Shloka 16
Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala
On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving
त॑ दृष्टवात्यद्भुतं राजा मनसाचिन्तयत् तदा । स्वप्लोडयं चित्तविभ्रंश उताहो सत्यमेव तु
taṁ dṛṣṭvā atyadbhutaṁ rājā manasā cintayat tadā | svapno ’yaṁ cittavibhrāṁśa utāho satyam eva tu ||
ସେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଅଦ୍ଭୁତ ଦୃଶ୍ୟ ଦେଖି ରାଜା ମନେମନେ ଚିନ୍ତା କଲେ—“ଆହା! ଏହା କି ସ୍ୱପ୍ନ? ନା ମୋ ଚିତ୍ତରେ ଭ୍ରମ ହୋଇଛି? କିମ୍ବା ଏ ସବୁ ସତ୍ୟ ହିଁ?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights epistemic humility: when confronted with the extraordinary, one should examine whether one’s perception is reliable—distinguishing dream, mental confusion, and objective reality—before forming judgments or acting.
Bhishma narrates that a king witnesses an astonishing phenomenon and, struck with amazement, internally debates whether it is a dream, a disturbance of mind, or an actual event.