Shloka 39
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
मशकोदुम्बरौ वापि सम्प्रयुक्तो यथा सदा । अन्योन्यमेतौ ख्यातां च सम्प्रयोगस्तथा तयो:,जैसे गूलरका फल और उसके भीतर रहनेवाले कीड़े एक साथ रहते हुए भी एक- दूसरेसे अलग हैं, उसी प्रकार बुद्धि और आत्मा दोनोंका एक साथ रहना और भिन्न-भिन्न होना समझना चाहिये
maśakodumbarau vāpi samprayukto yathā sadā | anyonyam etau khyātāṁ ca samprayogas tathā tayoḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Seperti seekor agas dan buah udumbara (ara berkelompok) sentiasa didapati berdekatan, namun diketahui berbeza antara satu sama lain, demikianlah hendaknya difahami hubungan antara buddhi (akal budi) dan ātman (Diri): mereka berdiam bersama dalam pertautan, namun tetap berlainan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when two things appear inseparably connected—like an insect living in a fig—one must discern their real difference. Likewise, buddhi (the instrument of cognition) and ātman (the witnessing Self) are conjoined in experience but are not identical; liberation-oriented understanding requires recognizing this distinction.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and higher knowledge, Bhishma continues his philosophical teaching by giving a concrete analogy to explain how the Self can be present with the mind/intellect in embodied life while remaining distinct from it.