Shloka 14
श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः
Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma
यथा चाल्पेन माल्येन वासितं तिलसर्षपम् । न मुज्चति स्वकं गन्ध॑ तद्वत् सूक्ष्मस्य दर्शनम्
yathā cālpena mālyena vāsitaṃ tilasarṣapam | na muñcati svakaṃ gandhaṃ tadvat sūkṣmasya darśanam ||
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ເຫມືອນນ້ໍາມັນງາ ຫຼືນ້ໍາມັນຜັກກາດ (ມັດສະຕາດ) ທີ່ຖືກອົບກິ່ນດ້ວຍພວງດອກໄມ້ນ້ອຍໆ ກໍບໍ່ຍອມປ່ອຍກິ່ນເດີມຂອງຕົນ, ດັ່ງນັ້ນການເຫັນ “ອັນລະອຽດ” (ພຣະພຣົມ) ກໍບໍ່ອາດບັນລຸໄດ້ດ້ວຍຄວາມພາກພຽນເພີຍນ້ອຍ; ແລະຂໍ້ບົກພ່ອງກໍບໍ່ຖືກຖອນອອກດ້ວຍການປະຕິບັດເພີຍນ້ອຍ»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Small, superficial effort does not uproot ingrained tendencies or faults; likewise, direct realization of the Subtle Reality (Brahman) requires sustained, deeper practice rather than minimal or occasional attempts.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma continues advising the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in the broader frame) using a homely analogy: just as sesame/mustard retains its own smell despite light perfuming, a person’s inner defects and the highest realization are not transformed by slight effort.