Shloka 20
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
अन्तकाले बलोत्कर्षाच्छनै: कुर्यादनातुर: । एवं युक्तेन मनसा ज्ञानं यदुपपद्यते
antakāle balotkarṣāc chanaiḥ kuryād anāturaḥ | evaṁ yuktena manasā jñānaṁ yad upapadyate ||
ଜୀବନର ଅନ୍ତିମ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟାୟରେ ଯେ ଅବ୍ୟାକୁଳ, ସେ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତିକୁ ସ୍ଥିର ଭାବେ ଲଗାଇ ଧୀରେ ଧୀରେ ଅଗ୍ରସର ହେଉ। ଯୋଗେ ସଂଯତ ମନ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଯେ ସତ୍ୟ ଜ୍ଞାନ ଲଭ୍ୟ, ତାହାକୁ କ୍ରମେ କ୍ରମେ ଦୃଢ଼ତାରେ ଅর্জନ କରୁ; ପ୍ରାଣାନ୍ତ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଛାଡ଼ିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual attainment is not a sudden leap but a disciplined, gradual effort: even toward life’s end, one should steadily intensify practice without agitation, and with a yoga-trained mind secure whatever knowledge becomes attainable, never abandoning patience.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on dharma and inner cultivation. Here he emphasizes sustained, step-by-step yogic effort and mental steadiness as the means to attain liberating knowledge, even in one’s final days.