Shloka 14
Adhyāya 353 — Kathā-prāmāṇya (Authority of Transmission) and the Brāhmaṇa’s Ascetic Resolve
तत्र यः परमात्मा हि स नित्यं निर्गुण: स्मृतः । स हि नारायणो ज्ञेय: सर्वात्मा पुरुषो हि सः,इनमें जो परमात्मा है, वह नित्य निर्गुण माना गया है। उसीको नारायण नामसे जानना चाहिये। वही सर्वात्मा पुरुष है
tatra yaḥ paramātmā hi sa nityaṃ nirguṇaḥ smṛtaḥ | sa hi nārāyaṇo jñeyaḥ sarvātmā puruṣo hi saḥ ||
Di antara semuanya itu, Sang Diri Tertinggi dipandang kekal dan nirguṇa. Dialah yang harus dikenal sebagai Nārāyaṇa; sungguh, Dialah Puruṣa, Diri semesta bagi semua.
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse identifies the Supreme Self as eternal and beyond the three guṇas, and equates that transcendent reality with Nārāyaṇa, who is also the indwelling Self of all beings (sarvātmā) and the cosmic Person (puruṣa).
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and higher knowledge; here he clarifies a theological-metaphysical point: the ultimate principle being discussed should be understood as the nirguṇa Paramātmā, known by the name Nārāyaṇa, present as the Self in all.