Shloka 226
अस्ति नस्तत्त्वतो भूय इति प्राज्ञस्त्ववेक्षते । हममेंसे बहुत लोग ऐसे हैं, जिनका धर्म ही आधार है, जो धर्ममें ही सुख मानते हैं तथा जिन्होंने सम्पूर्ण कर्तव्य-अकर्तव्यका निश्चय कर लिया है; परंतु हमलोगोंका जो यथार्थरूप है, उसकी अपेक्षा बहुत महान् और व्यापक परमात्मा सर्वत्र सर्वात्मा रूपसे विराजमान है --ऐसा ज्ञानी पुरुष देखता है
asti nas tattvato bhūya iti prājñas tv avekṣate |
The wise person reflects: “There is something greater than what we take ourselves to be in truth.” Even when many among us rest their life on dharma, find happiness in dharma, and have settled what should and should not be done, the knower sees a far more vast and supreme Reality—present everywhere, abiding as the Self of all beings—surpassing our limited self-conception.
चुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical life grounded in dharma is valuable, but the wise discern an even greater truth: beyond our limited sense of ‘who we are’ stands the supreme, all-pervading Reality (Paramātman), present as the inner Self of all. True wisdom is to see that larger Self behind and within all dharmic action.
Culādhāra is speaking in the Śānti Parva’s instructional dialogue, shifting the focus from merely determining duties and prohibitions to contemplative insight. He emphasizes the perspective of the knower who sees the universal Self beyond individual identity and beyond even the satisfaction of living by dharma alone.