Shloka 27

Śrī–Indra–Bali Saṃvāda: The Departure and Fourfold Placement of Lakṣmī

Devanagari script

प्रत्यक्ष होतयोमूलं कृतान्तौतिहयोरपि । प्रत्यक्षेणागमो भिन्न: कृतान्तो वा न किउड्चन,अनुमान और आगम--इन दोनों प्रमाणोंका मूल प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण है। आगम या अनुमान यदि प्रत्यक्ष अनुभवके विरुद्ध है तो वह कुछ भी नहीं है--उसकी प्रामाणिकता नहीं स्वीकार की जा सकती

Transliteration

pratyakṣaṃ hetumūlaṃ kṛtāntautihayor api | pratyakṣeṇāgamo bhinnaḥ kṛtānto vā na kiñcana ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—قیاس (انُمان) اور شاستری روایت (آگم)—دونوں کی جڑ براہِ راست ادراک (پرتیکش) ہے۔ اگر کوئی منقول تعلیم یا قیاس، براہِ راست تجربے کے خلاف ہو تو وہ کچھ بھی نہیں؛ اس کی حجیت قبول نہیں کی جا سکتی۔

Word by Word

प्रत्यक्षम्direct perception

होतयोःof the two (kinds of) invokers/priests

मूलम्root, basis

कृतान्तयोःof the two (kinds of) conclusions/determinations

इहयोःhere (in this context)

अपिalso, even

प्रत्यक्षेणby direct perception

आगमःscriptural testimony/tradition

भिन्नःdivergent, opposed

कृतान्तःconclusion/determination

वाor

नnot

किञ्चनanything at all

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches a hierarchy of knowledge-sources: direct perception is foundational, and inference or scriptural testimony must not contradict lived, direct experience; if they do, their authority is to be rejected.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right understanding, Bhīṣma lays down an epistemic rule for ethical discernment: reasoning and tradition are valuable, but they must be anchored in and consistent with direct perception.