Shloka 18
Jarā-Mṛtyu-anatikrama: Janaka–Pañcaśikha-saṃvāda
Aging and Death Cannot Be Overstepped
एवमेव च क्षेत्रज्ञ: क्षेत्रज्ञानपरिक्षये । प्रकृत्या निर्गुणस्त्वेष इत्येवमनुशुश्रुम,इस प्रकार जब क्षेत्रका ज्ञान नहीं रहता अर्थात् पुरुषको प्रकृतिका ज्ञान नहीं रहता, तब वह स्वभावसे ही निर्गुण है--यह हमने सुन रखा है
evam eva ca kṣetrajñaḥ kṣetrajñāna-parikṣaye | prakṛtyā nirguṇas tveṣa ity evam anuśuśruma ||
Demikian pula, ketika pengetahuan tentang Kṣetra dan Kṣetrajña berakhir—yakni ketika Puruṣa tidak lagi berdiri dalam sikap “aku mengetahui” terhadap Prakṛti—maka menurut kodratnya ia nirguṇa. Demikianlah yang kami dengar dalam tradisi.
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
When the dualistic framework of ‘field’ (kṣetra) and ‘knower’ (kṣetrajña)—i.e., the stance of objectifying and knowing Prakṛti—falls away, the Self is recognized as inherently nirguṇa, beyond the three guṇas. Liberation is framed as the cessation of guṇa-bound cognition and identification.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vasiṣṭha is teaching a renunciatory, Sāṅkhya-leaning insight: the conscious principle (kṣetrajña) is not essentially a doer or quality-bearer; rather, when entanglement with Prakṛti and its knowable distinctions ceases, the Self’s qualityless nature is affirmed as received wisdom.