Shloka 20

जनक–पराशर संवादः — वर्ण-गोत्र-धर्मविचारः

Janaka–Parāśara: Varṇa, Gotra, and Dharma Inquiry

Devanagari script

स्पर्शनं स्पर्शती स्पर्शान्‌ बुद्धिर्विक्रियतेडसकृत्‌ । यदा प्रार्थयते किज्चित्‌ तदा भवति सा मनः

Transliteration

sparśanaṁ sparśatī sparśān buddhir vikriyate 'sakṛt | yadā prārthayate kiñcit tadā bhavati sā manaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Xúc chạm (sparśa) chạm vào các tiếp xúc của giác quan, và trí phân biệt (buddhi) bị biến đổi, bị khuấy động hết lần này đến lần khác. Khi chính năng lực ấy bắt đầu cầu tìm hay ham muốn một điều gì, thì nó trở thành ‘tâm’ (manas)—xung lực biết hỏi, biết chọn, và lao theo các đối tượng.”

Word by Word

• स्पर्शनम्: touch (the act/sense of touching)
• स्पर्शनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्पर्शति: touches
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्पर्शान्: objects of touch / contacts
• स्पर्शान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विक्रियते: is modified / undergoes change
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + कृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• असकृत्: repeatedly, again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत्

• यदा: when
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• प्रार्थयते: desires / requests / seeks
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थय्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• किञ्चित्: something, anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• भवति: becomes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सा: that (she/it), that very (intellect)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes buddhi (discriminative intellect) from manas (desiring mind): sensory contact repeatedly perturbs the intellect, and when the inner faculty starts craving or petitioning for an object, it functions as ‘mind’. Ethical self-mastery begins by noticing this shift from discernment to desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and inner discipline. Here he explains how sense-contact agitates the inner faculties and how desire converts clear discernment into restless mind, supporting teachings on restraint and renunciation.