Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रकाशस्तपसो ज्ञानं लोके संशब्दितं तप: । रजस्तमोघ्नं यत्‌ कर्म तपसस्तत्‌ स्वलक्षणम्‌,लोकमें तप शब्द विख्यात है। उस तपका फल है, ज्ञानस्वरूप प्रकाश। रजोगुण और तमोगुणका नाश करनेवाला जो निष्काम कर्म है, वही तपस्याका स्वरूपबोधक लक्षण है

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | prakāśas tapaso jñānaṃ loke saṃśabditaṃ tapaḥ | rajas-tamo-ghnaṃ yat karma tapasas tat svalakṣaṇam |

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「世においてタパス（苦行）とは、その果として光明—すなわち知—を生むものと語られる。ラジャスとタマスを滅し、私欲なく行われる行為こそ、真のタパスを示す定相である。」

Word by Word

प्रकाशःlight, radiance

तपसःof austerity (tapas)

ज्ञानम्knowledge

लोकेin the world

संशब्दितम्is called/termed

तपःausterity, tapas

रजःrajas (passion)

तमःtamas (darkness/ignorance)

घ्नम्destroying, removing

यत्which

कर्मaction, deed

तपसःof tapas

तत्that

स्वलक्षणम्its own defining characteristic

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True tapas is not mere physical hardship; it is disciplined, motive-free action that reduces rajas (agitation/desire) and tamas (inertia/delusion), culminating in prakāśa—illumination in the form of jñāna (knowledge).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira by defining the hallmark of genuine austerity: ethical, selfless action that purifies the mind and yields clarity and knowledge.