Shloka 17
जनक–पराशर संवादः — वर्ण-गोत्र-धर्मविचारः
Janaka–Parāśara: Varṇa, Gotra, and Dharma Inquiry
चक्षुरालोचनायैव संशयं कुरुते मन: । बुद्धिरध्यवसानाय साक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते । तमः सत्त्वं रजश्नलेति काल: कर्म च भारत
cakṣur ālocanāyaiva saṁśayaṁ kurute manaḥ | buddhir adhyavasānāya sākṣī kṣetrajña ucyate | tamaḥ sattvaṁ rajaś ceti kālaḥ karma ca bhārata
ビーシュマは語った。「眼はただ見るためにある。疑いを生むのは意（マナス）である。知性（ブッディ）は断を下すためにあり、証人として見守る自己は『田の知者』（クシェートラジュニャ）と呼ばれる。タマス・サットヴァ・ラジャス—これが三つのグナである。さらに、おおバーラタよ、時と業（カルマ）もまた具身の者を支配する。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma distinguishes inner faculties: the senses merely perceive, the mind doubts, the intellect decides, and the kṣetrajña (witnessing Self) observes. He then frames experience through the guṇas (tamas, sattva, rajas) and reminds that time and action shape embodied life.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhishma continues his discourse on inner discipline and right understanding, explaining how perception, doubt, decision, and witnessing consciousness function, and how guṇas, time, and karma condition human conduct and moral responsibility.