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Shloka 27

बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency

Mahābhārata 12.217

अन्तकाले हुपासन्ते तपसा दग्धकिल्विषा: । सर्व एते महात्मानो गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्‌

antakāle hy upāsante tapasā dagdha-kilbiṣāḥ | sarva ete mahātmāno gacchanti paramāṁ gatim ||

અંતકાળે તપસ્યા દ્વારા જેમના પાપ દગ્ધ થઈ ગયા છે, તેઓ પરમ તત્ત્વની ઉપાસનામાં પ્રવૃત્ત થાય છે. આવા બધા મહાત્માઓ પરમ ગતિને પ્રાપ્ત કરે છે.

अन्तकालेat the final time (at death)
अन्तकाले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तकाल
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
उपासन्तेthey worship / they attend upon
उपासन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-आस्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada
तपसाby austerity
तपसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतपस्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
दग्धकिल्विषाःwhose sins are burnt (sin-purified)
दग्धकिल्विषाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदग्धकिल्विष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
एतेthese
एते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महात्मानःgreat-souled ones
महात्मानः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहात्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गच्छन्तिthey go / attain
गच्छन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
परमाम्supreme
परमाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपरम
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
गतिम्state/goal/destination
गतिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
B
Brahman (implied as the supreme goal)

Educational Q&A

Purification through tapas (disciplined austerity) removes moral impurities, enabling focused upāsanā at life’s end; such purified seekers attain the highest spiritual goal (paramā gati), understood as Brahman-realization or liberation.

In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he describes the fate of spiritually disciplined people: those who have burned away sins through austerity and turn their contemplation toward the Supreme at the final moment reach the supreme destination.