Shloka 7

अव्यक्त–व्यक्त–कारणकार्यविवेकः

Avyakta–Vyakta and Causality: Discrimination of Field and Knower

Devanagari script

विषयेषु तु संसर्गाच्छा श्वतस्य तु संश्रयात्‌ । मनसा चान्यथा कांक्षन्‌ परं न प्रतिपद्यते

Transliteration

viṣayeṣu tu saṃsargāc chāśvatasya tu saṃśrayāt | manasā cānyathā kāṅkṣan paraṃ na pratipadyate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：由于不断与诸境相接触，又以无常不稳之物为依止之处，人虽内心希求更高者，终不能证得至上。心被习惯性的执著牵向外境；只要仍攀附于不恒之依托，便不能成就最高之善。

Word by Word

• विषयेषु: in sense-objects
• विषयेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• संसर्गात्: from contact/association
• संसर्गात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अश्वतस्य: of the अश्वत (restless/horse-like one; i.e., the mind)
• अश्वतस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• संश्रयात्: from dependence/resort (to it)
• संश्रयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संश्रय
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• मनसा: by/with the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्यथा: otherwise/contrarily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा

• काङ्क्षन्: desiring
• काङ्क्षन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: काङ्क्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परम्: the highest (goal)
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• प्रतिपद्यते: attains/realizes
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + पद्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Attachment formed by repeated contact with sense-objects, and reliance on impermanent supports, prevents realization of the Supreme; even if one intellectually or emotionally longs for the highest, the mind cannot reach it while bound to transient pleasures.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and the path to the highest good. Here he explains a psychological-ethical obstacle: habitual sensory involvement and dependence on the non-eternal derail the seeker’s aspiration for the supreme goal.