Shloka 20

Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra

Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability

Devanagari script

पज्चज्ञानेन्द्रियाण्युक्त्वा मन:षष्ठानि चेतसि । बलषष्ठानि वक्ष्यामि पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि तु

Transliteration

pañca jñānendriyāṇy uktvā manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhāni cetasi | bala-ṣaṣṭhāni vakṣyāmi pañca karmendriyāṇi tu ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «Описав пять органов познания — вместе с умом (манас) как шестым во внутреннем сознании, — я теперь опишу пять органов действия, среди которых жизненная сила (прана) учится как шестая. Так следует понимать, что восприятие и действие управляются изнутри, и что самообладание зависит от правильного устроения этих способностей».

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: —, —, —

• ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि: sense-organs (organs of knowledge)
• ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानेन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• उक्त्वा: having said / having described
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), —, —

• मनःषष्ठानि: with mind as the sixth
• मनःषष्ठानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनःषष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• चेतसि: in the mind / in consciousness
• चेतसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बलषष्ठानि: with strength (vital force) as the sixth
• बलषष्ठानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलषष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall speak / I shall describe
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: —, —, —

• कर्मेन्द्रियाणि: organs of action
• कर्मेन्द्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मेन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: —, —, —

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• mind (manas)
• inner consciousness (cetas/citta)
• organs of knowledge (jñānendriyas)
• organs of action (karmendriyas)
• vital power/strength (bala/prāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames human experience and conduct through two sets of faculties: the five perceptive senses (jñānendriyas) coordinated by mind as a sixth, and the five active faculties (karmendriyas) supported by vital power (bala/prāṇa) as a sixth. Ethical life depends on understanding and disciplining these inner instruments.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma continues a systematic exposition: after listing the organs of knowledge with mind as their coordinator, he transitions to describing the organs of action, indicating that they operate with vital force as an accompanying sixth principle.