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Shloka 9

Vimokṣa-niścaya: Pañcaśikha’s Analysis of Aggregates, Guṇas, and Tyāga (मोक्षनिर्णयः)

पञ्चभूतात्मके देहे सत्त्वे राजसतामसे । कमभिष्ट्वते चायं क॑ वा55क्रोशति कि वदन्‌,यह शरीर पाँच भूतोंका विकार है और सत्त्व, रज एवं तम--तीन गुणोंसे युक्त है। इसमें रहकर यह निर्विकार आत्मा क्या कहकर किसकी निन्दा और किसकी स्तुति करे

pañcabhūtātmake dehe sattve rajasatāmase | kim abhiṣṭuvate cāyaṃ ka vā krośati kiṃ vadan ||

ビーシュマは言った。「この身体は五大の変化であり、サットヴァ・ラジャス・タマスという三つのグナに条件づけられている。その中に住まう不変のアートマンが、いったい何を意味ある言葉として語れよう。誰を責め、誰を讃えるというのか。何を根拠として?」

पञ्चभूतात्मकेin the five-elements-constituted
पञ्चभूतात्मके:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्चभूतात्मक
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
देहेin the body
देहे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेह
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
सत्त्वेin sattva (goodness)
सत्त्वे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसत्त्व
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
राजसतामसेin rajas and tamas
राजसतामसे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootराजसतामस
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
किम्what?
किम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिम्
अभिष्ट्वतेpraises
अभिष्ट्वते:
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-स्तु
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अयम्this (one)
अयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कःwho?
कः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
आक्रोशतिreviles/abuses
आक्रोशति:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-क्रुश्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
किम्what?
किम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिम्
वदन्speaking/saying
वदन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवद्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
P
pañcabhūta (five elements)
T
triguṇa (sattva, rajas, tamas)
D
deha (body)
Ā
ātman (Self)

Educational Q&A

Bhishma emphasizes that praise and blame belong to the realm of the body-mind shaped by the five elements and the three guṇas. The true Self (ātman), being changeless, is not the real agent of such reactions; recognizing this supports equanimity and ethical restraint.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhishma continues a philosophical discourse on the nature of the Self versus the conditioned body. This verse argues for detachment from reactive judgment—praise and censure—by grounding identity in the avikāra ātman rather than in guṇa-driven states.