Shloka 21
पायूपस्थं विसर्गार्थमिन्द्रिये तुल्यकर्मणी । विसर्गे च पुरीषस्य विसगे चापि कामिके,पायु और उपस्थ--ये दो इन्द्रियाँ क्रमश: मल और मूत्रका त्याग करनेके लिये हैं। इन दोनोंके त्यागरूप कर्म समान ही हैं। इनमेंसे पायु-इन्द्रिय मलका त्याग करती है और उपस्थ मैथुनके समय वीर्यका भी त्याग करता है
pāyūpasthaṃ visargārtham indriye tulyakarmaṇī | visarge ca purīṣasya visarge cāpi kāmike ||
Asita said: “The anus and the generative organ are faculties meant for discharge; in their function they are alike. The anus effects the expulsion of feces, and the generative organ effects discharge in the act of sexual enjoyment.”
असित उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse classifies bodily faculties by their functions and highlights that certain organs are primarily instruments of discharge; this supports the broader Śānti-parvan ethical emphasis on understanding the senses and cultivating restraint rather than being driven by bodily impulses.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, the sage Asita is explaining the nature and functions of the bodily organs (indriyas), distinguishing their roles in excretion and sexual activity as part of a wider discourse on discipline and right conduct.