Shloka 7
धर्मलक्षण-प्रश्नः (Marks and Sources of Dharma) | Chapter 251: Inquiry into the Definition of Dharma
रसन॑ चेन्द्रियं जिह्दा रसश्चापां गुणो मतः । संघात: पार्थिवो धातुरस्थिदन््तनखानि च
rasanaṁ cendriyaṁ jihvā rasaś cāpāṁ guṇo mataḥ | saṅghātaḥ pārthivo dhātur asthi-danta-nakhāni ca ||
Vyāsa berkata: Organ rasa ialah lidah, dan ‘rasa’ itu sendiri dianggap sebagai sifat air. Kepadatan dan kekerasan tubuh timbul daripada unsur bumi; maka tulang, gigi, dan kuku hendaklah difahami sebagai bahagian daripada bumi. Ajaran ini menempatkan pancaindera dan struktur jasmani dalam tertib unsur, lalu menumbuhkan kebijaksanaan membezakan serta sikap tidak melekat pada identiti tubuh semata-mata.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
It maps bodily functions to the five great elements: taste and the tongue are connected with the water-element, while bodily hardness/compactness—seen in bones, teeth, and nails—belongs to the earth-element. This supports discernment (viveka) and loosens attachment to the body by viewing it as elemental composition.
In Shanti Parva’s instructional discourse, Vyāsa explains a doctrinal classification of sense-organs and bodily constituents according to elemental qualities, guiding the listener toward philosophical understanding of the body’s nature.