Shloka 23
मनुरुवाच — इन्द्रिय-मनः-ज्ञान-क्रमः
Manu on the hierarchy of senses, mind, and knowledge
अथवा यदि वह परब्रह्मका सायुज्य नहीं प्राप्त करना चाहता तो देवयानमार्गपर स्थित हो ऊपरके लोकोंमें गमन करता है, अर्थात् परब्रह्म परमात्माके परम धाममें चला जाता है। पुनः इस संसारमें कहीं जन्म नहीं लेता ।। आत्मबुद्धया समास्थाय शान्तीभूतो निरामय: । अमृतं विरज: शुद्धमात्मानं॑ प्रतिपद्यते,आत्मस्वरूपका बोध हो जानेसे वह रजोगुणसे रहित निर्मल शान्तस्वरूप योगी अमृतस्वरूप विशुद्ध आत्माको प्राप्त होता है
ātmabuddhyā samāsthāya śāntībhūto nirāmayaḥ | amṛtaṁ virajaḥ śuddham ātmānaṁ pratipadyate ||
Bhishma said: Established in the understanding of the Self, becoming tranquil and free from affliction, the yogin attains the immortal Self—stainless, passionless, and pure.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that liberation is attained through firm establishment in Self-knowledge (ātmabuddhi). When the mind becomes peaceful and free from affliction, one realizes the immortal, stainless, passionless, and pure ātman.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the path beyond sorrow. Here he describes the inner state of a realized yogin and the culmination of spiritual practice as direct attainment of the pure Self.