Shloka 12
Adhyāya 353 — Kathā-prāmāṇya (Authority of Transmission) and the Brāhmaṇa’s Ascetic Resolve
अचिन्त्यं चापि त॑ ज्ञात्वा भावसूक्ष्मं चतुष्टयम् । विचरेद् यो5समुन्नद्ध: स गच्छेत् पुरुषं शुभम्,जो चारों सूक्ष्म भावोंसे युक्त उस निर्गुण पुरुषको अचिन्त्य जानकर अहंकारशून्य होकर विचरण करता है, वही कल्याणमय परम पुरुषको प्राप्त होता है
acintyaṃ cāpi taṃ jñātvā bhāvasūkṣmaṃ catuṣṭayam | vicared yo 'samunnaddhaḥ sa gacchet puruṣaṃ śubham ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dengan mengetahui bahawa Puruṣa Tertinggi itu tidak terjangkau oleh fikiran (acintya), serta memahami empat kecenderungan batin yang halus, sesiapa yang menjalani hidup tanpa keangkuhan—tanpa membesarkan diri—akan mencapai Puruṣa yang mulia lagi tertinggi.”
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the Supreme Reality (Puruṣa) is ultimately inconceivable, yet one should cultivate refined inner dispositions (a subtle fourfold set) and live without ego-inflation; such humility and inner discipline lead to attaining the auspicious Supreme Person.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and liberation-oriented conduct. Here he summarizes a soteriological point: recognizing the transcendence of the Supreme and practicing ego-free living grounded in subtle inner cultivation results in reaching the highest good.