Shloka 6

Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच इति तेनानुयुक्त: स तमुवाच महातपा: । महद्वाक्यमसंदिग्धं पुष्कलार्थपर्द शुचि

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca iti tenānuyuktaḥ sa tam uvāca mahātapāḥ | mahadvākyam asaṃdigdhaṃ puṣkalārtha-pradaṃ śuci ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Thus questioned by him, the great ascetic replied with words that were weighty, free from doubt, pure, and rich in meaning—speech fit to guide conduct and clarify what is right.

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुयुक्तः: questioned, asked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• महातपाः: the great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असंदिग्धम्: unambiguous, doubtless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंदिग्ध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुष्कलार्थप्रदम्: bestowing abundant meaning (rich in import)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कलार्थप्रद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शुचि: pure, holy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• a great ascetic (mahātapāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal qualities of dharmic instruction: it should be authoritative (mahadvākya), unambiguous (asaṃdigdha), rich in practical meaning (puṣkalārtha-prada), and purifying in effect (śuci).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma frames a dialogue: after someone asks a question, a great ascetic responds, and Bhishma characterizes the reply as clear, meaningful, and pure—setting up the forthcoming teaching.