Shloka 8
मनुरुवाच — इन्द्रिय-मनः-ज्ञान-क्रमः
Manu on the hierarchy of senses, mind, and knowledge
वेदवादाश्न निर्वत्ता: शान्ता ब्रह्मण्यवस्थिता: । सांख्ययोगौ तु यायुक्तौ मुनिभि: समदर्शिभि:,यदि जप करनेवाले साधकको अणिमा आदि एऐकश्वर्य प्राप्त हों और वह उनमें अनुरक्त हो जाय तो वह ही उसके लिये नरक है, वह उससे छुटकारा नहीं पाता है ।।
Bhīṣma uvāca: vedavādāś ca nirvṛttāḥ śāntā brahmaṇy avasthitāḥ | sāṅkhyayogau tu yāyuktau munibhiḥ samadarśibhiḥ || rageṇa jāpako japyaṃ karute tatra mohitaḥ | yatrāsya rāgaḥ patati tatra tatropapadyate ||
毗湿摩说道：“那些超越了对吠陀之言辞争辩的人，内心自足、寂静，安住于梵。具平等见的仙圣，能如法融会数论与瑜伽。然而若持咒者为执著所迷，以贪求果报之心而反复诵持，则其欲望落于何处，便于何处再生——依其所执之物而受相应之身。由是可知，执著使修行反成堕落之因，而非解脱之门。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual practice must be free from craving for powers or results. When japa is driven by attachment (rāga), the mind fixes on a desired fruit and that attachment becomes the cause of continued rebirth; true progress is tranquility and establishment in Brahman, harmonizing knowledge (Sāṅkhya) and discipline (Yoga).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising on liberation-oriented conduct. He contrasts sages who transcend mere Vedic argument and abide in Brahman with practitioners who, though performing japa, become entangled by desire for outcomes—thereby determining their next embodiment according to their attachment.