Shloka 9
Jarā-Mṛtyu-anatikrama: Janaka–Pañcaśikha-saṃvāda
Aging and Death Cannot Be Overstepped
ज्ञानमव्यक्तमित्युक्त ज्ञेयो वै पज्चविंशक: । तथैव ज्ञानमव्यक्तं विज्ञाता पञजचविंशक:,ज्ञान अव्यक्त कहा गया है और परम पुरुष ज्ञेय बताया गया है, उसी प्रकार ज्ञान अव्यक्त है और उसका ज्ञाता परम पुरुष है
jñānam avyaktam ity uktaṃ jñeyo vai pañcaviṃśakaḥ | tathaiva jñānam avyaktaṃ vijñātā pañcaviṃśakaḥ ||
ବସିଷ୍ଠ କହିଲେ—ଜ୍ଞାନକୁ ‘ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତ’ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ, ଏବଂ ଜ୍ଞେୟ ‘ପଞ୍ଚବିଂଶକ’—ପରମ ପୁରୁଷ—ଅଟେ। ସେହିପରି ଜ୍ଞାନ ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତ, ଏବଂ ତାହାର ଜ୍ଞାତା ମଧ୍ୟ ସେହି ପଞ୍ଚବିଂଶକ—ପରମ ପୁରୁଷ—ହିଁ।
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes between the unmanifest (avyakta) nature of ‘knowledge’ as a subtle principle and identifies the ultimate knowable and the ultimate knower as the ‘twenty-fifth’—the Supreme Puruṣa beyond the twenty-four constituents of prakṛti. It points to a highest reality that both grounds knowing and is itself the final object of realization.
In Śānti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Vasiṣṭha is teaching metaphysical discernment in a Sāṅkhya-like framework. He clarifies how ‘knowledge,’ the ‘knowable,’ and the ‘knower’ relate, culminating in the supremacy of the twenty-fifth principle (Puruṣa) as the ultimate referent of spiritual inquiry.