Shloka 19
Jarā-Mṛtyu-anatikrama: Janaka–Pañcaśikha-saṃvāda
Aging and Death Cannot Be Overstepped
क्षरो भवत्येष यदा तदा गुणवतीमथ । प्रकृतिं त्वभिजानाति निर्गुणत्वं तथा55त्मन:
kṣaro bhavaty eṣa yadā tadā guṇavatīm atha | prakṛtiṁ tv abhijānāti nirguṇatvaṁ tathātmanaḥ ||
ଯେତେବେଳେ ଏହି ପୁରୁଷ ‘କ୍ଷର’ ହୁଏ—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ପରମାତ୍ମାରେ ଲୀନ ହୁଏ—ସେତେବେଳେ ସେ ପ୍ରକୃତିକୁ ସଗୁଣ ବୋଲି ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଜାଣେ ଏବଂ ନିଜ ଆତ୍ମାକୁ ସତ୍ୟରୂପେ ନିର୍ଗୁଣ ବୋଲି ବୁଝେ।
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
Right discernment (viveka): prakṛti is inherently guṇa-made (saguṇa), while the true Self is nirguṇa. Liberation is described as merging into the Supreme, where this distinction becomes directly known.
Vasiṣṭha is instructing on liberation and metaphysical discrimination: as the individual’s identity with change falls away and he becomes absorbed in the Supreme, he recognizes the guṇas as belonging to prakṛti and realizes the Self’s qualityless nature.