Shloka 13
कामद्रुम-रूपकः तथा शरीर-पुर-रूपकः
The Desire-Tree and the Body-as-City Metaphors
रहस्यं सर्ववेदानामनैतिहमनागमम् | आत्मप्रत्ययिकं शास्त्रमिदं पुत्रानुशसनम्
vyāsa uvāca | rahasyaṁ sarvavedānām anaitihyam anāgamam | ātmapratyayikaṁ śāstram idaṁ putrānuśāsanam | mano buddhiḥ svabhāvaś ca traya ete svayonijāḥ | na guṇān ativartante guṇebhyaḥ paramāgatāḥ |
Sinabi ni Vyāsa: “Anak ko, ang aral na ito ang panloob na lihim ng lahat ng Veda—hindi bagay na napapatunayan sa pamamagitan lamang ng tradisyon o ng narinig na ulat. Ito’y isang turo na pinatutunayan ng tuwirang kamalayan ng sarili, isang disiplina na nagdadala sa kaalaman ng Sarili. Ang isip (manas), talino (buddhi), at likas na pagkahilig—ang damdaming ‘ako’ at nakaugaliang asal (ahaṃkāra)—ang tatlong ito’y nagmumula sa kani-kanilang sanhi, ang mga bakas ng nakaraan. Bagaman maselan at higit kaysa ibang bunga ng mga elemento, hindi pa rin nila ganap na nalalampasan ang mga guṇa; kumikilos sila sa loob ng mga guṇa na pinagmulan nila.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage asserts that the deepest Vedic secret is Self-knowledge verified by direct inner certainty (ātma-pratyaya), not merely by tradition or second-hand authority. It also teaches that mind, intellect, and innate disposition arise from prior causes and remain conditioned by the three guṇas, so liberation requires understanding and disentangling from guṇa-bound functioning rather than expecting these faculties to transcend guṇas on their own.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vyāsa addresses his son as a teacher, presenting a concise, philosophical admonition. He frames his counsel as an experiential doctrine of the Self and then analyzes the psychological instruments (mind, intellect, disposition) to show their dependence on prakṛti’s guṇas, guiding the listener toward a mokṣa-oriented understanding.