Shloka 23
Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)
सक्तमात्मानमीशे च देवे नारायणो तथा । देवं मोक्षे च संसक्त मोक्ष सक्ते तु न क्वचित्,बुद्धिका आश्रय तमोगुण, तमोगुणका आश्रय रजोगुण और रजोगुणका आश्रय सत्त्गगुण है। सत्त्वगगुण जीवात्माके आश्रित है। जीवात्माको भगवान् नारायण-देवके आश्रित समझो। भगवान् नारायणका आश्रय है मोक्ष (परब्रह्म), परंतु मोक्षका कोई भी आश्रय नहीं है (वह अपनी ही महिमामें प्रतिष्ठित है)
saktam ātmānam īśe ca deve nārāyaṇo tathā | devaṁ mokṣe ca saṁsaktaṁ mokṣa-sakte tu na kvacit ||
भीष्म उवाच— सक्तमात्मानमीशे च देवे नारायणो तथा । देवं मोक्षे च संसक्तं मोक्षः सक्ते तु न क्वचित् ॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a chain of dependence: the individual self relies on the Lord; the Lord is identified with/grounded in Nārāyaṇa; Nārāyaṇa is connected with Mokṣa (the supreme release). Mokṣa alone is independent—self-established—indicating liberation as the ultimate, unconditioned reality.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the highest good. Here he shifts to a metaphysical explanation, describing how all conditioned beings and divine forms ultimately point toward Mokṣa as the final, self-sufficient principle.