Shloka 43
Śrī–Indra–Bali Saṃvāda: The Departure and Fourfold Placement of Lakṣmī
इति सम्यड्मनस्येते बहव: सन्ति हेतव: । एतदस्तीदमस्तीति न किज्वचित्प्रतिदृश्यते
iti samyaṅ-manasy ete bahavaḥ santi hetavaḥ | etad astīdam astīti na kiñcit kvacit pratidṛśyate ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Kaya kapag ang isip ay itinakdang magsiyasat, maraming landas ng pangangatwiran ang sumisibol. Ngunit mula sa mga katuwiran at mga salungat na katuwiran, wala ring malinaw na nakikita saanman na makapagpapasya: ‘ito’y umiiral’ o ‘ito’y hindi umiiral’—lalo na tungkol sa sarili. Kaya huwag ipagkamali ang pagtatalo sa tunay na pag-unawa.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma highlights the limits of purely intellectual argument: many reasons can be produced on both sides, yet they may not yield decisive perception of truth—especially about the self. True understanding requires more than debate; it calls for deeper discernment and reliable means of knowledge.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma continues his philosophical counsel, cautioning that mental disputation generates numerous arguments but does not by itself settle the question of existence or non-existence (notably of the self).