Shloka 38
Utkramaṇa-sthāna and Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa: Yājñavalkya’s Instruction on Departure Pathways and Mortality Signs
जब यह पुरुष पचीसतवें तत्त्वस्वरूप परमात्मामें स्थित हो जाता है, तब उसकी स्थिति उत्तम बतायी जाती है--वह ठीक बर्ताव करता है, ऐसा माना जाता है। एकत्वका बोध ही ज्ञान है और नानात्वका बोध ही अज्ञान है ।।
tattvanistattvayor etat pṛthag eva nidarśanam | pañcaviṃśatisargaṃ tu tattvam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vasiṣṭha: “Ito ang malinaw na tanda upang maunawaan na ang ‘tattva’ at ang ‘di-tattva’ (non-tattva) ay magkahiwalay. May ilang pantas na nagsasabing ang kabuuang dalawampu’t limang prinsipyo ang siyang ‘tattva’; ang iba nama’y tinatawag na ‘tattva’ ang dalawampu’t apat na prinsipyong walang kamalayan, at itinuturing ang ikadalawampu’t lima—ang May-malay na Kataas-taasang Sarili—bilang ‘di-tattva’, yaong lampas at iba sa mga kategoryang nabubulok. Ang pagbatid sa pagkakaisa ay kaalaman; ang pagtingin sa pagkamarami bilang sukdulan ay kamangmangan. Kapag ang tao’y nananahan sa ikadalawampu’t limang katotohanang iyon, ang kanyang kalagayan ay sinasabing napakahusay, at ang kanyang asal ay itinuturing na tunay na matuwid.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes between perishable categories (tattvas as analyzable principles) and the transcendent conscious reality. Some count 25 principles as tattva; others treat the 24 insentient evolutes as tattva and the 25th, the Supreme Self, as beyond them. Ethically, true right conduct is grounded in abiding in that highest reality; unity (ekatva) is knowledge, while taking multiplicity as ultimate is ignorance.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, Vasiṣṭha is teaching a listener about metaphysical discernment and its moral consequence: recognizing the Supreme Self as distinct from changing constituents leads to an ‘excellent state’ and proper conduct.