Shloka 5
धर्मलक्षण-प्रश्नः (Marks and Sources of Dharma) | Chapter 251: Inquiry into the Definition of Dharma
ताप: पाक: प्रकाशश्न ज्योतिश्नक्षुश्न॒ पजचमम् । तस्य रूपं गुणं विद्यात् ताम्रगौरासितात्मकम्
tāpaḥ pākaḥ prakāśaś ca jyotiś cakṣuś ca pañcamam | tasya rūpaṃ guṇaṃ vidyāt tāmra-gaurāsitātmakam ||
ವ್ಯಾಸರು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ತಾಪ, ಪಾಕ (ಅಡುಗೆ/ಪರಿಪಾಕ), ಪ್ರಕಾಶ, ಜ್ಯೋತಿ (ದೀಪ್ತಿ) ಮತ್ತು ದೃಷ್ಟಿಶಕ್ತಿ—ಇವೆಲ್ಲವೂ ತೇಜಸ್ (ಅಗ್ನಿತತ್ತ್ವ)ದ ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳು. ಅದರ ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷ ರೂಪ-ಗುಣ ತಾಮ್ರವರ್ಣ, ಗೌರವರ್ಣ (ಉಜ್ಜ್ವಲ), ಅಸಿತವರ್ಣ (ಶ್ಯಾಮ) ಇತ್ಯಾದಿಯಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕು.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tejas (the fire principle) is known by its functions—heat, transformation/cooking, illumination, radiance, and enabling sight—and by its visible qualities such as coppery, bright, or dark coloration; thus one should infer subtle causes from observable effects.
In the Shanti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Vyasa is enumerating the characteristics of a fundamental element (tejas/agni), describing how it manifests in the world and in the senses, as part of a broader teaching on tattvas and discernment.