Shloka 29

Haṃsa–Sādhya Saṃvāda: Satya, Dama, Kṣamā and the Discipline of Speech

Devanagari script

सम्भवं च विनाशं च भूतानां चेष्टितं तथा । यस्तत्त्वतो विजानाति लोके5स्मिन्‌ मुक्त एव सः

Transliteration

sambhavaṃ ca vināśaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ ceṣṭitaṃ tathā | yas tattvato vijānāti loke 'smin mukta eva saḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Wer das Entstehen und Vergehen der Wesen und ebenso ihre Weisen des Handelns und Wandels in dieser Welt der Wahrheit gemäß erkennt—der ist schon hier befreit. Die Lehre weist darauf, dass Freiheit aus klarer Einsicht in die Natur des Daseins erwächst, nicht aus bloßem Ritual oder Stand.

Word by Word

सम्भवम्origin, coming-into-being

चand

विनाशम्destruction

चand

भूतानाम्of beings

चेष्टितम्activity, conduct, behavior

तथाlikewise, also

यःwho

तत्त्वतःin truth, as it really is

विजानातिknows, understands

लोकेin the world

अस्मिन्in this

मुक्तःliberated, freed

एवindeed, certainly

सःhe

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

beings (bhūtāni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation is attributed to clear, reality-based understanding: one who knows the true nature of beings—their arising, dissolution, and patterns of action—attains freedom here and now. The verse emphasizes insight (tattvataḥ-jñāna) as the decisive factor in moksha.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on dharma and the highest good. Here he frames a contemplative teaching: discerning the life-cycle and conduct of beings leads to inner release, aligning ethical life with wisdom about impermanence and causality.