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Shloka 36

जनक–पराशर संवादः — वर्ण-गोत्र-धर्मविचारः

Janaka–Parāśara: Varṇa, Gotra, and Dharma Inquiry

आश्रयो नास्ति सत्त्वस्य गुणसर्गेण चेतना । सत्त्वमस्य सृजन्त्यन्ये गुणान्‌ वेद कदाचन

āśrayo nāsti sattvasya guṇasargeṇa cetanā | sattvam asya sṛjanty anye guṇān veda kadācana ||

ビーシュマは言った。「ブッディがグナの顕現した戯れを投影するとき、覚知する自己は、その生じたサットヴァの『依りどころ』でも基体でもない。ほかのグナを形づくるのもまたブッディである。しかれども、身を帯びた者が、それらのグナが働くさまを真に知ることは稀である。この教えが指し示すのは識別である。解脱は、グナをプラクリティの産物と見抜き、それを自己と取り違えぬことにある。」

आश्रयःsupport, substratum
आश्रयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (निपात)
अस्तिis/exists
अस्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
सत्त्वस्यof sattva (the quality of goodness/clarity)
सत्त्वस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootसत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Genitive, Singular
गुणसर्गेणby the creation/emanation of the guṇas
गुणसर्गेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगुणसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
चेतनाconsciousness, sentience
चेतना:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचेतना (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
सत्त्वम्sattva
सत्त्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अस्यof this (one)
अस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
सृजन्तिcreate, produce
सृजन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootसृज् (धातु)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
अन्येothers
अन्ये:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गुणान्qualities (guṇas)
गुणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
वेदknows
वेद:
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
FormPerfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
कदाचनever, at any time
कदाचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचन (अव्यय)

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
C
cetanā (consciousness)
B
buddhi (intellect)
G
guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)
J
jīvātman (individual self, implied)

Educational Q&A

The verse distinguishes the conscious Self (cetanā/jīva) from the guṇas produced in prakṛti through buddhi. Sattva and the other guṇas are seen as constructed/manifested phenomena, while true consciousness is not their material support; wisdom is to know the guṇas as guṇas and not identify them with the Self.

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on liberation-oriented philosophy. Here he explains how the intellect’s activity gives rise to the guṇic field of experience, and how the embodied self seldom recognizes these guṇas correctly—setting up the need for discernment and detachment.