Shloka 13

मोक्षधर्मः — स्नेहपाशच्छेदः

Mokṣa-dharma: Cutting the Bonds of Attachment

Devanagari script

शून्यागारं वृक्षमूलमरण्यम थवा गुहाम्‌ । अज्ञातचर्या गत्वान्यां ततो<न्यत्रैव संविशेत्‌,सूने घर, वृक्षकी जड़, जंगल अथवा पर्वतकी गुफामें अथवा अन्य किसी गुप्त स्थानमें अज्ञातभावसे रहकर आत्मचिन्तनमें ही लगा रहे

Transliteration

śūnyāgāraṁ vṛkṣamūlam araṇyaṁ athavā guhām | ajñātacaryāṁ gatvānyāṁ tato 'nyatraiva saṁviśet ||

Translation

พึงอาศัยเรือนร้าง โคนไม้ ป่า หรือถ้ำภูเขา ดำเนินชีวิตอย่างไม่เป็นที่รู้จัก ไม่โอ้อวด แล้วจึงย้ายไปยังที่อื่นและพำนัก ณ ที่นั้น ดำรงตนเร้นกายและมุ่งมั่นในภาวนาแห่งภายใน

Word by Word

शून्यागारम्an empty house

वृक्षमूलम्the root of a tree

अरण्यम्a forest

अथवाor

गुहाम्a cave

अज्ञातचर्याunknown/hidden conduct (incognito manner of living)

गत्वाhaving gone

अन्याम्another (place)

ततःthen/from there

अन्यत्रelsewhere

एवindeed/only

संविशेत्should enter/should lie down (take rest/dwell)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

empty house (śūnyāgāra)

tree root (vṛkṣamūla)

forest (araṇya)

cave (guhā)

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?

To cultivate detachment and inner discipline by living simply and inconspicuously—choosing secluded shelters and avoiding recognition—so the mind can remain focused on self-reflection and spiritual practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and the path of restraint/renunciation. Here he advises a seeker to stay in secluded places (empty house, tree-root, forest, cave) and to live incognito, shifting residence to remain unobtrusive and devoted to contemplation.