Shloka 26
अध्यात्म-तत्त्व-निर्णयः
Adhyātma Taxonomy: Elements, Faculties, and Guṇas
न तदूर्ध्व न तिर्यक् च नाधो न च पुनः पुनः । न मध्ये प्रतिगृहल्लीते नैव किंचित् कुतश्चन
na tad ūrdhva na tiryak ca nādho na ca punaḥ punaḥ | na madhye pratigṛhallīte naiva kiṃcit kutaścana ||
Dalam keadaan itu, ia tidak berada di atas, tidak menyamping, tidak di bawah; dan tidak pula berulang-ulang kembali. Ia pun tidak dapat digenggam sebagai sesuatu yang ‘di tengah’. Sesungguhnya, ia bukan sesuatu yang bisa diambil dari mana pun.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse points to an ultimate reality or liberated state that cannot be located in space (above/below/sideways/middle) and cannot be grasped as an object. It is beyond ordinary categories of direction, place, and repeated occurrence, emphasizing transcendence and non-objectifiability.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Vyāsa articulates a contemplative teaching: the highest truth is not something one can ‘take’ or ‘find’ in any particular region or position. The passage functions as a philosophical clarification within the broader discourse on dharma and mokṣa.