Shloka 1
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत मोक्षधर्मपर्वमें श्रीकृष्णसम्बन्धी अध्यात्मका कथनविषयक दो सौ सोलहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ २१६ ॥ अपना बछ। सं: सप्तदर्शाधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: सच्चिदानन्दघन परमात्मा
bhīṣma uvāca | na sa veda paraṁ brahma yo na veda catuṣṭayam | vyaktāvyaktaṁ ca yat tattvaṁ samprokte paramarṣiṇā ||
毗湿摩曰：“大王啊！若有人不知四重真实——凝聚‘有、知、乐’（sat-cit-ānanda）之至上我（Paramātman）、可见之界、自然本原（Prakṛti）与神我/个我（Puruṣa，jīvātman）——则不能称为真知至上梵。大圣者已宣说显与不显之理；不把握这些根本范畴，对至高者的认识终不圆满。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Knowing the Supreme (paraṁ brahma) requires clear understanding of a foundational fourfold scheme (catuṣṭaya). Bhishma emphasizes that metaphysical discernment—especially of the manifest (vyakta) and unmanifest (avyakta) principles as taught by the supreme seer—is prerequisite to liberation-oriented wisdom.
In the Mokṣadharma section of Śānti Parva, Bhishma continues instructing King Yudhiṣṭhira on liberation. This opening verse of the chapter frames the discussion: Bhishma cites the authoritative teaching of the ‘supreme seer’ and asserts that without grasping these key categories one cannot claim true knowledge of Brahman.