Shloka 11
नारद–असित (देवल) संवादः — भूतप्रभवाप्यय, इन्द्रिय-गुण-विवेक, क्षेत्रज्ञ-तत्त्व
तस्यैवं गततृष्णस्य विज्वरस्य निराशिष: । का विवक्षास्ति वेदेषु निरारम्भस्य सर्वत:
tasyaivaṁ gatatṛṣṇasya vijvarasya nirāśiṣaḥ | kā vivakṣāsti vedeṣu nirārambhasya sarvataḥ ||
Bhishma dit : «Pour celui qui a dépassé le désir, libre de la fièvre et de l’agitation intérieures, sans attente, et qui a renoncé à toute entreprise de tous côtés, quel motif resterait-il pour parler des Vedas ? Pourquoi donc profères-tu des paroles contraires au sujet des Vedas, dont on dit qu’ils ont jailli comme le souffle même du Seigneur suprême ?»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links true renunciation—freedom from craving, agitation, expectation, and worldly undertakings—with a state where argumentative or self-interested speech about scripture loses its purpose. It also affirms the sanctity of the Vedas as originating from the Supreme, implying that speaking ‘contrary’ to them is ethically and spiritually suspect.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma challenges a position that appears to disparage or contradict the Vedas. He argues that a genuinely desireless, tranquil renunciant would have no agenda-driven reason to attack or distort Vedic authority, especially given the traditional view that the Vedas emanate from the Supreme Lord.