Shloka 25
Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State
Yājñavalkya–Janaka
महर्षि वसिष्ठका राजा कराल जनकको उपदेश वायुज्योतिरथाकाशमापो5थ पृथिवी तथा । शब्द: स्पर्शक्षु रूपं च रसो गन्धस्तथैव च
vāsiṣṭha uvāca | vāyujyotirathākāśam āpo 'tha pṛthivī tathā | śabdaḥ sparśaś ca rūpaṃ ca raso gandhas tathaiva ca |
Wika ni Vasiṣṭha: “Hangin, apoy, at kalawakan; saka tubig at gayundin ang lupa—ito ang limang dakilang elemento. Tunog, haplos, anyo, lasa, at amoy—ang limang bagay na dinaranas ng pandama ay sumisibol sa kaayusang nalikha (ang nilikhang umunlad).” Sa aral na ito, inilalarawan ng pantas ang daigdig ng karanasan bilang isang kaayusang nahahayag, upang akayin ang nakikinig sa pag-unawa: ang katatagan sa kabutihang-asal at ang kalayaan sa loob ay nagsisimula sa pagkilalang ang mga bagay ng pandama at ang mga sangkap ng kalikasan ay bunga ng prakṛti, hindi ng Sarili.
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse classifies experience into (1) the five great elements—space, air, fire, water, earth—and (2) the five sense-objects—sound, touch, form, taste, smell—presenting them as products of the manifest creation. This supports discernment (viveka): one should not mistake these changing constituents for the enduring Self, and ethical calm arises from non-attachment to sensory objects.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, the sage Vasiṣṭha is delivering a doctrinal explanation—listing the elemental and sensory categories—to ground the listener in a philosophical map of the world. The teaching functions as a step toward renunciation and inner steadiness by explaining how the field of experience is constituted.