootअप + ऊह् (व्यपोहन)
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तदाthen
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
ब्रह्मBrahman (the Absolute)
ब्रह्म:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
प्रकाशतिshines forth/is revealed
प्रकाशति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + काश्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada
सनातनम्eternal
सनातनम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसनातन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
J
jantu (the living being)
B
Brahman

Educational Q&A

Ignorance is portrayed as inner darkness; when it is removed by jñāna (true discriminative knowledge), Brahman—the eternal reality—naturally reveals itself. Liberation is thus framed as a cognitive-spiritual transformation rather than an external acquisition.

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira about the means to inner peace and ultimate freedom. Here he emphasizes knowledge as the direct remover of ignorance, leading to the manifestation of Brahman.