Shloka 2
एतै: शरीरैर्जलमेव गत्वा जलाच्च तेज: पवनो<न््तरिक्षम् | खाद् वै निवर्तन्ति न भाविनस्ते मोक्ष च ते वै परमाप्नुवन्ति,इन पूर्वोक्त शरीरोंके साथ (पार्थिव शरीरके बाद) प्राणियोंका जलमें लय होता है; फिर वे जलसे अग्निमें, अग्निसे वायुमें और वायुसे आकाशमें लीन होते हैं। आकाशसे सृष्टिकालमें फिर वे पूर्वोक्त क्रमसे उत्पन्न होते हैं; परंतु जो ज्ञानी हैं, वे मोक्षस्वरूप परमात्माको प्राप्त हो जाते हैं। उनका पुनः इस संसारमें जन्म नहीं होता
bhīṣma uvāca | etaiḥ śarīraiḥ jalam eva gatvā jalāc ca tejaḥ pavano 'ntarikṣam | khād vai nivartante na bhāvinas te mokṣaṃ ca te vai param āpnuvanti ||
Bhishma said: “With these bodies, beings dissolve into water; from water into fire, from fire into wind, and from wind into the expanse of space. From space, at the time of creation, they arise again in the same sequence. But those who are truly wise do not return in this cycle; they attain liberation and reach the Supreme, and are not born again into this world.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma explains the cosmic process of dissolution and re-creation through the elements, and contrasts it with the fate of the wise: those established in true knowledge attain moksha (union with the Supreme) and do not return to rebirth.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is teaching Yudhishthira about the nature of embodied existence. He outlines how beings merge back into subtler elements at death and re-emerge at creation, while liberated knowers transcend this cycle.