Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

हेतूनामन्तमासाद्य विपुलं ज्ञानमुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

hetūnām antam āsādya vipulaṁ jñānam uttamam |

Translation

Wika ni Bhishma: “Kapag naubos na ang mga dahilan at pagtatalo, saka nakakamtan ang malawak at kataas-taasang kaalaman. Ang kaalamang iyon lamang ang pinakadakilang liwanag para sa buong daigdig. O Hari, ang nalilikha ng hubad na lohika ay hindi tunay na kaalaman at hindi dapat ituring na may kapangyarihang patunay; nararapat talikuran ang anumang ‘kaalaman’ na hindi nakaugat sa Veda.”

Word by Word

• हेतूनाम्: of reasons/arguments
• हेतूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अन्तम्: end, limit
• अन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आसाद्य: having reached/attained
• आसाद्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• विपुलम्: vast, abundant
• विपुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: supreme, best
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rājan (Yudhiṣṭhira, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that reasoning has limits: true, reliable knowledge is ‘supreme’ when it transcends endless argument and is aligned with śruti (the Veda). Mere logical constructions, without Vedic grounding, should not be treated as authoritative.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) on dharma and right understanding, emphasizing that scriptural testimony and realized wisdom outrank purely argumentative logic.