Shloka 20

Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra

Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability

Devanagari script

पज्चज्ञानेन्द्रियाण्युक्त्वा मन:षष्ठानि चेतसि । बलषष्ठानि वक्ष्यामि पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाणि तु

Transliteration

pañca jñānendriyāṇy uktvā manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhāni cetasi | bala-ṣaṣṭhāni vakṣyāmi pañca karmendriyāṇi tu ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我已叙述五种知觉之根——并以意（manas）为内在意识中的第六——如今我将说明五种行动之根，其中生命之气（prāṇa）被教示为第六。由此当知：感知与作为皆由内而统摄；自制之道，系于诸根之正当调御。”

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: —, —, —

• ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि: sense-organs (organs of knowledge)
• ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानेन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• उक्त्वा: having said / having described
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), —, —

• मनःषष्ठानि: with mind as the sixth
• मनःषष्ठानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनःषष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• चेतसि: in the mind / in consciousness
• चेतसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बलषष्ठानि: with strength (vital force) as the sixth
• बलषष्ठानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलषष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall speak / I shall describe
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: —, —, —

• कर्मेन्द्रियाणि: organs of action
• कर्मेन्द्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मेन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: —, —, —

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• mind (manas)
• inner consciousness (cetas/citta)
• organs of knowledge (jñānendriyas)
• organs of action (karmendriyas)
• vital power/strength (bala/prāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames human experience and conduct through two sets of faculties: the five perceptive senses (jñānendriyas) coordinated by mind as a sixth, and the five active faculties (karmendriyas) supported by vital power (bala/prāṇa) as a sixth. Ethical life depends on understanding and disciplining these inner instruments.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma continues a systematic exposition: after listing the organs of knowledge with mind as their coordinator, he transitions to describing the organs of action, indicating that they operate with vital force as an accompanying sixth principle.