Shloka 114

Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)

Devanagari script

सांख्यं विशालं परम॑ पुराणं महार्णवं विमलमुदारकान्तम्‌ । कृत्स्नं च सांख्यं नूपते महात्मा नारायणो धारयते<प्रमेयम्‌

Transliteration

sāṅkhyaṃ viśālaṃ paramaṃ purāṇaṃ mahārṇavaṃ vimalam udārakāntam | kṛtsnaṃ ca sāṅkhyaṃ nṛpate mahātmā nārāyaṇo dhārayate 'prameyam ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—సాంఖ్యము అత్యంత విశాలమైనది, పరమమైనది, అతి ప్రాచీనమైనది. అది మహాసముద్రమువలె అగాధమైనది, నిర్మలమైనది, ఉదారభావసంపన్నమై మనోహరమైనది. ఓ నృపతీ! మహాత్ముడు నారాయణుడు ఈ సమస్తమైన, అప్రమేయమైన సాంఖ్యజ్ఞానాన్ని తనలోనే ధరిస్తాడు.

Word by Word

• सांख्यम्: Sāṅkhya (doctrine/knowledge)
• सांख्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विशालम्: vast
• विशालम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुराणम्: ancient
• पुराणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महार्णवम्: great ocean
• महार्णवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महार्णव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विमलम्: pure, stainless
• विमलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उदारकान्तम्: noble and lovely
• उदारकान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदारकान्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्स्नम्: entire, whole
• कृत्स्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सांख्यम्: Sāṅkhya (knowledge)
• सांख्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नृपते: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धारयते: holds, bears, maintains
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• अप्रमेयम्: immeasurable, beyond measure
• अप्रमेयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमेय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nārāyaṇa
• nṛpati (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira as addressee)
• Sāṅkhya (as a doctrine/knowledge)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates Sāṅkhya as an ancient, vast, and purifying body of discriminative wisdom, and asserts that its complete, immeasurable scope is perfectly comprehended and sustained by Nārāyaṇa—implying that the highest philosophical insight ultimately rests in the Supreme.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva instruction, Bhīṣma continues advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), praising the profundity of Sāṅkhya and linking it to divine authority by stating that Nārāyaṇa fully bears and encompasses this knowledge.