Shloka 5
शुकस्य योगसिद्धिः (Śuka’s Yogic Attainment and Ascent)
एक समयकी बात है, विदेहदेशके राजा जनकने वेद-वेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ महर्षि पंचशिखसे, जिनके धर्म और अर्थ-विषयक संदेह नष्ट हो गये थे, इस प्रकार प्रश्न किया-- ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | eka-samayasya vṛttānto 'sti | videha-deśasya rājā janako veda-vettṛṣu śreṣṭhaṃ maharṣiṃ pañcaśikhaṃ, yasya dharma-artha-viṣayakāḥ saṃśayāḥ praṇaṣṭāḥ, evaṃ papraccha— kena vṛttena bhagavan atikrāmej jarāntakau? tapasā vātha buddhyā vā karmaṇā vā śrutena vā? | “bhagavan! kena ācāreṇa, tapasā, buddhyā, karmaṇā athavā śāstra-jñānena manuṣyo jarāṃ mṛtyuṃ ca laṅghayituṃ śaknoti?”
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଏକ ସମୟରେ ବିଦେହର ରାଜା ଜନକ, ବେଦବିଦ୍ମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଏବଂ ଧର୍ମ-ଅର୍ଥ ବିଷୟକ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇଥିବା ମହର୍ଷି ପଞ୍ଚଶିଖଙ୍କୁ ଏପରି ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ କଲେ—“ଭଗବନ୍! କେଉଁ ଆଚାର-ବୃତ୍ତି ଦ୍ୱାରା ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଜରା ଓ ମୃତ୍ୟୁକୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରିପାରିବ? ତପସା, ବୁଦ୍ଧିରେ, କର୍ମରେ, କିମ୍ବା ଶ୍ରୁତି-ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରଜ୍ଞାନରେ?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classic dharmic inquiry: which human pursuit—ethical conduct, austerity, discernment, action, or scriptural learning—most effectively leads beyond the limits of aging and death. It sets up a teaching that liberation is not merely one external practice, but a principled path requiring right conduct and right understanding directed toward transcendence.
Bhishma recounts an earlier episode: King Janaka of Videha approaches the sage Panchashikha, renowned for Vedic mastery and clarity about dharma and artha, and asks him what means enables a person to cross beyond old age and death.