Shloka 14

Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra

Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability

Devanagari script

इमं गुणसमाहारमात्म भावेन पश्यत: । असम्यग्दर्शनैर्द:खमनन्तं नोपशाम्यति

Transliteration

imaṃ guṇasamāhāram ātma-bhāvena paśyataḥ | asamyagdarśanair duḥkham anantaṃ nopśāmyati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Kẻ nào, dưới vỏ bọc “tự hiểu mình”, lại nhìn thân này—chỉ là một khối tụ hợp của các guṇa—mà cho là chính Tự Ngã, thì khổ đau trở nên vô tận. Vì cái thấy bị méo mó bởi tri kiến sai lầm, nỗi đau của họ không lắng xuống, và vòng nối tiếp của thống khổ chẳng bao giờ được an ổn.

Word by Word

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गुणसमाहारम्: aggregate/collection of qualities (guṇas)
• गुणसमाहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणसमाहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मभावेन: as the self; in the sense of selfhood
• आत्मभावेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मभाव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पश्यतः: of one who sees/considers
• पश्यतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• असम्यग्दर्शनैः: by incorrect views/false perceptions
• असम्यग्दर्शनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असम्यग्दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• दुःखम्: sorrow; suffering
• दुःखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनन्तम्: endless
• अनन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• उपशाम्यति: subsides; comes to rest; is pacified
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-शम्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Mistaking the body—an aggregate of guṇas—for the true Self is a fundamental error. This wrong vision (asamyagdarśana) perpetuates endless suffering; peace arises only when one discerns the Self as distinct from the body and its changing qualities.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues his discourse to Yudhishthira, explaining how erroneous self-identification leads to unending sorrow and why correct insight is necessary for inner peace.