Shloka 6

Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच इति तेनानुयुक्त: स तमुवाच महातपा: । महद्वाक्यमसंदिग्धं पुष्कलार्थपर्द शुचि

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca iti tenānuyuktaḥ sa tam uvāca mahātapāḥ | mahadvākyam asaṃdigdhaṃ puṣkalārtha-pradaṃ śuci ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍! ଏହିପରି ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ କରାଯାଇଥିବାରୁ ମହାତପସ୍ବୀ ଜୈଗୀଷବ୍ୟ ଦେବଳଙ୍କୁ ସନ୍ଦେହରହିତ, ପବିତ୍ର, ଗମ୍ଭୀର ଏବଂ ଅର୍ଥସମୃଦ୍ଧ ମହାବାକ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ଯାହା ଆଚରଣର ପଥ ଦେଖାଏ।

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुयुक्तः: questioned, asked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• महातपाः: the great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असंदिग्धम्: unambiguous, doubtless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंदिग्ध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुष्कलार्थप्रदम्: bestowing abundant meaning (rich in import)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कलार्थप्रद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शुचि: pure, holy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• a great ascetic (mahātapāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal qualities of dharmic instruction: it should be authoritative (mahadvākya), unambiguous (asaṃdigdha), rich in practical meaning (puṣkalārtha-prada), and purifying in effect (śuci).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma frames a dialogue: after someone asks a question, a great ascetic responds, and Bhishma characterizes the reply as clear, meaningful, and pure—setting up the forthcoming teaching.