Shloka 85

Adhyātma–Adhibhūta–Adhidaivata Correspondences and the Triguṇa Lakṣaṇas (Śānti-parva 301)

Devanagari script

अत्रापि तत्त्वं परमं शृणु सम्यड मयेरितम्‌ । बुद्धिश्च॒ परमा यत्र कापिलानां महात्मनाम्‌

Transliteration

atrāpi tattvaṁ paramaṁ śṛṇu samyag mayeritām | buddhiś ca paramā yatra kāpilānāṁ mahātmanām ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: «Trong việc này nữa, hãy lắng nghe kỹ khi ta trình bày chân lý tối thượng. Ở đây, ta sẽ nêu rõ sự phân biện cao nhất mà các bậc đại tâm, những người theo học thuyết Sāṃkhya do Kapila truyền dạy, hằng gìn giữ—một hiểu biết soi sáng thực tại và dẫn đường cho hạnh đúng.»

Word by Word

• {'atra api': 'here also

• in this context too', 'tattvam': 'truth

• reality as it is', 'paramam': 'supreme

• highest', 'śṛṇu': 'listen (imperative)', 'samyak': 'properly

• thoroughly', 'mayā īritam (mayeritam)': 'spoken/declared by me', 'buddhiḥ': 'intellect

• decisive understanding', 'paramā': 'supreme

• excellent', 'yatra': 'wherein

• in which (doctrine/context)', 'kāpilānām': 'of Kapila’s (followers)

• pertaining to Kapila/Sāṅkhya', 'mahātmanām': 'of great-souled ones

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Kapila
• Kapila’s followers (Sankhya adherents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma introduces the ‘highest truth’ (parama-tattva) and the ‘supreme discernment’ (paramā buddhi) associated with Kapila’s Sāṅkhya tradition, signaling a shift toward philosophical clarification of reality as a basis for right living and liberation-oriented ethics.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within the Shanti Parva’s instruction to the king, Bhishma continues his discourse and announces that he will now present a refined doctrinal viewpoint—specifically the elevated understanding attributed to the great sages aligned with Kapila—preparing the listener for a systematic philosophical exposition.