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Shloka 28

बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency

Mahābhārata 12.217

सूक्ष्मं विशेषणं तेषामवेक्षेच्छास्त्रचक्षुषा । देहान्तं परमं विद्याद्‌ विमुक्तमपरिग्रहम्‌ । अन्तरिक्षादन्यतरं धारणासक्तमानसम्‌

bhīṣma uvāca | sūkṣmaṃ viśeṣaṇaṃ teṣām avekṣec chāstra-cakṣuṣā | dehāntaṃ paramaṃ vidyād vimuktam aparigraham | antarīkṣād anyataraṃ dhāraṇāsakta-mānasam ||

毗湿摩说:当以经典之眼,洞察那些大心者微细的殊相。应当了知至上者:直至此身最后舍弃之时仍可证得;恒常解脱,无所占有、无所执取,比虚空更为微妙——正是那通过瑜伽摄持(dhāraṇā)而令心安住之处。

सूक्ष्मम्subtle (thing/aspect)
सूक्ष्मम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्म
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विशेषणम्distinctive mark/characteristic
विशेषणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविशेषण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
अवेक्षेत्should observe/should examine
अवेक्षेत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअव्-ईक्ष्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
शास्त्र-चक्षुषाwith the eye of scripture (scriptural insight)
शास्त्र-चक्षुषा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशास्त्रचक्षुस्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
देह-अन्तम्the end of the body (death)
देह-अन्तम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेहान्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
परम्supreme/ultimate
परम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विद्यात्should know/should understand
विद्यात्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
विमुक्तम्liberated/free
विमुक्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-मुक्त
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अपरिग्रहम्non-possessive; without attachment/appropriation
अपरिग्रहम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअ-परिग्रह
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अन्तरिक्षात्from/than the sky (space)
अन्तरिक्षात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तरिक्ष
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
अन्यतरम्different/other; distinct
अन्यतरम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्यतर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
धारणा-सक्त-मानसम्whose mind is attached to (yogic) concentration (dhāraṇā)
धारणा-सक्त-मानसम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootधारणासक्तमानस
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
S
Shastra (scriptural teaching)
P
Paramam/Brahman (the Supreme)
A
Antariksha (space/sky)
D
Dharana (yogic concentration)

Educational Q&A

Discern, through scriptural insight, the subtle hallmark of true spiritual attainment: knowledge of the Supreme that is ever-free and non-possessive, realized through steady yogic concentration (dhāraṇā) and maintained until the end of embodied life.

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues advising the listener to evaluate saints/realized persons by a subtle criterion—scripturally grounded insight into the Supreme—and to pursue that same realization through disciplined concentration and renunciation.