Shloka 16
Śuka–Janaka Saṃvāda: Āśrama-krama, Jñāna-vijñāna, and the Marks of Liberation (शुक-जनक संवादः)
यथा दीपसहस्राणि दीपान्मर्त्या: प्रकुर्वते । प्रकृतिस्तथा विकुरुते पुरुषस्य गुणान् बहून्
yathā dīpasahasrāṇi dīpān martyāḥ prakurvate | prakṛtis tathā vikurute puruṣasya guṇān bahūn ||
Yājñavalkya berkata: “Sebagaimana manusia menyalakan ribuan pelita dari satu pelita, demikian pula Prakṛti, dalam kaitannya dengan Puruṣa, melahirkan banyak guṇa dan perwujudan.”
याज़्वल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Multiplicity of qualities and experiences arises from Prakṛti when it operates in relation to Puruṣa, just as many lamps can be lit from one lamp. The verse points to viveka (discernment): the Self (Puruṣa) is the witness, while the guṇas and their transformations belong to Nature (Prakṛti).
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Yājñavalkya instructs on philosophical discrimination. He uses a simple household metaphor (lighting many lamps from one) to explain how Nature generates many attributes and manifestations without implying that the witnessing principle itself becomes those changes.