Shanti Parva Adhyaya 302 Shloka 19 - Mahabharata | Oriya | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 19

Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State

Yājñavalkya–Janaka

Devanagari script

सांख्ये च पल्यते शास्त्रे नामभिरबहुधात्मक: । विचित्ररूपो विश्वात्मा एकाक्षर इति स्मृत:

Transliteration

sāṅkhye ca palyate śāstre nāmabhir bahudhātmakaḥ | vicitrarūpo viśvātmā ekākṣara iti smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

ବସିଷ୍ଠ କହିଲେ—ସାଂଖ୍ୟଶାସ୍ତ୍ରରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେଇ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱକୁ ଅନେକ ନାମ ଓ ଅନେକ ଭାବରେ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରାଯାଇଛି। ସେ ଵିଚିତ୍ରରୂପଧାରୀ, ବିଶ୍ୱାତ୍ମା ଏବଂ ‘ଏକାକ୍ଷର’ (ଅକ୍ଷର ବ୍ରହ୍ମ) ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ଅସଂଖ୍ୟ ନାମ-ରୂପରେ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେ ଏକମାତ୍ର ସର୍ବବ୍ୟାପୀ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ; ସେଇ ତ୍ରିଲୋକକୁ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରେ ଏବଂ ତାହାକୁ ନିଜେ ଵ୍ୟାପି ରହେ—ଏହିକାରଣରୁ ସେ ‘ବିଶ୍ୱରୂପ’ ଭାବେ ଜଣାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

सांख्येin Sāṅkhya (system)

चand/also

पठ्यतेis recited/ is taught

शास्त्रेin the treatise/scripture

नामभिःby/with names

बहुधाin many ways; variously

आत्मकःhaving the nature of; consisting of

विचित्ररूपःof wondrous/varied form

विश्वात्माthe soul of the universe

एकाक्षरःthe one-syllabled (imperishable/Om)

इतिthus (quotative)

स्मृतःis remembered/ is called

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

Sāṅkhya

Viśvātmā (Cosmic Self)

Ekākṣara (the Imperishable Syllable)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the ultimate Reality is one, yet spoken of in many ways: it is called the cosmic Self and the imperishable ‘single syllable.’ Diversity of names and forms does not contradict unity; rather, the One appears manifold while remaining all-pervading.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is instructing his listener in a philosophical context within Śānti Parva, aligning Sāṅkhya discourse with broader Mahābhārata teaching: the supreme principle is described through multiple epithets to guide understanding of creation and pervasion.