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Shloka 11

Doṣa-Parīkṣā and Guṇa-Viveka

Examination of Faults and Discernment of the Guṇas

जिस समय बुद्धि कर्म-संस्कारोंसे रहित होकर हृदयमें स्थित हो जाती है, उसी समय ध्यानयोगजनित समाधिके द्वारा ब्रह्मका भलीभाँति ज्ञान हो जाता है ।। सेयं गुणवती बुद्धिर्गुणेष्वेवाभिवर्तते । अपरादभिनि:सृत्य गिरे: शुद्भादिवोदकम्‌,अन्यथा जैसे जलकी धारा पर्वतके शिखरसे निकलकर ढालकी ओर बहती है, उसी प्रकार यह गुणवती बुद्धि अज्ञानके कारण परमात्मासे नियुक्त होकर रूप आदि गुणोंकी ओर बहने लग जाती है

bhīṣma uvāca | yasmin kāle buddhiḥ karma-saṃskārair virahitā hṛdaye pratiṣṭhitā bhavati, tasmin kāle dhyāna-yoga-janitena samādhinā brahmaṇaḥ samyag jñānaṃ prajāyate || seyaṃ guṇavatī buddhiḥ guṇeṣv evābhivartate | aparādāt abhiniḥsṛtya gireḥ śuddhād iva udakam, anyathā | yathā jaladhārā parvata-śikhara-nirgatyā ḍhālaṃ prati pravahati, tathā iyaṃ guṇavatī buddhiḥ ajñāna-kāraṇāt paramātmanā niyuktā rūpādi-guṇān prati pravṛttā bhavati ||

Wika ni Bhishma: Kapag ang talino (buddhi), na napalaya sa mga nalalabing bakas ng gawa, ay matatag na naitatag sa puso, kung gayon—sa pamamagitan ng pagkalubog na bunga ng yoga ng pagninilay—sumisilang ang tunay na kaalaman sa Brahman. Ngunit ang talinong ito rin, hangga’t ito’y kinukundisyon ng mga guṇa, sa mga guṇa lamang lumilingon: gaya ng malinaw na batis na sumisirit mula sa tuktok ng bundok at dumadaloy pababa sa dalisdis, gayon din ang isip na gapos ng guṇa, na inililihis ng kamangmangan mula sa Kataas-taasang Sarili, ay umaagos patungo sa mga katangiang gaya ng anyo at iba pa, at kumakapit sa daigdig ng mga anyong lumilitaw.

साthat (she/it)
सा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
एषाthis
एषा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
गुणवतीpossessed of qualities (guṇas)
गुणवती:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootगुणवत्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
बुद्धिःintellect
बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
गुणेषुin/among the qualities (sense-objects/guṇas)
गुणेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अभिवर्ततेturns toward / proceeds toward
अभिवर्तते:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormPresent (Lat), Atmanepada, 3rd, Singular
अपरादात्from error/offence (i.e., due to fault)
अपरादात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअपराद
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
अभिनिःसृत्यhaving flowed out / having issued forth
अभिनिःसृत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-√सृ (with अभि-, निः-)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada (gerund, voice-neutral)
गिरेःof the mountain
गिरेः:
TypeNoun
Rootगिरि
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
शृङ्गात्from the peak
शृङ्गात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootशृङ्ग
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
उदकम्water
उदकम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउदक
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
B
Brahman
P
Paramātman
H
hṛdaya (heart)
G
giri (mountain)
U
udaka (water/stream)

Educational Q&A

True knowledge of Brahman arises when buddhi becomes free from karma-saṃskāras and is stabilized inwardly; otherwise, a guṇa-conditioned intellect naturally runs toward guṇas—i.e., toward sensory and conceptual objects—due to ignorance.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation, Bhīṣma explains to the listener how meditation-born samādhi yields realization, and he illustrates the mind’s outward drift with the image of water flowing down a mountain slope toward lower ground.