Shloka 58
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
न चात्मा शक््यते द्रष्टमिन्द्रियैश्न विभागश: । तत्र तत्र विसृष्टैश्न दुर्वार्यश्षाकृतात्मभि:
na cātmā śakyate draṣṭum indriyaiḥ na vibhāgaśaḥ | tatra tatra visṛṣṭaiḥ na durvāryaiḥ akṛtātmabhiḥ ||
Dijo Bhishma: El Sí mismo no puede ser percibido directamente por los sentidos, ni puede aprehenderse como algo divisible en partes. Quienes no han dominado su propia mente—cuyos sentidos son arrastrados irresistiblemente hacia afuera, de un objeto a otro—no pueden realizar el Sí mismo.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Self-realization is not a sensory achievement: the Ātman is beyond the reach of the outward-driven senses. Without self-mastery (especially restraint of the senses and mind), one cannot attain direct knowledge of the Self.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma continues teaching about inner discipline. He explains to the listener that uncontrolled senses scatter toward objects and thereby obstruct the realization of the Ātman.