Shloka 7
Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra
सर्वात्मानं महात्मानं विधूममिव पावकम् | त॑ पश्यन्ति महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिण:
sarvātmānaṁ mahātmānaṁ vidhūmam iva pāvakam | taṁ paśyanti mahātmāno brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ ||
ಸರ್ವಭೂತಗಳ ಅಂತರಾತ್ಮನಾದ ಪರಮಾತ್ಮನು ಧೂಮರಹಿತ ಅಗ್ನಿಯಂತೆ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮಹಾತ್ಮರೂ ಮನುಷೀ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರೂ ಮಾತ್ರ ಅವನನ್ನು ದರ್ಶನಮಾಡಬಲ್ಲರು.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The Supreme Self is luminous and unobscured like smokeless fire, but direct realization of Him arises only in the wise and purified—those with discernment (manīṣā) and greatness of soul (mahātmatā), not merely through external status or ritual.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa states a contemplative truth: the परमात्मा, present as the Self of all, is perceived only by spiritually mature and discerning Brahmins/sages, using the image of a bright fire without smoke to convey clarity and purity.