Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 20

Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma

Devanagari script

ताभि: संयुक्तमनसो ब्रह्म तत्‌ सम्प्रकाशते । शनैश्वोपगते सच्चे ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते

Transliteration

tābhiḥ saṃyuktamanaso brahma tat samprakāśate | śanaiśvopagate sattve brahmabhūyāya kalpate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：当一个人的心与诸根的主宰之力相和合时，至上梵（帕拉梵，Parabrahman）便在其内在之中清明显现。随后，随着清净之性（萨埵，sattva）渐次生起，此人便堪能证得梵之境界——离于迷妄，安住于最高真实。

Word by Word

• ताभिः: by/with those (female/collective: by those [deities/forces])
• ताभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• संयुक्त-मनसः: one whose mind is united/collected
• संयुक्त-मनसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयुक्त (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that (Brahman/that reality)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सम्प्रकाशते: shines forth / becomes manifest
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रकाश् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• शनैः: gradually, slowly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)

• उपगते: when attained/when it has come (to be present)
• उपगते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपगम् (धातु) → उपगत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सत्त्वे: in sattva (purity/clarity; sattva-guṇa)
• सत्त्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-भूयाय: for Brahmanhood / to the state of being Brahman
• ब्रह्म-भूयाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूयस्/भूय (प्रातिपदिक; भावार्थ)
• Form: नपुं, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• कल्पते: is fit/becomes/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Inner realization of Brahman arises when the mind is properly integrated with and governed through the senses (and their presiding principles), leading to increasing sattva (purity/clarity). As sattva grows gradually, one becomes qualified for brahma-bhāva—abidance in the highest reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on the inner disciplines that lead beyond sorrow. Here he describes a contemplative progression: disciplined sensory life and mental integration give rise to inner illumination, and sustained purity culminates in fitness for Brahman-realization.