Shloka 51
मनु-उपदेशः — भूत-उत्पत्ति, इन्द्रिय-निवृत्ति, तथा पर-स्वभाव-विवेकः
Manu’s Instruction on Elemental Origination, Sense-Withdrawal, and Discrimination of the Supreme Nature
एवमेके< ध्यवस्यन्ति निवृत्तिरिति चापरे | उभयं सम्प्रधार्यतद् व्यवस्येत यथामति
evam eke 'dhyavasyanti nivṛttir iti cāpare | ubhayaṃ sampradhārya tad vyavasyeta yathāmati ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Demikianlah, ada pemikir yang memutuskan bahawa wujud ‘penghentian’ (nivṛtti), sedangkan yang lain berpegang pada pandangan yang berbeza. Setelah menimbang kedua-duanya, hendaklah seseorang menetapkan kebenaran menurut pertimbangan dirinya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights a philosophical disagreement about ‘cessation/withdrawal’ (nivṛtti) and urges careful deliberation of both sides before forming a reasoned conclusion. Ethically, it models intellectual humility and disciplined inquiry in matters of liberation and renunciation.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on higher dharma and liberation-oriented philosophy. Here he notes that learned people hold differing doctrines and recommends reflective judgment rather than blind adherence.