Shloka 165
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
ननु नाम त्वया मोक्ष: कृत्स्न: पठचशिखाच्छुत: । सोपाय: सोपनिषद: सोपासड्ग: सनिश्चय:
nanu nāma tvayā mokṣaḥ kṛtsnaḥ pañcaśikhāc chrutaḥ | sopāyaḥ sopaniṣadaḥ sopāsaṅgaḥ saniścayaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Bukankah engkau telah mendengar ajaran pembebasan secara utuh dari resi Pañcaśikha—beserta cara praktiknya, landasan Upaniṣadnya, disiplin penunjangnya, dan kepastian teguh yang lahir dari realisasi? Wahai raja, bila engkau sungguh bebas dari keterikatan dan berdiri setelah memutus semua belenggu, bagaimana keterikatan masih muncul pada lambang-lambang kebesaran seperti payung kerajaan dan kipas pengiring?”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after learning the full doctrine of liberation—its method, scriptural grounding, supportive disciplines, and the certainty of realization—one must test oneself for residual attachment. Clinging to status-symbols (like parasol and chowries) reveals that bondage can persist subtly, and true mokṣa requires inner non-attachment, not merely hearing or intellectual assent.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma challenges a royal listener who has studied mokṣa-śāstra. He points out an inconsistency: if the listener has truly cut all bonds, why is there still attraction to royal emblems and privileges? The question functions as moral and spiritual correction.