Shloka 27
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
भीष्म उवाच ततः स भगवांस्तस्मै विपुलाय महात्मने । आचचक्षे यथातत्त्वं मायां शक्रस्य भारत
bhīṣma uvāca tataḥ sa bhagavāṁs tasmai vipulāya mahātmane | ācacakṣe yathātattvaṁ māyāṁ śakrasya bhārata ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai keturunan Bharata, kemudian resi yang mulia itu menjelaskan kepada Vipula yang berhati luhur, sesuai hakikatnya, tentang māyā Śakra (Indra).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds discernment (viveka): one should understand deceptive appearances (māyā) as they truly are (yathā-tattvam). Ethical steadiness depends on seeing through temptation, glamour, or fear that can distort judgment.
Bhishma reports that the revered sage (Devasharma in the surrounding narrative) begins instructing Vipula by explaining Indra’s māyā—Indra’s power to create misleading appearances—so Vipula can respond rightly and remain firm in dharma.