Shloka 22
Śānti-parva 206: Guṇa-hetu Moha, Kāma-krodha Chain, Indriya-utpatti, and Nirodha
मनुष्योंकी विषयोंमें आसक्ति है; क्योंकि विषय-सुख सदा रहनेवाले हैं; ऐसी उनकी भावना है तथा वे अपने मनसे सांसारिक पदार्थोंको पानेकी इच्छा रखते हैं; इसीलिये उन्हें परब्रह्म परमात्माकी प्राप्ति नहीं होती है ।। गुणान् यदिह पश्यन्ति तदिच्छन्त्यपरे जना: । परं नैवाभिकांक्षन्ति निर्गुणत्वाद् गुणार्थिन:,संसारी मनुष्य इस संसारमें जिन-जिन विषयोंको देखते हैं, उन्हींको पाना चाहते हैं। सर्वश्रेष्ठ परब्रह्म परमात्मा हैं, उन्हें पानेके लिये उनके मनमें इच्छा नहीं होती है; क्योंकि वे गुणार्थी (विषयाभिलाषी) होते हैं और परमात्मा निर्गुण (गुणातीत) हैं
bhīṣma uvāca |
guṇān yad iha paśyanti tad icchanty apare janāḥ |
paraṁ naivābhikāṅkṣanti nirguṇatvād guṇārthinaḥ ||
Bhishma said: In this world, some people desire only those sense-objects and qualities that they can see and experience. They do not truly long for the Supreme Brahman, because they are seekers of qualities and pleasures, while the Supreme is beyond all qualities (nirguṇa). Therefore, attachment to worldly enjoyments obstructs the attainment of the Highest Self.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
People naturally chase what appears attractive to the senses, but such guṇa-oriented desire prevents longing for and realization of the Supreme, which is nirguṇa (beyond all qualities). The verse teaches that liberation requires turning the mind away from visible pleasures toward the transcendent Self.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira about the causes of bondage. Here he explains why worldly-minded people fail to attain Brahman: their attention remains fixed on perceptible enjoyments rather than the imperceptible, quality-transcending Supreme.