Shloka 22
अध्याय १७८ — प्राणवायुगतिः तथा शारीराग्निव्यवस्था
Adhyāya 178 — The courses of prāṇa-vāyu and the regulation of the bodily fire
न पूर्वे नापरे जातु कामानामन्तमाप्नुवन् । त्यक्त्वा सर्वसमारम्भान् प्रतिबुद्धो5स्मि जागूमि
na pūrve nāpare jātu kāmānām antam āpnuvan | tyaktvā sarva-samārambhān pratibuddho 'smi jāgṛmi ||
Bhishma said: Neither the people of former times nor those who came later have ever truly reached the end of desire. Therefore, abandoning all undertakings and projects born of action, I have become vigilant; I am fully awakened.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire (kāma) is intrinsically insatiable—no era’s people have exhausted it—so the wise response is vigilant awakening and the renunciation of action-projects driven by craving, cultivating detachment and self-mastery.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Bhīṣma speaks from his bed of arrows, reflecting on the endlessness of desire and declaring his resolve to abandon worldly enterprises and remain fully awake and watchful.