Shloka 16

इन्द्र–बलि संवादः

The Dialogue of Indra and Bali on Fortune, Humility, and Restraint

Devanagari script

एवं हि तपसा युक्तमर्कवत्‌ तमस: परम्‌ | त्रैलोक्यप्रकृतिर्देही तमसो<न्‍्ते महेश्वर:

Transliteration

evaṁ hi tapasā yuktam arkavat tamasaḥ param | trailokya-prakṛtir dehī tamaso 'nte maheśvaraḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Khi tâm được rèn luyện bằng khổ hạnh (tapas), nó vượt lên trên bóng tối vô minh và tỏa sáng bằng quang huy tri thức như mặt trời. Tự ngã mang thân, vốn là nền nhân duyên của ba cõi, khi bóng tối ấy chấm dứt thì an lập như Maheśvara—Đấng Tối Thượng hoàn toàn thanh tịnh.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्तम्: joined, endowed (with)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अर्कवत्: like the sun
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्कवत्

• तमसः: from darkness / of darkness
• तमसः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative/Genitive, Singular

• परम्: beyond, higher than
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• त्रैलोक्यप्रकृतिः: the nature/cause of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यप्रकृतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य-प्रकृति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देही: the embodied one (soul)
• देही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तमसः: of darkness (ignorance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महेश्वरः: the Great Lord (Maheshvara)
• महेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Maheśvara
• trailokya (three worlds)
• tamas (ignorance/darkness)
• arka (sun)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Austerity (tapas) that truly disciplines the mind lifts it beyond ignorance (tamas) and reveals a sun-like clarity of knowledge; with ignorance ended, the self is established in the highest, purified reality termed Maheśvara.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation and inner discipline, Bhīṣma continues advising on how spiritual practice transforms consciousness: the mind becomes luminous, and the embodied self is described as realizing its supreme status when ignorance is extinguished.