Shloka 33
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
अथ यन्मोहसंयुक्तमव्यक्तविषयं भवेत् | अप्रतर्क्यमविज्ञेयं तमस्तदुपधारयेत्,जब मनमें कोई मोहयुक्त भाव पैदा हो और किसी भी इन्द्रियका विषय स्पष्ट जान न पड़े, उसके विषयमें कोई तर्क भी काम न करे और वह किसी तरह समझमें न आवे, तब यही निश्चय करना चाहिये कि तमोगुणकी वृद्धि हुई है
atha yan moha-saṁyuktam avyaktaviṣayaṁ bhavet | apratarkyam avijñeyaṁ tamas tad upadhārayet ||
Bhishma said: When a state of mind arises that is entangled in delusion—where the object is indistinct, reasoning fails to reach it, and it cannot be clearly understood—one should recognize this as the ascendancy of tamas (the quality of darkness and inertia).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A mind-state marked by delusion, unclear objects of awareness, and the failure of reasoning and understanding should be identified as tamas increasing; ethical practice begins with correctly diagnosing such inner darkness rather than acting from it.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira how to recognize the guṇas in one’s own mind; here he gives diagnostic signs of tamas—confusion, obscurity, and cognitive paralysis.