Shloka 8
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
द्विविधो जायते व्याधि: शारीरो मानसस्तथा । परस्परं तयोर्जन्म निर्द्धन्द्ध नोपलभ्यते
dvividhō jāyate vyādhiḥ śārīro mānasas tathā | parasparaṃ tayor janma nirddvanddho nopalabhyate ||
毗湿摩波耶那说道：人的疾病有两种形态——身病与心病。二者的起源相互依存；无此则彼不生，因为未见其生起可以彼此独立。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that human affliction is twofold—physical and mental—and that these two are intertwined: bodily conditions influence the mind and mental states influence the body. Therefore, treating suffering ethically and wisely requires attention to both dimensions rather than isolating one as wholly independent.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana presents a reflective observation about the nature of suffering. He classifies illness into bodily and mental types and emphasizes their mutual causation, framing the discussion toward understanding and alleviating human distress.