Shloka 21
जनक–पराशर संवादः — वर्ण-गोत्र-धर्मविचारः
Janaka–Parāśara: Varṇa, Gotra, and Dharma Inquiry
बुद्धि जिसके द्वारा देखती है
bhīṣma uvāca | buddhiḥ yasyāḥ dvārā paśyati tad indriyaṃ dṛṣṭiḥ netram iti nāma | sā eva sva-vṛtti-viśeṣeṇa yadā śṛṇoti tadā śrotram ucyate | gandha-grahaṇe prāṇo bhavati | rasa-āsvādane rasanā ucyate | sparśa-anubhave tvak (sparśendriyam) nāma dhatte | evaṃ buddhiḥ punaḥ punaḥ vikriyate | yadā kiṃcit prārthayate (yācate) tadā manaḥ bhavati || adhiṣṭhānāni buddhā hi pṛthag etāni pañcadhā | indriyāṇīti tāny āhus teṣu duṣṭeṣu duṣyati ||
Bhīṣma bersabda: “Fakulti yang dengannya kesedaran ‘melihat’ disebut mata atau penglihatan. Fakulti yang sama, melalui cara kerja tertentu, apabila mendengar, disebut telinga. Ketika menangkap bau, ia berfungsi sebagai prāṇa (nafas hayat). Ketika mengecap rasa, ia disebut lidah; dan ketika mengalami sentuhan, ia mengambil nama kulit, iaitu indera sentuh. Demikianlah buddhi berubah-ubah berulang kali menurut perbuatannya. Apabila ia memohon atau mengingini sesuatu, ia menjadi manas (minda). Lima tempat duduk yang berbeza bagi fakulti mengetahui ini disebut pancaindera; dan apabila indera-inderanya rosak, buddhi sendiri turut tercemar.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The intellect (buddhi) appears as different sense-faculties depending on its mode of operation; therefore, ethical discipline requires guarding the senses, because when the senses are tainted, the intellect and discernment that guide conduct are also tainted.
In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he explains an inner, psychological account of perception: one underlying cognitive principle functions as sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, and also as mind when it desires—linking moral clarity to the purity of sensory engagement.