Shloka 4
Ācāra-vidhi (Rules of Conduct) — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Catalogue
स जन्तु: सर्वभूतात्मा पुरुष: स सनातन: । मनो बुद्धिरहड्कारो भूतानि विषयश्चल सः
sa jantuḥ sarvabhūtātmā puruṣaḥ sa sanātanaḥ | mano buddhir ahaṅkāro bhūtāni viṣayāś ca saḥ ||
Bharadvāja berkata: “Makhluk hidup itu ialah Diri bagi segala makhluk—Purusha yang kekal. Hakikat yang sama itulah yang menjadi minda (manas), intelek (buddhi), dan keakuan (ahaṃkāra); ia juga menampakkan diri sebagai unsur-unsur dan sebagai objek-objek pancaindera.”
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the identity and pervasiveness of the Self: the ‘living being’ is not an isolated entity but the eternal Purusha who is the Self in all beings, and who manifests as inner faculties (mind, intellect, ego) and as the experienced world (elements and sense-objects). Ethical implication: recognizing the same Self in all supports restraint, compassion, and non-harm.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Bharadvaja presents a metaphysical explanation of the jiva and its relation to the universal principle. He frames the individual as a manifestation of the eternal Purusha, describing how consciousness appears as psychological functions and as the material and sensory domain.