Shloka 15
सूक्ष्मभूत-भूतात्मविज्ञानम्
Knowing the subtle principle and the bhūtātman through yoga
नाभिनन्देत मरणं नाभिनन्देत जीवितम् । कालमेव प्रतीक्षेत निदेशं भूतको यथा
nābhinandet maraṇaṃ nābhinandet jīvitam | kālam eva pratīkṣeta nideśaṃ bhṛtako yathā ||
Vyāsa dit : Qu’on ne se réjouisse ni de la mort ni de la vie. Qu’on attende seulement l’heure fixée, comme un serviteur à gages attend l’ordre du maître.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Maintain even-mindedness: do not cling to life or long for death. Await the proper time with readiness and discipline, like a servant awaiting the master’s order—an image for surrendering personal craving to dharma and the course of kāla.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers instruction on right conduct and inner peace. This verse frames the renunciant’s attitude: neither elation at continued life nor eagerness for death, but patient acceptance of time’s decree.