Shloka 18
Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga
Body-Relinquishment
अनाइमन्तं परं ब्रह्म न देवा नर्षयो विदु:
anāimantaṁ paraṁ brahma na devā na ṛṣayo viduḥ
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Ese Brahman supremo, más allá de toda medida y condición limitante, no es conocido en verdad—ni siquiera por los dioses, ni por los rishis.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses the transcendence of Brahman: ultimate reality is beyond measurement and conceptual grasp, so even exalted beings like devas and ṛṣis cannot claim complete, final knowledge of it. The ethical implication is humility—spiritual inquiry should recognize the limits of intellect and status.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and higher truths. Here he underscores that the supreme Brahman is immeasurable and not fully known even to gods and sages, setting a contemplative tone for teachings on ultimate reality and right understanding.