Shloka 33

जनक–पराशर संवादः — वर्ण-गोत्र-धर्मविचारः

Janaka–Parāśara: Varṇa, Gotra, and Dharma Inquiry

Devanagari script

सत्त्वक्षेत्रज्योरेतदन्तरं विद्धि सूक्ष्मयो: । सृजते<त्र गुणानेक एको न सृजते गुणान्‌

Transliteration

sattva-kṣetrajñayor etad antaraṁ viddhi sūkṣmayoḥ | sṛjate 'tra guṇān eka eko na sṛjate guṇān ||

Translation

बुद्धि (सत्त्व) और क्षेत्रज्ञ (आत्मा)—ये दोनों सूक्ष्म तत्त्व हैं; इनके बीच का सूक्ष्म भेद जानो। इनमें बुद्धि अनेक गुणों की सृष्टि करती है, पर आत्मा गुणों की सृष्टि नहीं करता—वह केवल साक्षी-चेतना होकर देखता रहता है।

Word by Word

• {'sattva': 'here: the refined inner instrument, often identified with buddhi (intellect) in Sāṅkhya-style analysis

• also ‘clarity’ as a guṇa in other contexts', 'kṣetrajña': 'the ‘knower of the field’

• the Self/Ātman as conscious witness', 'etad': 'this (teaching/point)', 'antaram': 'difference, distinction, interval', 'viddhi': 'know, understand (imperative)', 'sūkṣmayoḥ': 'of the two subtle entities/principles (genitive dual)', 'sṛjate': 'creates, projects, brings forth', 'atra': 'here, in this context/within embodied experience', 'guṇān': 'qualities/constituents (sattva-rajas-tamas and their modifications)', 'ekaḥ': 'one (of the two)', 'na': 'not', 'sākṣī-bhāva (implied by commentary)': 'the stance of witnessing

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• sattva (buddhi)
• kṣetrajña (Ātman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma distinguishes the intellect (buddhi/sattva), which generates and organizes the play of guṇas in experience, from the kṣetrajña (Ātman), which is not a producer of qualities but the non-doing witness. Ethical clarity follows: one should not mistake changing mental qualities for the true Self.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues his philosophical guidance to Yudhiṣṭhira, explaining subtle principles of self-knowledge and liberation-oriented discernment—specifically how to separate the witnessing Self from the mind/intellect that operates through guṇas.