Shloka 5
Vyaktāvyakta-Viveka and Nivṛtti as Paramā Gati
Manifest–Unmanifest Discrimination and the Supreme Path of Withdrawal
उपासनात् प्रसन्नोडसि यदि वै भगवन् मम । संशयो मे महान् कश्रित् तन्मे व्याख्यातुमरहसि । कुतश्चाहं कुतश्च त्वं तत् सम्यग्ब्रूहि यत्परम्
bhīṣma uvāca | upāsanāt prasanno 'si yadi vai bhagavan mama | saṁśayo me mahān kaścit tan me vyākhyātum arhasi | kutaś cāhaṁ kutaś ca tvaṁ tat samyag brūhi yat param ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Oh Bienaventurado, si de veras estás complacido con mi servicio devoto, te ruego que disipes una gran duda que ha surgido en mí. Dignate explicarla con claridad: ¿de dónde he venido a este mundo, y de dónde has venido tú? Dímelo rectamente—y expón también esa realidad suprema que está más allá de todo.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classic Vedantic-style inquiry: the seeker asks about the origin of the individual self and the teacher (or cosmic principle) and requests an exposition of the supreme reality (yat param). It highlights that sincere devotion and service (upāsanā) lead to eligibility for deeper metaphysical instruction.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma addresses a revered teacher as “Bhagavan,” stating that if the teacher is pleased with his devoted attendance, he should remove Bhishma’s major doubt. Bhishma asks two linked questions—his own origin and the teacher’s origin—and then asks for a clear explanation of the highest principle beyond them.