Shloka 15
Doṣa-Parīkṣā and Guṇa-Viveka
Examination of Faults and Discernment of the Guṇas
यथा महान्ति भूतानि निवर्तन्ते गुणक्षये । तथेन्द्रियाण्युपादाय बुद्धिर्मनसि वर्तते
yathā mahānti bhūtāni nivartante guṇakṣaye | tathendriyāṇyupādāya buddhir manasi vartate ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: Así como los grandes elementos se retraen cuando se agotan las cualidades que los sostienen, del mismo modo el intelecto (buddhi), recogiendo los sentidos, viene a reposar en la mente.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches inward withdrawal: as the cosmic elements subside when their supporting qualities diminish, the intellect likewise gathers the senses and settles into the mind. Ethically, it points to mastery over sense-driven dispersion and the cultivation of inner steadiness as a step toward liberation.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and mokṣa, Bhīṣma is explaining a contemplative psychology: the movement from outward sensory engagement to inward recollection, describing how buddhi and the senses become absorbed into manas during spiritual withdrawal.