Shloka 137
Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment
Parāśara’s Instruction
सूचीरोमा हरिश्मश्रुरूर्ध्वकेशश्वलाचल: । गीतवादित्रतत्त्वज्ञो गीतवादनकप्रिय:
sūcīromā hariśmaśrur ūrdhvakeśaś calācalaḥ | gītavāditratattvajño gītavādanakapriyaḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Rambut halus di tubuhnya laksana jarum; janggut dan kumisnya gelap; rambut kepalanya berdiri tegak. Ia mewujudkan yang bergerak dan yang tak bergerak. Ia memahami hakikat nyanyian dan musik instrumen, dan ia sangat menyukai bernyanyi serta memainkan alat musik.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a figure marked by unusual ascetic/cosmic traits yet also refined knowledge of the arts: true excellence can include mastery of aesthetic disciplines (song and instruments) alongside a broader, all-encompassing vision of reality (calācala—moving and unmoving).
In Bhīṣma’s discourse in the Śānti Parva, he is describing a particular being/person by distinctive physical signs and capacities—especially his comprehensive nature and his expertise and fondness for music—within a larger didactic context.