Shloka 39
Vyaktāvyakta-Viveka and Nivṛtti as Paramā Gati
Manifest–Unmanifest Discrimination and the Supreme Path of Withdrawal
यथा दीप: प्रकाशात्मा हस्वो वा यदि वा महान् | ज्ञानात्मानं तथा विद्यात् पुरुष सर्वजन्तुषु,जैसे दीपक छोटा हो या बड़ा, प्रकाशस्वरूप ही है, उसी प्रकार समस्त प्राणियोंमें स्थित जीवात्मा ज्ञानस्वरूप है, ऐसा समझे
yathā dīpaḥ prakāśātmā hrasvo vā yadi vā mahān | jñānātmānaṃ tathā vidyāt puruṣaḥ sarvajantuṣu ||
Bhīṣma said: Just as a lamp—whether small or great—is by its very nature light, so should one understand that the indwelling Self present in all creatures is of the nature of knowledge (consciousness).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The self within all beings is essentially consciousness/knowledge, and its nature does not change with the ‘size’ or condition of the body—just as a lamp remains light whether small or large.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma continues his philosophical counsel, using the lamp analogy to guide the listener toward recognizing the same conscious principle present in every creature.