Shloka 18
Varāha-avatāra: Viṣṇu’s subterranean intervention and the cosmic nāda (Śānti-parva 202)
तथा मनुष्य: परिमुच्य काय- मदृश्यमन्यद् विशते शरीरम् । विसृज्य भूतेषु महत्सु देहं तदाश्रयं चैव बिभर्ति रूपम्
tathā manuṣyaḥ parimucya kāyam adṛśyam anyad viśate śarīram | visṛjya bhūteṣu mahatsu dehaṃ tadāśrayaṃ caiva bibharti rūpam ||
«ດັ່ງນັ້ນແຫຼະ ມະນຸດເມື່ອປ່ອຍວາງກາຍທີ່ເຫັນໄດ້ ກໍເຂົ້າໄປສູ່ກາຍອື່ນທີ່ບໍ່ເຫັນ. ປ່ອຍຮ່າງຫຍາບເກົ່າໃຫ້ກັບຄືນໄປປະສົມໃນມະຫາພູດທັງຫ້າ ແລ້ວອາໄສກາຍໃໝ່ນັ້ນ ແລະຖືມັນເປັນຮູບຮ່າງຂອງຕົນ.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma explains the transition at death: the visible gross body is abandoned and returns to the great elements, while the person enters and identifies with another, invisible (subtle) body that becomes the basis for continued existence.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma is describing the metaphysical process of embodiment—how, upon leaving the physical frame, one proceeds into a subtler form—supporting a broader ethical teaching about detachment from the perishable body and clarity about the self’s continuity.