Shanti Parva Adhyaya 301 Shloka 59 - Mahabharata | Telugu | Vedapath

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Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

अपां फेनोपमं लोकं विष्णोर्मायाशतैर्वृतम्‌ । चित्रभित्तिप्रतीकाशं नलसारमनर्थकम्‌

Transliteration

apāṁ phenopamaṁ lokaṁ viṣṇor māyāśatair vṛtam | citrabhittipratīkāśaṁ nalasāram anarthakam, rājan! bharatanandana! |

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—ఓ రాజా, భరతనందనా! ఈ లోకం నీటి నురగవలె నశ్వరము; విష్ణువు యొక్క వందల మాయలచే కప్పబడి ఉంది. ఇది గోడపై చిత్రంలా కనిపించినా సారరహితం; నరకులంలా లోపల ఖాళీగా, ప్రయోజనరహితం.

Word by Word

अपाम्of waters

फेन-उपमम्foam-like

लोकम्world

विष्णोःof Vishnu

माया-शतैःby hundreds of illusions

वृतम्covered, enveloped

चित्र-भित्ति-प्रतीकाशम्like a painted wall-picture

नल-सारम्having the pith of a reed (i.e., pithless/insubstantial)

अनर्थकम्meaningless, futile

राजन्O king

भरत-नन्दनO delight of Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Viṣṇu

King (rājan)

Bharatanandana (epithet of the Kuru ruler, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches vairāgya: the world’s attractions are unstable and deceptive—like foam and like a painted image—because they lack enduring essence. Recognizing this, a wise person turns from mere appearances toward lasting truth and liberation-oriented understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and higher wisdom after the war. Here he uses vivid metaphors to reframe worldly life as impermanent and illusory, guiding the king toward discernment and detachment.