Shloka 23
Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)
सक्तमात्मानमीशे च देवे नारायणो तथा । देवं मोक्षे च संसक्त मोक्ष सक्ते तु न क्वचित्
saktam ātmānam īśe ca deve nārāyaṇo tathā | devaṁ mokṣe ca saṁsaktaṁ mokṣa-sakte tu na kvacit ||
ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಆತ್ಮನು ಈಶ್ವರನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಶ್ರಿತ; ಈಶ್ವರನು ನಾರಾಯಣದೇವನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಶ್ರಿತ. ನಾರಾಯಣನು ಮೋಕ್ಷದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಂಯುಕ್ತನೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಆದರೆ ಮೋಕ್ಷವು ಯಾವುದರ ಮೇಲೂ ಆಶ್ರಿತವಲ್ಲ—ಅದು ತನ್ನ ಸ್ವಭಾವದಲ್ಲೇ ಸ್ಥಿತವಾಗಿದೆ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a chain of dependence: the individual self relies on the Lord; the Lord is identified with/grounded in Nārāyaṇa; Nārāyaṇa is connected with Mokṣa (the supreme release). Mokṣa alone is independent—self-established—indicating liberation as the ultimate, unconditioned reality.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the highest good. Here he shifts to a metaphysical explanation, describing how all conditioned beings and divine forms ultimately point toward Mokṣa as the final, self-sufficient principle.