Shloka 14

सत्य–अनृत, प्रकाश–तमस्, स्वर्ग–नरक विवेचनम्

Truth and Untruth as Light and Darkness; Svarga and Naraka as Ethical Consequences

Devanagari script

आकाशमिति विख्यात॑ सर्वभूतधर: प्रभु: । आकाशादभवदू वारि सलिलादग्निमारुतौ | अग्निमारुतसंयोगात्‌ ततः समभवन्मही

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ākāśam iti vikhyātaṃ sarvabhūtadharaḥ prabhuḥ | ākāśād abhavad vāri salilād agnimārutau | agnimārutasaṃyogāt tataḥ samabhavan mahī |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：那位至上主宰，素以承载一切众生而闻名，首先化生出名为“阿迦舍”（ākāśa，虚空/以太）的原理。由阿迦舍生水；由水生火与风。火与风相合，随后大地便显现于世。

Word by Word

• {'ākāśam': 'space/ether

• the subtle element associated with sound', 'iti': 'thus

• as', 'vikhyātam': 'well-known

• renowned', 'sarvabhūta-dharaḥ': 'supporter/bearer of all beings', 'prabhuḥ': 'Lord

• master', 'ākāśāt': 'from ākāśa', 'abhavat': 'arose

• came to be', 'vāri': 'water', 'salilāt': 'from water', 'agni': 'fire', 'mārutau': 'wind (vāyu)

• here paired with fire', 'saṃyogāt': 'from conjunction/combination', 'tataḥ': 'then

• thereafter', 'samabhavat': 'came into existence

• manifested', 'mahī': 'earth

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prabhu (the Lord)
• Ākāśa (ether/space)
• Vāri/Salila (water)
• Agni (fire)
• Māruta/Vāyu (wind)
• Mahī (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Creation proceeds in an intelligible sequence from subtle to gross elements under a single sustaining Lord: ākāśa (space/ether) arises first, then water, then fire and wind, and finally earth from the interaction of fire and wind. The ethical implication is humility and restraint: beings and their powers are derivative, supported by a higher order, so dharma aligns one’s conduct with that cosmic order rather than egoic impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira about foundational principles of reality. Here he outlines a cosmogonic chain of elemental manifestation, using it to situate human life and duty within a broader metaphysical framework.