Shloka 165
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
ननु नाम त्वया मोक्ष: कृत्स्न: पठचशिखाच्छुत: । सोपाय: सोपनिषद: सोपासड्ग: सनिश्चय:
nanu nāma tvayā mokṣaḥ kṛtsnaḥ pañcaśikhāc chrutaḥ | sopāyaḥ sopaniṣadaḥ sopāsaṅgaḥ saniścayaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Sesungguhnya engkau telah mendengar ajaran pembebasan yang lengkap daripada resi Pañcaśikha—berserta cara pengamalannya, asas Upaniṣadnya, disiplin-disiplin penunjang, dan kepastian teguh yang lahir daripada penyaksian. Jika engkau benar-benar telah bebas daripada keterikatan dan berdiri sebagai orang yang telah memutus segala belenggu, bagaimana mungkin keterikatan masih timbul terhadap lambang-lambang diraja seperti payung kebesaran dan kipas chowrie?”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after learning the full doctrine of liberation—its method, scriptural grounding, supportive disciplines, and the certainty of realization—one must test oneself for residual attachment. Clinging to status-symbols (like parasol and chowries) reveals that bondage can persist subtly, and true mokṣa requires inner non-attachment, not merely hearing or intellectual assent.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma challenges a royal listener who has studied mokṣa-śāstra. He points out an inconsistency: if the listener has truly cut all bonds, why is there still attraction to royal emblems and privileges? The question functions as moral and spiritual correction.