भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या
Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa
अहो सिद्धार्थता तेषां येषां सन्तीह पाणय: । अतीव स्पृहये तेषां येषां सन््तीह पाणय:,“अहो! जिनके पास भगवानके दिये हुए हाथ हैं, उनको तो मैं कृतार्थ मानता हूँ। इस जगत्में जिनके पास एकसे अधिक हाथ हैं, उनके-जैसा सौभाग्य पानेकी इच्छा मुझे बारंबार होती है
aho siddhārthatā teṣāṁ yeṣāṁ santīha pāṇayaḥ | atīva spṛhaye teṣāṁ yeṣāṁ santīha pāṇayaḥ ||
โอ้! ผู้ใดมีมืออยู่ในโลกนี้ ผู้นั้นย่อมเป็นผู้สำเร็จสมประสงค์โดยแท้ ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาอย่างยิ่งต่อโชคอันประเสริฐของผู้ที่มีมืออยู่ ณ ที่นี้
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma highlights gratitude for the human body and its instruments of action: having ‘hands’ symbolizes the power to perform dharma—service, charity, protection, and disciplined effort. One should not take basic capacities for granted, but recognize them as a providential opportunity for righteous action.
In the reflective instruction of Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma speaks in a contemplative tone, emphasizing how even ordinary bodily faculties are a form of fortune. The verse reads like a lament or self-reproach that underscores the value of embodied agency in pursuing ethical and spiritual aims.