Shloka 4
Yoga, Nārāyaṇa as Supreme Principle, and the Emanation of Categories
Sāṅkhya-Yoga Outline
न चक्षुषा पश्यति रूपमात्मनो न पश्यति स्पर्शनमिन्द्रियेन्द्रियम् । न श्रोत्रलिड्रं श्रवणेन दर्शन तथा कृतं पश्यति तद् विनश्यति
na cakṣuṣā paśyati rūpam ātmano na paśyati sparśanam indriyendriyam | na śrotrendriyaṁ śravaṇena darśanaṁ tathā kṛtaṁ paśyati tad vinaśyati ||
毗湿摩说道：自我的形相非眼所见；皮肤为触觉之根亦不能触及——因为自我乃内在之力，照明诸根本身。耳亦不能以听闻领会它，因为那自我超越音声。若以辨别之智证得自我，则寻常认知之器皆自脱落；盖其所执取者，皆为可坏之物。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The ātman cannot be grasped as a sensory object: it is not visible, tangible, or audible, because it is the inner illuminator and controller of the senses. True realization arises through discriminative knowledge, and with that realization the ordinary means that operate on perishable objects lose their relevance.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on liberation-oriented dharma. Here he emphasizes an Upaniṣadic point: the Self is subtler than sensory perception, and spiritual insight requires turning from external objects toward inner discernment.