Shloka 17
मोक्षधर्मः — स्नेहपाशच्छेदः
Mokṣa-dharma: Cutting the Bonds of Attachment
भौतिक देह, इन्द्रिय आदि सभी वस्तुएँ नष्ट होनेवाली हैं और प्राणियोंक आवागमन-- जन्म और मरण--बारंबार होते रहते हैं। यह सब देख और सोचकर जो सर्वत्र निःस्पृह तथा समदर्शी हो गया है, पके (रोटी, भात आदि) और कच्चे (फल, मूल आदि) से जीवन-निर्वाह करता है, आत्मलाभके लिये जो शान्तचित्त हो गया है तथा जो मिताहारी और जितेन्द्रिय है, वही वास्तवमें संन्न्यासी कहलाने योग्य है ।। वाचो वेगं मनस: क्रोधवेगं हिंसावेगमुदरोपस्थवेगम् । एतान् वेगान् विषहेद् वै तपस्वी निन्दा चास्य हृदयं नोपहन्यात्,संन्यासी तपस्वी होकर वाणी, मन, क्रोध, हिंसा, उदर और उपस्थ--इनके वेगोंको सहता हुआ इन्हें वशमें रखे। दूसरोंद्वारा की हुई निन््दा उसके हृदयमें कोई विकार न उत्पन्न करे
bhautika-deha indriya-ādi sarvā vastavaḥ naṣṭa-bhāvinaḥ santi, prāṇināṃ cāvāgamanaṃ—janma-maraṇaṃ—bāraṃbāraṃ pravartate. etat sarvaṃ dṛṣṭvā vicārya ca yaḥ sarvatra niḥspṛhaḥ samadarśī ca jātaḥ, pakva-apakvaiḥ (roṭī-bhaktādiḥ / phala-mūlādiḥ) jīvana-nirvāhaṃ karoti, ātma-lābhāya śānta-cittaḥ bhavati, mita-āhārī jitendriyaś ca, sa eva vastutaḥ saṃnyāsī nāma yogyatāṃ prāpnoti. vāco vegaṃ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṃ hiṃsā-vegam udaropastha-vegam; etān vegān viṣahed vai tapasvī; nindā cāsya hṛdayaṃ nopahanyāt.
Bhishma teaches that the physical body and the senses are perishable, and that beings repeatedly pass through the cycle of coming and going—birth and death. Seeing and reflecting on this, the one who becomes free from craving everywhere and looks upon all with equal vision, sustaining life on whatever is available—cooked or uncooked—who grows calm-minded for the sake of inner realization, and who is moderate in food and self-controlled, is truly fit to be called a renunciant. Such a renunciant, living as an ascetic, should endure and master the surges of speech, mind, anger, violence, and the impulses of belly and sex; and the blame spoken by others should not wound his heart or disturb his inner poise.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True renunciation is defined less by external marks and more by inner mastery: recognizing impermanence and repeated birth-death, becoming desireless and equal-sighted, living simply on available food, seeking Self-realization with a calm mind, practicing moderation, and restraining powerful impulses—especially speech, mental agitation, anger, violence, appetite, and sexuality—while remaining unshaken by others’ blame.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma after the war, Bhishma—lying on his bed of arrows—continues to counsel Yudhishthira. Here he describes the ethical and psychological disciplines that qualify a person to be called a sannyasi/tapasvi, emphasizing equanimity, simplicity of livelihood, and control over inner impulses.