Shloka 5
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
Devanagari script
तां गतिं परमामेति निवृत्तिपरमो मुनि: । ज्ञानतत्त्वपरो नित्यं शुभाशुभनिदर्शक:
Transliteration
tāṃ gatiṃ paramām eti nivṛttiparamo muniḥ | jñānatattvaparo nityaṃ śubhāśubhanidarśakaḥ ||
Translation
毗湿摩说：那位以出离为归依、恒常专注于真知之理，并以智慧之眼辨别吉与凶的圣者——他将抵达至上的归宿。
Word by Word
ताम्that (goal/state)
ताम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
गतिम्course; state; goal
गतिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
परमाम्supreme
परमाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपरम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
एतिgoes; attains
एति:
TypeVerb
Rootइ (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्त्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन
निवृत्ति-परमःhaving renunciation as the highest (aim)
निवृत्ति-परमः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिवृत्ति + परम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मुनिःsage
मुनिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
ज्ञान-तत्त्व-परःdevoted to the principle of knowledge / knowledge-truth
ज्ञान-तत्त्व-परः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootज्ञान + तत्त्व + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
नित्यम्always; constantly
नित्यम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभावे)
शुभ-अशुभ-निदर्शकःone who discerns/shows the good and the bad
शुभ-अशुभ-निदर्शकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ + अशुभ + निदर्शक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaM
muni (sage)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Supreme attainment comes to the sage who prioritizes nivṛtti (withdrawal/renunciation), remains steadily devoted to the truth of knowledge (jñāna-tattva), and ethically discerns what is wholesome (śubha) and unwholesome (aśubha).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by describing the qualities of a true sage and stating that such a person reaches the highest spiritual goal.