Shloka 38

Haṃsa–Sādhya Saṃvāda: Satya, Dama, Kṣamā and the Discipline of Speech

Devanagari script

रक्तमूत्रपुरीषाणां दोषाणां संचयांस्तथा । शरीरं दोषबहुलं दृष्टवा चैव विमुच्यते

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | raktamūtrapurīṣāṇāṃ doṣāṇāṃ saṃcayāṃs tathā | śarīraṃ doṣabahulaṃ dṛṣṭvā caiva vimucyate ||

Translation

ରକ୍ତ, ମୂତ୍ର, ପୁରୀଷ ଆଦି ଦୋଷମାନଙ୍କ ସଞ୍ଚୟରେ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ, ଦୋଷବହୁଳ ଏହି ଶରୀରକୁ ଯେ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଦେଖେ—ସେ ବିରକ୍ତି ପାଇ ମୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• रक्त: of blood
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• मूत्र: of urine
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• पुरीषाणाम्: of feces
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरीष
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• दोषाणाम्: of faults/impurities
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• संचयान्: accumulations/heaps
• संचयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संचय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दोष: with faults/impurities
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बहुलम्: abounding (in)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen/realized
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• विमुच्यते: is released/is liberated
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Passive/impersonal sense

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• śarīra (the body)
• rakta (blood)
• mūtra (urine)
• purīṣa (feces)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

By contemplating the body as a composite and impurity-laden vessel (blood, urine, feces, and other defects), one weakens attachment and pride in the body; this clear seeing supports dispassion (vairāgya) and leads toward liberation (mokṣa).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira with a contemplative teaching: recognize the body’s true nature to cultivate detachment and freedom from bondage.