Shloka 25

Adhyāya 214: Tapas Redefined—Perpetual Discipline, Hospitality, and the Ethics of Eating (तपः-निरूपणम्, विघसाशी-अतिथिप्रिय-धर्मः)

Devanagari script

गुणानां साम्यमागम्य मनसैव मनोवहम्‌ | देहकर्मा नुदन्‌ प्राणानन्तकाले विमुच्यते

Transliteration

guṇānāṃ sāmyam āgamya manasaiva manovaham | dehakarmā nudan prāṇān antakāle vimucyate

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「グナの均衡に到り、心のみをもって心の奔流を制し、身のはたらきを克服して—プラーナ（生命の息）を抑え—終末の時に解脱する。」

Word by Word

• गुणानाम्: of the qualities
• गुणानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• साम्यम्: equilibrium, sameness
• साम्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आगम्य: having attained/reached
• आगम्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मनोवहम्: mind-bearing / carried by the mind
• मनोवहम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोवह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देहकर्मा: one whose action is (only) bodily; acting through the body
• देहकर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नुदन्: impelling, driving
• नुदन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नुद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राणान्: the vital breaths, life-forces
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्तकाले: at the final time, at death
• अन्तकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विमुच्यते: is released, becomes free
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Passive/Reflexive (contextual)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation is approached through inner mastery: balancing the guṇas (freedom from agitation and dullness), restraining the mind by the mind itself, and disciplining bodily action and the vital breaths—so that at death one departs unbound.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and the path of inner peace; here he describes a yogic-ethical method of preparing for the end of life, presenting equanimity and self-restraint as the means to release at the final moment.