Shloka 4
Adhyāya 179 — Bharadvāja’s Reductionist Inquiry into Jīva and Pañcabhūta Dissolution
बोध्यं शान्तमृषिं राजा नाहुष: पर्यपृच्छत । निर्वेदाच्छान्तिमापन्नं शास्त्रप्रज्ञानतर्पितम्
bhīṣma uvāca |
bodhyaṁ śāntam ṛṣiṁ rājā nāhuṣaḥ paryapṛcchata |
nirvedāc chāntim āpannaṁ śāstra-prajñāna-tarpitam ||
Bhishma dit : Le roi Nahusha interrogea le sage Bodhya, voyant paisible qui avait atteint la paix par le détachement et se trouvait pleinement rassasié par l’intelligence la plus haute des Écritures. La scène ouvre une enquête morale : un souverain, en quête de clarté, s’approche d’un renonçant dont le calme intérieur et la science des śāstra le rendent digne de guider la conduite et la juste manière de vivre.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse establishes the authority of spiritual counsel: true guidance on dharma is sought from one who is inwardly peaceful through dispassion (nirveda) and grounded in scriptural wisdom (śāstra-prajñāna). It implies that ethical clarity arises from both lived renunciation and right understanding.
Bhishma introduces a dialogue: King Nahusha approaches and questions the sage Bodhya, who is described as serene, dispassionate, and fulfilled by knowledge. This sets the stage for a didactic exchange on conduct and the path to peace.