Shloka 15
Doṣa-Parīkṣā and Guṇa-Viveka
Examination of Faults and Discernment of the Guṇas
यथा महान्ति भूतानि निवर्तन्ते गुणक्षये । तथेन्द्रियाण्युपादाय बुद्धिर्मनसि वर्तते
yathā mahānti bhūtāni nivartante guṇakṣaye | tathendriyāṇyupādāya buddhir manasi vartate ||
Bhīṣma nói: Như các đại chủng rút lui khi những phẩm tính nâng đỡ chúng đã tiêu tận, cũng vậy, trí (buddhi), thu nhiếp các căn, trở về an trú trong tâm.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches inward withdrawal: as the cosmic elements subside when their supporting qualities diminish, the intellect likewise gathers the senses and settles into the mind. Ethically, it points to mastery over sense-driven dispersion and the cultivation of inner steadiness as a step toward liberation.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and mokṣa, Bhīṣma is explaining a contemplative psychology: the movement from outward sensory engagement to inward recollection, describing how buddhi and the senses become absorbed into manas during spiritual withdrawal.