Shloka 23

Śānti-parva 206: Guṇa-hetu Moha, Kāma-krodha Chain, Indriya-utpatti, and Nirodha

Devanagari script

गुणैर्यस्त्ववरैर्युक्त: कथं विद्यात्‌ परान्‌ गुणान्‌ । अनुमानाद्धि गन्तव्यं गुणैरवयवै: परम्‌

Transliteration

guṇair yas tv avarair yuktaḥ kathaṃ vidyāt parān guṇān | anumānād dhi gantavyaṃ guṇair avayavaiḥ param ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“为下劣之性所系者，怎能知晓更高之德？至上者当由推知而近：正如见烟而知有火，同样，至上梵的本性也可由其显现的属性与征兆而得一瞥。”

Word by Word

• {'guṇaiḥ': 'by qualities

• attributes (instrumental plural of guṇa)', 'yaḥ': 'who', 'tu': 'but

• indeed (emphatic particle)', 'avaraiḥ': 'inferior

• lower (qualities)', 'yuktaḥ': 'endowed with

• engaged in', 'katham': 'how', 'vidyāt': 'would know

• could understand (optative of √vid)', 'parān': 'higher

• superior', 'guṇān': 'qualities

• attributes', 'anumānāt': 'from inference

• by reasoning from signs', 'hi': 'indeed

• for', 'gantavyam': 'to be reached/understood

• should be proceeded toward', 'avayavaiḥ': 'by parts

• by partial aspects', 'param': 'the Supreme

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Supreme Brahman (Param)
• qualities (gunas)
• inference (anumana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A mind dominated by lower qualities cannot directly grasp higher, divine reality; one must approach the Supreme through inference—reading the subtle indications and attributes that point beyond the senses.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right understanding, Bhīṣma advises the listener that knowledge of the Supreme is not gained by crude attachment to inferior tendencies, but by discerning reasoning from signs—like inferring fire from smoke.