Adhyāya 222 — ब्रह्मस्थानप्राप्ति: मोक्षधर्मे समत्वव्रतम्
Attaining the Brahman-Station: The Vow of Equanimity in Mokṣadharma
अथ ते लक्ष्यते बुद्धि: समा बालजनैरिह । आत्मानं मन्यमान: सन् श्रेय: किमिह मन्यसे
atha te lakṣyate buddhiḥ samā bālajanair iha | ātmānaṃ manyamānaḥ san śreyaḥ kim iha manyase ||
ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: “ໃນນີ້ ປັນຍາຂອງທ່ານຖືກເຫັນວ່າສະເໝີ ແລະບໍ່ເລື່ອນໄຫວ—ພົ້ນຈາກການໂຍກໄຫວແບບເດັກນ້ອຍຂອງຄວາມຕິດພັນແລະຄວາມຊັງ. ເພາະທ່ານອາໄສຢູ່ໃນການຮູ້ຕົນເອງ ທ່ານຈຶ່ງຢືນຢູ່ໃນສະພາບນັ້ນ. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຂໍຖາມວ່າ: ໃນໂລກນີ້ ທ່ານເຫັນສິ່ງໃດເປັນວິທີທີ່ດີທີ່ສຸດ ເພື່ອບັນລຸຄວາມຮູ້ແຫ່ງອາດຕະມັນ ແລະຄວາມດີສູງສຸດ?”
भीष्म उवाच
Equanimity—freedom from rāga (attachment) and dveṣa (aversion)—is presented as a visible sign of Self-abidance. Bhishma frames a dharmic inquiry: among worldly options, which discipline or means most effectively leads to ātmājñāna (knowledge of the Self) and śreyas (the highest good).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-dialogue, Bhishma addresses a spiritually mature interlocutor whose calm, impartial intellect is evident. Recognizing this as rooted in Self-awareness, Bhishma asks them to state what they consider the सर्वोत्तम practical means for attaining Self-knowledge and ultimate welfare.