Shloka 31
Jvarotpatti — The Origin and Distribution of Jvara
Fever
ऊष्मणा सह विंशो वा संघात: पाउ्चभौतिक: । महान् संधारयत्येतच्छरीरं वायुना सह
Ūṣmaṇā saha viṁśo vā saṅghātaḥ pañcabhautikaḥ | mahān sandhārayaty etac charīraṁ vāyunā saha ||
Sinabi ni Asita: “Ang kalipunang ito ng katawan, na binubuo ng limang elemento, kapag isinama ang init sa bilang, ay maituturing na dalawampung prinsipyo. Ang Dakilang Prinsipyo (Mahat) ang sumusuporta sa katawang ito kasama ng hanging-buhay (vāyu). Ang hanging iyon, na makapangyarihang tumatagos at lumalaganap sa katawan, ay kasangkapan lamang ng Mahat.”
असित उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the body as a composite of elemental principles and explains that the sustaining intelligence-principle (mahat) upholds the body together with vital wind (vāyu); vāyu is presented as an operative instrument rather than the ultimate controller.
In Śānti Parva’s reflective instruction, Asita is describing a philosophical analysis of the body—counting its constituent principles and clarifying how life-functions (vāyu/prāṇa) relate to deeper metaphysical principles (mahat).