Adhyāya 180: Jīva, Śarīra, and the Fire Analogy (भृगु–भरद्वाज संवादः)
अन्तवन्ति च भूतानि गुणयुक्तानि पश्यत: । उत्पत्तिनिधनज्ञस्थ कि कार्यमवशिष्यते
antavanti ca bhūtāni guṇa-yuktāni paśyataḥ | utpatti-nidhana-jñastha kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate ||
ਜੋ ਗੁਣਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਸਭ ਭੂਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਾਸਵੰਤ ਵੇਖਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਉਤਪੱਤੀ ਤੇ ਨਿਧਨ ਦੇ ਤੱਤ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਣਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਲਈ ਇੱਥੇ ਕਿਹੜਾ ਕੰਮ ਬਾਕੀ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ?
भीष्म उवाच
Seeing all beings as impermanent and guṇa-made, and knowing the law of arising and dissolution, dissolves the sense of binding obligation; one becomes inwardly complete, acting (if at all) without compulsion or attachment.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira by emphasizing a jñāna-based perspective: insight into impermanence and the guṇas leads toward renunciation and freedom from the pressure of ‘must-do’ action.