Shloka 20
जनक–पराशर संवादः — वर्ण-गोत्र-धर्मविचारः
Janaka–Parāśara: Varṇa, Gotra, and Dharma Inquiry
स्पर्शनं स्पर्शती स्पर्शान् बुद्धिर्विक्रियतेडसकृत् । यदा प्रार्थयते किज्चित् तदा भवति सा मनः
sparśanaṁ sparśatī sparśān buddhir vikriyate 'sakṛt | yadā prārthayate kiñcit tadā bhavati sā manaḥ ||
ผัสสะย่อมแตะต้องอารมณ์แห่งผัสสะ และปัญญาย่อมแปรปรวนซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า ครั้นเมื่อพลังเดียวกันนั้นเริ่มวอนขอหรือใคร่ปรารถนาสิ่งใด เมื่อนั้นมันย่อมเป็น ‘มโน’ (ใจ) ॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes buddhi (discriminative intellect) from manas (desiring mind): sensory contact repeatedly perturbs the intellect, and when the inner faculty starts craving or petitioning for an object, it functions as ‘mind’. Ethical self-mastery begins by noticing this shift from discernment to desire.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and inner discipline. Here he explains how sense-contact agitates the inner faculties and how desire converts clear discernment into restless mind, supporting teachings on restraint and renunciation.