Shloka 5

धर्मलक्षण-प्रश्नः (Marks and Sources of Dharma) | Chapter 251: Inquiry into the Definition of Dharma

Devanagari script

ताप: पाक: प्रकाशश्न ज्योतिश्नक्षुश्न॒ पजचमम्‌ । तस्य रूपं गुणं विद्यात्‌ ताम्रगौरासितात्मकम्‌

Transliteration

tāpaḥ pākaḥ prakāśaś ca jyotiś cakṣuś ca pañcamam | tasya rūpaṃ guṇaṃ vidyāt tāmra-gaurāsitātmakam ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ତାପ, ପାକ (ରନ୍ଧନ/ପରିପାକ), ପ୍ରକାଶ, ଜ୍ୟୋତି (ଦୀପ୍ତି) ଏବଂ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିଶକ୍ତି—ଏସବୁ ତେଜ (ଅଗ୍ନିତତ୍ତ୍ୱ)ର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ। ତାହାର ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ରୂପ-ଗୁଣ ତାମ୍ର, ଗୌର (ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ) ଓ ଅସିତ (ଶ୍ୟାମ) ଆଦି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣରେ ପ୍ରକଟ ହୁଏ ବୋଲି ବୁଝିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• तापः: heat
• तापः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाकः: cooking, ripening
• पाकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रकाशः: light, illumination
• प्रकाशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्योतिः: radiance, flame
• ज्योतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• चक्षुः: eye; visual faculty
• चक्षुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चमम्: the fifth
• पञ्चमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of that (of it)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• रूपम्: form, appearance
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गुणम्: quality, attribute
• गुणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विद्यात्: should know, should understand
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ताम्र-गौर-असित-आत्मकम्: having the nature of coppery, fair, and dark (colors)
• ताम्र-गौर-असित-आत्मकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Tejas (fire principle)
• Agni-tattva
• Cakshus (faculty of sight)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Tejas (the fire principle) is known by its functions—heat, transformation/cooking, illumination, radiance, and enabling sight—and by its visible qualities such as coppery, bright, or dark coloration; thus one should infer subtle causes from observable effects.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Vyasa is enumerating the characteristics of a fundamental element (tejas/agni), describing how it manifests in the world and in the senses, as part of a broader teaching on tattvas and discernment.