Shloka 35
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
बिसतन्तुर्ययैवायमन्तःस्थ: सर्वतो बिसे | तृष्णातन्तुरनाद्यन्तस्तथा देहगत: सदा
bisatantur yayaivāyam antaḥsthaḥ sarvato bise | tṛṣṇātantur anādyantaḥ tathā dehāgataḥ sadā ||
जैसे कमल-नाल के भीतर रहने वाला सूक्ष्म तन्तु कमल-रेशों में सर्वत्र फैला रहता है, वैसे ही अनादि-अनन्त तृष्णा-तन्तु देहधारी के अन्तःकरण में सदा स्थित रहकर सब ओर व्याप्त रहता है।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire (tṛṣṇā) is subtle yet pervasive—like a hidden filament running through a lotus-stalk—and it continuously inhabits the embodied mind. Recognizing its all-pervading presence is essential for restraint, ethical clarity, and progress toward freedom from bondage.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on peace and right living, Bhishma teaches through a vivid natural metaphor. He explains to his listener that craving is not occasional or external; it is an inner thread spread throughout the embodied condition, shaping thought and conduct unless disciplined.