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Shloka 12

इन्द्रेण वृत्रवधः, ब्रह्महत्याया अनुगमनम्, तथा च विभाजन-निवासविधानम्

Indra’s defeat of Vṛtra; pursuit by Brahmahatyā; allocation of her abodes

यच्छेद्‌ वाड्मनसी बुद्धया तां यच्छेज्ज्ञानचक्षुषा । ज्ञानमात्मावबोधेन यच्छेदात्मानमात्मना

yacched vāḍmanasī buddhyā tāṁ yacchej jñānacakṣuṣā | jñānam ātmāvabodhena yacched ātmānam ātmanā ||

Bhīṣma nói: Hãy chế ngự lời nói và tâm ý bằng trí tuệ; và chính trí tuệ ấy lại phải được dẫn dắt bởi “con mắt của chân tri”. Tri thức cần được an định nhờ sự tỉnh thức trực tiếp về tự ngã; và sau cùng, cái ngã phải được làm chủ bởi Chân Ngã—để kỷ luật nội tâm kết tinh thành tự do bên trong, chứ không chỉ là sự kiềm chế bề ngoài.

यच्छेत्should restrain
यच्छेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootयम् (यच्छति)
FormVidhi-ling (optative), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada
वाक्speech
वाक्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवाच्
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
मनसीthe two (i.e., mind and something paired; here taken as 'mind' in dual usage with vāk as a pair)
मनसी:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमनस्
Formneuter, accusative, dual
बुद्धयाby (means of) intellect
बुद्धया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
Formfeminine, instrumental, singular
ताम्that (it/her)
ताम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
यच्छेत्should restrain
यच्छेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootयम् (यच्छति)
FormVidhi-ling (optative), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada
ज्ञानचक्षुषाwith the eye of knowledge
ज्ञानचक्षुषा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान-चक्षुस्
Formneuter, instrumental, singular
ज्ञानम्knowledge
ज्ञानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान
Formneuter, accusative, singular
आत्मावबोधेनby self-realization / by realization of the Self
आत्मावबोधेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्म-अवबोध
Formmasculine, instrumental, singular
यच्छेत्should restrain
यच्छेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootयम् (यच्छति)
FormVidhi-ling (optative), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada
आत्मानम्the self
आत्मानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
आत्मनाby the self
आत्मना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
Formmasculine, instrumental, singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

A graded inner discipline: control speech and mind through buddhi (discernment), refine buddhi through jñāna (true insight), stabilize jñāna through direct self-awakening (ātmāvabodha), and ultimately let the Self govern the self—so restraint becomes liberation-oriented, not merely suppression.

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the path to peace after the war. This verse occurs in a teaching sequence emphasizing inner mastery—how a ruler or seeker should cultivate self-governance as the foundation for ethical life and lasting tranquility.