Shloka 53
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
मलिनाः: प्राप्तुयु: शुद्धि यथा पूर्णा नदीं नरा: । अवगाहा सुविद्धांसो विद्धि ज्ञानमिदं तथा
malināḥ prāptuyuḥ śuddhiṃ yathā pūrṇāṃ nadīṃ narāḥ | avagāhā suvidvāṃso viddhi jñānam idaṃ tathā ||
Bhishma dit : De même que des hommes au corps souillé retrouvent la propreté en se baignant dans une rivière abondante, de même comprends ceci : en s’immergeant dans ce fleuve de connaissance, même ceux dont l’esprit est entaché sont purifiés et reçoivent la vraie compréhension.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Knowledge functions like a purifying river: sincere immersion in true understanding cleanses inner defilements (mental impurity) and leads to clarity and wisdom, supporting righteous conduct.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhishthira, Bhishma uses a vivid analogy—bathing in a full river—to explain how engagement with liberating knowledge purifies a person and makes them truly learned.