Shloka 24

Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा सत्त्वगुणं देहं वृतं षोडशभिग्गुणै: । स्वभावं चेतनां चैव ज्ञात्वा देहसमाश्रिते

Transliteration

jñātvā sattvaguṇaṃ dehaṃ vṛtaṃ ṣoḍaśabhir guṇaiḥ | svabhāvaṃ cetanāṃ caiva jñātvā dehasamāśrite

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا— جسم کو سَتْوگُن سے متصف جان کر، اور اسے سولہ گُن/تتّوؤں سے گھرا ہوا سمجھ کر، نیز سْوَبھاو اور چیتنا—ان دونوں کو بھی جسم کے سہارے قائم جان کر—انسان کو حقیقت شناس فہم حاصل کرنی چاہیے۔

Word by Word

ज्ञात्वाhaving known

सत्त्वगुणम्the quality of sattva

देहम्the body

वृतम्covered, enveloped

षोडशभिःby sixteen

गुणैःby qualities, constituents

स्वभावम्one's nature

चेतनाम्consciousness

चand

एवindeed, just

ज्ञात्वाhaving known

देहसमाश्रितेin the two that are dependent on the body

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

deha (body)

sattva-guṇa

Ṣ

ṣoḍaśa-guṇa (sixteen constituents)

svabhāva

cetanā

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?

Discernment: understand the body as a compound of constituents and guṇas, recognize innate tendencies (svabhāva), and distinguish these from consciousness (cetanā). This clarity supports ethical action (dharma) without mistaking bodily conditioning for the true self.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues his philosophical guidance to Yudhiṣṭhira, explaining how knowledge of the body’s constitution and the presence of consciousness within embodied life leads to right understanding and steadiness in conduct.