Shloka 20
Bhṛgu–Bharadvāja-saṃvāda: Vānaprastha-parivrājaka-ācāra, Abhaya-dharma, and Lokānāṃ Vibhāga (Śānti-parva 185)
त्वक् च मांसं तथास्थीनि मज्जा स्नायुश्व॒ पञजचमम् | इत्येतदिह संघातं शरीरे पृथिवीमयम्,शरीरमें त्वचा, मांस, हड्डी, मज्जा और स्नायु--इन पाँच वस्तुओंका समुदाय पृथ्वीमय है
tvak ca māṁsaṁ tathāsthīni majjā snāyuś ca pañcamam | ity etad iha saṅghātaṁ śarīre pṛthivīmayam ||
ผิวหนัง เนื้อ กระดูก ไขกระดูก และประการที่ห้า—เส้นเอ็น (สนายุ): หมู่ประกอบนี้ในกายเป็นไปตามธาตุปฐวี (ธาตุดิน)
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the body is a composite of material parts—skin, flesh, bones, marrow, and sinews—classified here as ‘earthy’ (pṛthivīmaya). Recognizing this composition supports ethical clarity: one should not cling to bodily identity, beauty, or pride, but cultivate discernment and steadiness in dharma.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bharadvāja is explaining the constitution of the body as part of a broader analysis of embodied existence. The point is pedagogical: by enumerating bodily components, he guides the listener toward dispassion and a more truthful understanding of what the ‘self’ is not.