Shloka 7
Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra
सर्वात्मानं महात्मानं विधूममिव पावकम् | त॑ पश्यन्ति महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिण:
sarvātmānaṁ mahātmānaṁ vidhūmam iva pāvakam | taṁ paśyanti mahātmāno brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ ||
Sang Diri Tertinggi—Atman batin bagi semua makhluk dan sungguh Mahabesar—bersinar laksana api tanpa asap. Hanya para Brahmana yang berhati luhur dan berdaya-budi yang dapat memandang-Nya.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The Supreme Self is luminous and unobscured like smokeless fire, but direct realization of Him arises only in the wise and purified—those with discernment (manīṣā) and greatness of soul (mahātmatā), not merely through external status or ritual.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa states a contemplative truth: the परमात्मा, present as the Self of all, is perceived only by spiritually mature and discerning Brahmins/sages, using the image of a bright fire without smoke to convey clarity and purity.