Shloka 21
Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)
तेजो वायौ तु संसक्त वायुं नभसि चाश्रितम् | नभो महति संयुक्त महद् बुद्धौ च संश्रितम्
tejo vāyau tu saṁsaktaṁ vāyuṁ nabhasi cāśritam | nabho mahati saṁyuktaṁ mahad buddhau ca saṁśritam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «La radiance (tejas, le feu) est liée au vent ; le vent repose dans l’espace. L’espace est uni au Grand Principe (mahat), et le mahat, à son tour, est fondé sur l’intellect cosmique (buddhi).» Par cet enseignement, Bhīṣma déroule la chaîne des appuis entre les éléments subtils et les principes intérieurs, invitant à comprendre, par la réflexion, comment le monde manifesté dépend de causes plus subtiles et d’une régence invisible.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That the manifest elements and forces are mutually dependent and ultimately grounded in subtler principles (space, mahat, buddhi). The verse encourages seeing causality and support-relationships behind appearances, a step toward discernment (viveka) and dharmic clarity.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on higher knowledge and right understanding. Here he presents a Sāṅkhya-like sequence linking the elements (fire, wind, space) to cosmic principles (mahat, buddhi) to explain how the world is structured and sustained.