Shloka 14
अव्यक्त–व्यक्त–कारणकार्यविवेकः
Avyakta–Vyakta and Causality: Discrimination of Field and Knower
अन्तरात्मा तथा देहमाविश्येन्द्रियरश्मिभि: । प्राप्येन्द्रिययुणान् पडच सो<स्तमावृत्य गच्छति,जैसे सूर्य उदित होकर अपनी किरणोंको सब ओर फैला देता है और अस्त होते समय उन समस्त किरणोंको अपने भीतर ही समेट लेता है, उसी प्रकार जीवात्मा देहमें प्रविष्ट होकर फैली हुई इन्द्रियोंकी वृत्तिरूपी किरणोंद्वारा पाँचों विषयोंको ग्रहण करता है और शरीरको छोड़ते समय उन सबको समेटकर अपने साथ लेकर चल देता है
antarātmā tathā deham āviśyendriya-raśmibhiḥ | prāpyendriya-guṇān pañca so 'stam āvṛtya gacchati ||
Bhishma said: When the inner Self enters the body, it spreads out through the “rays” of the senses and, by those sensory functions, apprehends the five objects of experience. When it departs at death, it gathers those powers back into itself and goes on—just as the sun, having risen, casts its rays in all directions, and at setting draws those very rays back into itself. Therefore embodied experience is a temporary projection of consciousness through the senses; one should not mistake sensory life for the Self, nor cling to objects as if they were permanent.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The Self is distinct from the body and senses: it ‘projects’ experience through the senses to grasp the five sense-objects, and at death it withdraws those faculties and moves on. Hence one should cultivate detachment and self-knowledge rather than identify with sensory life.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma explains to the listener how the jiva/inner Self operates in embodiment, using the sun’s rays as a simile for the senses spreading out during life and being gathered back at the time of departure.