Shloka 7
आकाश स्य गुण: शब्दो व्यापित्वं च्छिद्रतापि च | अनाश्रयमनालम्बमव्यक्तमविकारिता,शब्द, व्यापकता, छिद्र होना, किसी स्थूल पदार्थका आश्रय न होना, स्वयं किसी दूसरे आधारपर न रहना, अव्यक्तता, निर्विकारता, प्रतिघातशून्यता और भूतता अर्थात् श्रवणेन्द्रियका कारण होना और विकृतिसे युक्त होना--से सब आकाशके गुण हैं। इस प्रकार पठचमहाभूतोंके ये पचास गुण बताये गये हैं
ākāśasya guṇaḥ śabdo vyāpitvaṃ cchidratāpi ca | anāśrayam anālambam avyaktaṃ avikāritā ||
Bhishma explains the defining properties of ākāśa (ether/space): its distinctive quality is sound, and it is all-pervading and porous (providing ‘room’). It is not dependent on any gross support, does not rest upon another base, is unmanifest to ordinary perception, and remains essentially unchanging. In this way, he continues the systematic enumeration of the qualities of the five great elements as part of the Shanti Parva’s ethical-philosophical instruction on understanding reality and cultivating discernment.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a Sāṅkhya-style discernment of reality by defining ākāśa through its characteristic qualities—especially sound and pervasiveness—so that one can distinguish subtle principles from gross, changing phenomena and thereby cultivate clarity in dharma-oriented living.
In the Shanti Parva’s post-war instruction, Bhishma is teaching Yudhishthira philosophical foundations. Here he continues the structured listing of the mahābhūtas (great elements) and their properties, focusing on the attributes of ākāśa.