Shloka 21
Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)
तेजो वायौ तु संसक्त वायुं नभसि चाश्रितम् | नभो महति संयुक्त महद् बुद्धौ च संश्रितम्
tejo vāyau tu saṁsaktaṁ vāyuṁ nabhasi cāśritam | nabho mahati saṁyuktaṁ mahad buddhau ca saṁśritam ||
भीष्म म्हणाले— तेज वायूस संयुक्त आहे आणि वायु आकाशात आश्रित आहे. आकाश महत्तत्त्वाशी संयुक्त आहे आणि महत्तत्त्व समष्टि-बुद्धीत प्रतिष्ठित आहे.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That the manifest elements and forces are mutually dependent and ultimately grounded in subtler principles (space, mahat, buddhi). The verse encourages seeing causality and support-relationships behind appearances, a step toward discernment (viveka) and dharmic clarity.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on higher knowledge and right understanding. Here he presents a Sāṅkhya-like sequence linking the elements (fire, wind, space) to cosmic principles (mahat, buddhi) to explain how the world is structured and sustained.