Shloka 11
Mokṣa-dharma Yoga-Upadeśa: Equanimity, Sense-Restraint, and Vision of the Ātman (आत्मदर्शन-योगोपदेशः)
पजञ्चभूतगुणैहीनममूर्तिमदहेतुकम् । अगुणं गुणभोक्तारं यः पश्यति स मुच्यते,जिसकी दृष्टिमें आत्मा पाउ्चभौतिक गुणोंसे हीन, निराकार, कारणरहित तथा निर्मुण होते हुए भी (मायाके सम्बन्धसे) गुणोंका भोक्ता है, वह मुक्त हो जाता है
pañcabhūtaguṇair hīnam amūrtim adahetukam | aguṇaṁ guṇabhoktāraṁ yaḥ paśyati sa mucyate ||
The brāhmaṇa said: Whoever truly perceives the Self as devoid of the qualities born of the five elements—formless and without any material cause—yet understands that, through association with māyā, it appears as the experiencer of the guṇas, that person is released.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Liberation comes from right vision: knowing the Self to be intrinsically formless and free from elemental qualities, while recognizing that its apparent enjoyment of guṇas is due to association with prakṛti/māyā. This discriminative knowledge dissolves identification with body-mind and ends bondage.
A brāhmaṇa speaker delivers a philosophical instruction within the Ashvamedhika Parva, emphasizing insight into the nature of the Self. The verse functions as a concise doctrinal point: the Self is beyond material attributes, yet seems to experience them—understanding this leads to release.