भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या
Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa
अहो सिद्धार्थता तेषां येषां सन्तीह पाणय: । अतीव स्पृहये तेषां येषां सन््तीह पाणय:
aho siddhārthatā teṣāṁ yeṣāṁ santīha pāṇayaḥ | atīva spṛhaye teṣāṁ yeṣāṁ santīha pāṇayaḥ ||
Ah, sungguh beruntung dan terpenuhi mereka yang memiliki tangan di dunia ini. Aku sangat merindukan keberuntungan mereka yang memiliki tangan di sini.
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma highlights gratitude for the human body and its instruments of action: having ‘hands’ symbolizes the power to perform dharma—service, charity, protection, and disciplined effort. One should not take basic capacities for granted, but recognize them as a providential opportunity for righteous action.
In the reflective instruction of Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma speaks in a contemplative tone, emphasizing how even ordinary bodily faculties are a form of fortune. The verse reads like a lament or self-reproach that underscores the value of embodied agency in pursuing ethical and spiritual aims.