Shloka 29
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
शातकुम्भसमायुक्त साधयेद् यानमुत्तमम् | तथैवाप्सरसामड्के प्रतिसुप्त: प्रबोध्यते
śātakumbha-samāyuktaṃ sādhayed yānam uttamam | tathaivāpsarasām aṅke pratissuptaḥ prabodhyate ||
ภีษมะกล่าวว่า—“พึงจัดทำพาหนะอันประเสริฐ ประดับด้วยศาตกุมภะคือทองคำบริสุทธิ์; และฉันใด บุรุษผู้หลับลึกอยู่บนตักแห่งความรื่นรมย์ของอัปสราก็ถูกปลุกให้ตื่น ฉันนั้น”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
External excellence (like a gold-adorned vehicle) is easy to pursue, but the deeper ethical point is about awakening from complacency: one must be roused from the ‘sleep’ of indulgence in pleasure (symbolized by the apsaras’ lap) into alertness, restraint, and dharmic awareness.
Bhīṣma continues his instruction by using a vivid comparison: just as one can arrange a splendid conveyance decorated with pure gold, so too a person sunk in luxurious, pleasure-filled comfort can be awakened—implying the need for counsel, discipline, or insight to break the spell of sensual distraction.