Shloka 11
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
संयोगलक्षणोत्पत्ति: कर्मणा गृह्ते यथा । करणै: कर्मनिर्वृत्ति: कर्ता यद् यद् विचेष्टते । कीर्त्यते शब्दसंज्ञाभि: को5हमेषो5प्यसाविति
saṃyoga-lakṣaṇotpattiḥ karmaṇā gṛhyate yathā | karaṇaiḥ karma-nirvṛttiḥ kartā yad yad viceṣṭate | kīrtyate śabda-saṃjñābhiḥ ko’ham eṣo’py asāv iti ||
ପ୍ରକୃତି ଓ ପୁରୁଷର ସଂଯୋଗ-ଲକ୍ଷଣରୁ ଚରାଚର ଜଗତର ଉତ୍ପତ୍ତି ହୁଏ; ତାହା କର୍ମ ଓ କର୍ମଫଳ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଜଣାଯାଏ। ଏହି ଦେହଧାରୀ ମନ ଓ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ନାମକ କରଣମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା କର୍ମ କରେ; ଯେଉଁ ଯେଉଁ କର୍ମ ସେ କରେ, ସେହି ସେହି କର୍ମର କର୍ତ୍ତା ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ। ‘କିଏ?’, ‘ମୁଁ’, ‘ଏହା’, ‘ସେହା’—ଏମିତି ଶବ୍ଦ-ସଞ୍ଜ୍ଞାରେ ଲୋକବ୍ୟବହାରରେ ତାହାର ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା ହୁଏ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Identity as “doer” is a conventional designation arising in the domain of karma: when consciousness (Puruṣa) is conjoined with nature (Prakṛti), actions occur through instruments like mind and senses, and on that basis one is labeled “I/this/that” and held to agency.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation-oriented ethics and philosophy, Bhīṣma explains to the inquirer how the world-process and personal identity are understood through action, and how linguistic labels of selfhood track performed deeds rather than an ultimate, independent agent.