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Shloka 32

Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra

Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability

श्रीत्रं व्योमाश्रितं भूतं शब्द: श्रोत्रं समाश्रित: । नोभयं शब्दविज्ञाने विज्ञानस्येतरस्य वा

śrotraṁ vyomāśritaṁ bhūtaṁ śabdaḥ śrotraṁ samāśritaḥ | nobhayaṁ śabdavijñāne vijñānasyetarasya vā ||

ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ଆକାଶକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ଅବସ୍ଥିତ, ଏବଂ ଶବ୍ଦ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ଅବସ୍ଥିତ। ତେଣୁ ଶବ୍ଦଜ୍ଞାନ ହେବା ସମୟରେ ଆକାଶ ଓ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ର—ଏ ଦୁଇଟି—ନ ଜ୍ଞାନର ବିଷୟ, ନ ଅଜ୍ଞାନର; ସେମାନେ କେବଳ ଆଶ୍ରୟ-କାରଣ ଭାବେ ରହନ୍ତି।

श्रोत्रम्the ear (organ of hearing)
श्रोत्रम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootश्रोत्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
व्योम-आश्रितम्resting in/depending on space
व्योम-आश्रितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootव्योमाश्रित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
भूतम्an element; a being (here: element)
भूतम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
शब्दःsound
शब्दः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशब्द
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
श्रोत्रम्the ear (as locus/support)
श्रोत्रम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootश्रोत्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
समाश्रितःresting on; dependent on
समाश्रितः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-आ-श्रि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उभयम्both
उभयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootउभय
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
शब्द-विज्ञानेin the cognition of sound
शब्द-विज्ञाने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootशब्दविज्ञान
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
विज्ञानस्यof knowledge/cognition
विज्ञानस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootविज्ञान
FormNeuter, Genitive, Singular
इतरस्यof the other (i.e., ignorance)
इतरस्य:
TypeAdjective
Rootइतर
FormNeuter, Genitive, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
Ś
śrotra (ear, auditory faculty)
Ś
śabda (sound)
V
vyoma/ākāśa (space)

Educational Q&A

In perceiving sound, the ear and space are not themselves the objects known; they are the supporting conditions. This encourages discrimination between (1) the object perceived (sound) and (2) the instruments/grounds that enable perception (ear and space), a step toward non-confusion and detachment in self-knowledge.

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues a philosophical analysis of perception and the elements. He explains the dependence-chain—sound depends on the ear, and the ear depends on space—to clarify how experience arises without making its supports into the direct content of cognition.