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Shloka 7

Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra

Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability

धातव: पज्च भूतेषु खं वायुज्योतिषो धरा । ते स्वभावेन तिष्ठन्ति वियुज्यन्ते स्वभावत:,प्राणियोंके शरीरमें उपादानके रूपमें आकाश, वायु, अग्नि, जल और पृथ्वी--ये पाँच धातु हैं। ये स्वभावसे ही एकत्र होते और विलग हो जाते हैं

dhātavaḥ pañca bhūteṣu khaṃ vāyujyotiṣo dharā | te svabhāvena tiṣṭhanti viyujyante svabhāvataḥ ||

「生きとし生けるものの身体には、虚空・風・火・水・地という五つの要素が素材(ダートゥ)としてある。それらは自性によって集まり、また自性によって離れてゆく。」

धातवःelements/constituents
धातवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधातु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पञ्चfive
पञ्च:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्च
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
भूतेषुin beings/creatures
भूतेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
खम्space/ether
खम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Root
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वायुःwind/air
वायुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवायु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ज्योतिःfire/light
ज्योतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्योतिस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
धराearth
धरा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधरा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्वभावेनby (their) nature
स्वभावेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootस्वभाव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
तिष्ठन्तिstand/remain (together)
तिष्ठन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (तिष्ठ)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
वियुज्यन्तेseparate/disjoin
वियुज्यन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootयुज् (वि-युज्)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada
स्वभावतःby nature/inherently
स्वभावतः:
Karana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वभाव

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
K
kha (space/ether)
V
vāyu (air)
J
jyotis/agni (fire)
Ā
āpaḥ/jala (water)
D
dharā/pṛthivī (earth)

Educational Q&A

The body is a temporary aggregation of the five great elements (space, air, fire, water, earth). Their coming together and separating happens according to svabhāva (inherent nature), encouraging detachment and reducing grief or blame regarding birth, change, and death.

In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and wisdom after the war. Here he explains a philosophical point about the elemental constitution of living bodies and the natural process of their formation and dissolution.