Shloka 17

इन्द्र–बलि संवादः

The Dialogue of Indra and Bali on Fortune, Humility, and Restraint

Devanagari script

तपो ह्ाथधिष्ठितं देवैस्तपोघ्नमसुरैस्तम: । एतद्‌ देवासुरैर्गुप्तं तदाहुरज्ञनलक्षणम्‌

Transliteration

tapo hy ādhisthitaṁ devais tapoghnaṁ asurais tamaḥ | etad devāsurair guptaṁ tad āhur ajñāna-lakṣaṇam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : Les dieux sont établis dans l’austérité, tandis que les asuras se réfugient dans une obscurité qui détruit l’austérité—telle que l’hypocrisie, l’orgueil et les élans d’obstruction. Pourtant, la réalité suprême demeure cachée aux dieux comme aux asuras ; les sages véritables disent que ce voilement est le signe même de l’ignorance.

Word by Word

• {'tapaḥ': 'austerity

• disciplined spiritual effort', 'adhiṣṭhitam': 'established in

• supported by', 'devaiḥ': 'by the gods (devas)', 'tapoghnaṁ': 'destroying austerity

• obstructing spiritual discipline', 'asuraiḥ': 'by the asuras (anti-gods/demonic beings)', 'tamaḥ': 'darkness

• inertia', 'etad': 'this (truth/reality being discussed)', 'deva-asuraiḥ': 'by gods and asuras', 'guptam': 'hidden

• concealed', 'tad āhuḥ': 'they say/declare that', 'ajñāna': 'non-knowledge

• ignorance', 'lakṣaṇam': 'mark

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Devas
• Asuras
• Tapaḥ (austerity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Austerity aligned with clarity elevates, but tamas—expressed as hypocrisy, pride, and obstruction—undermines spiritual effort. When ultimate reality is hidden from one’s understanding, that concealment itself is a sign of ignorance; wisdom is the removal of that veil.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, he contrasts the orientations of devas and asuras: devas uphold tapas, while asuras embrace tamas that disrupts it. He then points beyond both, stating that the highest truth is not grasped by either when ignorance prevails, and that the wise identify this hiddenness as ajñāna.