Shloka 11
Ākiṃcanya–Tyāga Upadeśa
The Instruction on Non-ownership and Renunciation
ततो<पश्यत् सुरम्येषु सुवर्णसिकताचिते
tato ’paśyat suramyeṣu suvarṇa-sikatā-citeṣu nara-īśvara
Bhishma dit : Alors, dans ces contrées d’une exquise beauté, jonchées de sable d’or, le sage Gautama aperçut un banyan (nyagrodha) vaste et resplendissant. Sa ramure s’étendait en cercle de tous côtés ; le sol, uni et agréable, semblait un domaine céleste. Par la profusion de ses belles branches, l’arbre paraissait tel un grand parasol royal. Ses racines étaient abreuvées d’une eau mêlée de santal, ce qui renforçait la paix sacrée et l’heureux présage qui emplissaient ce lieu.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames a sacred, orderly landscape—golden sand, a canopy-like banyan, sandalwood-scented water—as an external sign of inner dharmic harmony. Such imagery commonly signals a setting fit for tapas, instruction, or a morally significant encounter, emphasizing purity, auspiciousness, and calm as supports for ethical discernment.
Bhishma narrates that Gautama, moving through delightful regions, comes upon an extraordinary banyan tree spreading like a royal parasol. The place is described as level, pleasant, and heaven-like, with the tree’s roots watered by sandalwood-mixed water—preparing the scene for whatever meeting or teaching follows.