Shloka 26
Adhyāya 352: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Saṃvāda — Uñchavrata-niścaya
Dialogue and the Resolve to Practice Uñchavrata
आधार तु प्रवक्ष्यामि एकस्य पुरुषस्य ते । बहूनां पुरुषाणां स यथैका योनिरुच्यते
ādhāraṃ tu pravakṣyāmi ekasya puruṣasya te | bahūnāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ sa yathaikā yonir ucyate ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Je vais maintenant t’exposer le soutien fondamental : l’unique Puruṣottama, qui porte tous les êtres. Je dirai de quelle manière cette Réalité unique est dite l’unique source et l’unique matrice d’où naissent les nombreuses personnes.»
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma introduces a metaphysical doctrine: behind the multiplicity of individual persons stands a single foundational Reality (puruṣa) that is the support of all and is described as the one causal source (yoni) of the many.
In the Mokṣa/Dharma instruction of Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma transitions into an explanation to his listener about the ultimate ground of existence—how the One relates to the many—setting up a teaching on origin, support, and the unity underlying plurality.