Shloka 7
Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra
Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability
धातव: पज्च भूतेषु खं वायुज्योतिषो धरा । ते स्वभावेन तिष्ठन्ति वियुज्यन्ते स्वभावत:
dhātavaḥ pañca bhūteṣu khaṃ vāyujyotiṣo dharā | te svabhāvena tiṣṭhanti viyujyante svabhāvataḥ ||
“Sa katawan ng mga nilalang, ang limang sangkap na elemento—kalawakan, hangin, apoy, tubig, at lupa—ang mga dhātu na nagsisilbing sangkap. Ayon sa sariling likas na katangian, sila’y nagsasama; at ayon din sa likas na katangiang iyon, sila’y naghihiwalay.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The body is a temporary aggregation of the five great elements (space, air, fire, water, earth). Their coming together and separating happens according to svabhāva (inherent nature), encouraging detachment and reducing grief or blame regarding birth, change, and death.
In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and wisdom after the war. Here he explains a philosophical point about the elemental constitution of living bodies and the natural process of their formation and dissolution.