Shloka 22

Doṣa-Parīkṣā and Guṇa-Viveka

Examination of Faults and Discernment of the Guṇas

Devanagari script

यथा पज्च विमुक्तानि इन्द्रियाणि स्वकर्मभि: । तथा हि परमं ब्रह्म विमुक्तं प्रकृते: परम्‌

Transliteration

yathā pañca vimuktāni indriyāṇi svakarmabhiḥ | tathā hi paramaṃ brahma vimuktaṃ prakṛteḥ param ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“正如五根各自不同于其作用——如声等诸境——同样，至上梵、最高我，也全然解脱于并超越于普拉克里蒂（物质自然）之上。”

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Gender: (all); Case: Nominative; Number: Plural (agreeing with इन्द्रियाणि)

• विमुक्तानि: separated, detached, freed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Nominative; Number: Plural

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense-organs
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Nominative; Number: Plural

• स्वकर्मभिः: by/with their own functions (objects/operations)
• स्वकर्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वकर्म
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Instrumental; Number: Plural

• तथा: so, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• परम्: supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Nominative/Accusative; Number: Singular (agreeing with ब्रह्म)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Nominative; Number: Singular

• विमुक्तम्: free, detached
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Nominative/Accusative; Number: Singular (agreeing with ब्रह्म)

• प्रकृतेः: from Prakriti / of Prakriti
• प्रकृतेः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति
• Form: Gender: Feminine; Case: Ablative/Genitive; Number: Singular

• परम्: beyond, higher than
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Gender: Neuter; Case: Nominative/Accusative; Number: Singular (predicative with ब्रह्म)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahman
• Prakriti
• five indriyas (sense-faculties)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches transcendence: Brahman (the Supreme Self) is not a product of Prakriti and is untouched by material qualities and operations, just as the senses are distinct from the objects/functions they engage with.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues his philosophical discourse to Yudhishthira, using an analogy of the five senses to clarify that the highest reality (Brahman) stands beyond material nature.