Shloka 104

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

जैसे प्रत्यक्ष दर्शनमें ये तीन हेतु हैं, उसी प्रकार अन्यान्य ज्ञान और ज्ञेयमें भी तीन-तीन हेतु जानने चाहिये। ज्ञान और ज्ञातव्य विषयोंके बीचमें किसी ज्ञानेन्द्रियके अतिरिक्त मन नामक एक दूसरा गुण भी रहता है, जिससे यह जीवात्मा किसी विषयमें भले-बुरेका निश्चय करनेके लिये विचार करता है ।।

Transliteration

yathā pratyakṣa-darśane ime trayo hetavaḥ, tathā anyeṣv api jñāna-jñeyayoḥ trīn trīn hetūn vijānīyāt. jñāna-jñātavya-viṣayayoḥ madhye indriyebhyaḥ pṛthag manaḥ nāma dvitīyo guṇaḥ api tiṣṭhati, yena ayam jīvātmā viṣayeṣu śubha-aśubha-viniścayārthaṃ vicārayati. dvādaśas tv aparaḥ tatra buddhiḥ nāma guṇaḥ smṛtaḥ, yena saṃśaya-pūrveṣu boddhavyeṣu vyavasyati.

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—“ଯେପରି ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଦର୍ଶନ ତିନିଟି କାରଣରେ ନିର୍ଭର କରେ, ସେପରି ଜ୍ଞାନର ଅନ୍ୟ ରୂପଗୁଡ଼ିକରେ ଓ ଜ୍ଞେୟ ବିଷୟଗୁଡ଼ିକରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକରେ ତିନି-ତିନି କାରଣ ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ। ଜ୍ଞାନ ଓ ତାହାର ବିଷୟର ମଧ୍ୟରେ, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଛଡ଼ା, ‘ମନ’ ନାମକ ଆଉ ଏକ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ରହେ; ତାହା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଜୀବାତ୍ମା କୌଣସି ବିଷୟରେ ଭଲ-ମନ୍ଦ ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି ପାଇଁ ବିଚାର କରେ। ଏବଂ ତାହାଠାରେ ଆଉ ଏକ—ଦ୍ୱାଦଶ—ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ‘ବୁଦ୍ଧି’ ବୋଲି ସ୍ମରିତ; ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଥିବା ବିଷୟରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ଉପଜିଲେ ତାହା ଦ୍ୱାରା ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ ନିଷ୍କର୍ଷକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚେ।”

Word by Word

• द्वादशः: the twelfth
• द्वादशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अपरः: another, distinct
• अपरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• बुद्धिः: intellect, determinative faculty
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: by name/called
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम

• गुणः: quality, attribute
• गुणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मृतः: is remembered/said to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (participial)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संशयपूर्वेषु: in those preceded by doubt (i.e., doubtful matters)
• संशयपूर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशयपूर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• बोद्धव्येषु: in things to be known/understood
• बोद्धव्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुध्
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/obligatory), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• व्यवस्यति: determines/decides
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + सि (व्यवस्/व्यवस्य)
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• jīvātmā (individual self)
• manas (mind)
• buddhi (intellect)
• indriyas (sense-faculties)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cognition is explained through distinct inner faculties: the mind (manas) deliberates about an object—especially regarding good and bad—while the intellect (buddhi) resolves doubt and reaches a firm determination. This analysis extends the idea that knowledge depends on multiple causal factors, not merely the senses.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instructional discourse, Bhishma continues a philosophical explanation to Yudhishthira, classifying the components involved in knowing. He distinguishes the roles of the senses, mind, and intellect as part of a broader enumeration of factors (guṇas/tattvas) used to understand ethical judgment and certainty.