Shloka 22
अध्याय १७८ — प्राणवायुगतिः तथा शारीराग्निव्यवस्था
Adhyāya 178 — The courses of prāṇa-vāyu and the regulation of the bodily fire
न पूर्वे नापरे जातु कामानामन्तमाप्नुवन् । त्यक्त्वा सर्वसमारम्भान् प्रतिबुद्धो5स्मि जागूमि,'पूर्वकालके तथा पीछेके मनुष्य भी कभी कामनाओंका अन्त नहीं पा सके हैं, अतः मैं समस्त कर्मोका आयोजन त्यागकर सावधान हो गया हूँ और मैं पूर्णतः जग गया हूँ
na pūrve nāpare jātu kāmānām antam āpnuvan | tyaktvā sarva-samārambhān pratibuddho 'smi jāgṛmi ||
Disse Bhīṣma: “Nem os homens de outrora nem os que vieram depois alcançaram de fato o fim do desejo. Por isso, abandonando todos os empreendimentos e projetos nascidos da ação, tornei-me vigilante; estou plenamente desperto.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire (kāma) is intrinsically insatiable—no era’s people have exhausted it—so the wise response is vigilant awakening and the renunciation of action-projects driven by craving, cultivating detachment and self-mastery.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Bhīṣma speaks from his bed of arrows, reflecting on the endlessness of desire and declaring his resolve to abandon worldly enterprises and remain fully awake and watchful.