Shloka 3
Adhyāya 241: Guṇa-sṛṣṭi, Kṣetrajña-sākṣitva, and Śama through Ātma-jñāna (गुणसृष्टिः, क्षेत्रज्ञसाक्षित्वं, शमः)
मैं इस विषयको सुनना चाहता हूँ, आप कृपापूर्वक मुझे यह बतावें। ये दोनों वचन एक दूसरेके विपरीत हैं, अतः प्रतिकूल परिणाम ही उत्पन्न कर सकते हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | ity uktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ parāśarāsutaḥ sutam | karmavidyāmayāv etau vyākhyāsyāmi kṣarākṣarī ||
Wika ni Bhishma: Nang masabi iyon, si Vyasa—anak ni Parashara—ay sumagot sa sarili niyang anak. “Anak ko, ang dalawang landas na ito—ang landas ng gawa (karma) at ang landas ng kaalaman (jñāna)—ay ayon sa pagkakasunod na mapaparam at di-mapaparam. Ngayon ay sisimulan kong ipaliwanag ang mga ito.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a key distinction: the action-oriented discipline (karma) operates within the perishable realm (kṣara), while the knowledge-oriented discipline (jñāna) leads toward the imperishable (akṣara). Apparent contradictions in teachings are resolved by recognizing their different aims and results.
Bhishma reports that after a question is posed, Vyasa—identified as Parashara’s son—responds to his son (traditionally Shuka). Vyasa announces he will explain two seemingly opposed teachings by clarifying the two paths: karma-based and knowledge-based.