Shloka 25

Śānti-parva 206: Guṇa-hetu Moha, Kāma-krodha Chain, Indriya-utpatti, and Nirodha

Devanagari script

ज्ञानेन निर्मलीकृत्य बुद्धि बुद्धथा मनस्तथा । मनसा चेन्द्रियग्राममक्षरं प्रतिपद्यते

Transliteration

jñānena nirmalīkṛtya buddhiṁ buddhyā manas tathā | manasā cendriyagrāmam akṣaraṁ pratipadyate ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Lấy chân tri (jñāna) mà gột rửa trí phân biệt (buddhi), rồi nhờ trí đã trong sáng ấy mà làm cho tâm (manas) vững lặng; khi tâm đã vững, toàn bộ các căn (indriya) được đặt dưới sự điều ngự của tâm. Nhờ kỷ luật nội tâm như vậy, hành giả đạt đến “Akṣara” — Đấng Bất Hoại, Brahman bất biến.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानेन: by knowledge
• ज्ञानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• निर्मलीकृत्य: having purified
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मलीकृ (धातु: कृ)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for ktvā), Prior action (having done)

• बुद्धिम्: the intellect
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• बुद्ध्या: by the intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इन्द्रियग्रामम्: the collection of senses
• इन्द्रियग्रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रियग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अक्षरम्: the imperishable (Brahman)
• अक्षरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिपद्यते: attains/realizes
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति√पद्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Active (middle)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Akshara (the Imperishable/Brahman)
• buddhi (intellect)
• manas (mind)
• indriyas (senses)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A graded inner discipline: knowledge purifies the intellect; the purified intellect steadies the mind; the steadied mind governs the senses; through this self-mastery one realizes the Imperishable (akṣara), i.e., the highest unchanging reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and the path to peace after the war. Here he explains an inward yogic-ethical process—purification of intellect and mind leading to restraint of the senses and realization of the supreme.