Shloka 13
Śānti-parva 206: Guṇa-hetu Moha, Kāma-krodha Chain, Indriya-utpatti, and Nirodha
इस जगतमें पृथ्वीके रूपसे जलका ही रूप महान् है। जलसे तेज अति महान है
bhīṣma uvāca | asmin jagati pṛthivī-rūpeṇa jalasyaiva rūpaṃ mahān | jalāt tejo 'ti-mahān, tejaso vāyur mahān, vāyor ākāśaṃ mahān | ākāśān manaḥ parataraṃ sūkṣmaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ mahān | manaso buddhir mahān, buddheḥ kālaḥ (prakṛtiḥ) mahān, kālād bhagavān viṣṇur anantaḥ sūkṣmaḥ śreṣṭho mahān | etat sarvaṃ jagat tasyaiva sṛṣṭiḥ | tasya bhagavato viṣṇor na kaścid ādir na madhyaṃ nānto 'sti || anāditvād amadhyatvād anantatvāc ca so 'vyayaḥ | atyeti sarva-duḥkhāni; duḥkhaṃ hi kṣayavad ucyate ||
毗湿摩说道：“在此世间，所谓‘地’之形相，实为水之大显现。胜于水者为火；胜于火者为风；胜于风者为虚空。超越虚空者为心——更微细、更崇高、更广大。胜于心者为慧（智）；胜于慧者为时，即自然本性（Prakṛti）。超越时间者，乃吉祥的主毗湿奴——无尽、微妙、至上而伟大。此整个宇宙皆为其创造。彼主毗湿奴无始、无中、无终。因其无始无中无终，故不坏；因此超越一切忧苦，因为忧苦被说为属于会败坏之物。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma presents a graded hierarchy from gross elements up to mind, intellect, and Time/Prakriti, culminating in Vishnu as the supreme, beginningless and endless reality. Because the Lord is imperishable (not subject to decay), He is beyond all sorrow, which is tied to perishable things.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma is teaching about ultimate reality and the causes of suffering. He explains a cosmological and psychological ascent and identifies Vishnu as the source of the universe and as transcending the cycle of change that produces grief.