Shloka 6
Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna
Devanagari script
भीष्म उवाच इति तेनानुयुक्त: स तमुवाच महातपा: । महद्वाक्यमसंदिग्धं पुष्कलार्थपर्द शुचि
Transliteration
bhīṣma uvāca iti tenānuyuktaḥ sa tam uvāca mahātapāḥ | mahadvākyam asaṃdigdhaṃ puṣkalārtha-pradaṃ śuci ||
Translation
毗湿摩说：他既如此发问，那位大苦行者便以沉重而确凿之言作答，毫无疑滞，清净而义理充盈——足以导正行持，明辨是非。
Word by Word
भीष्मःBhishma
भीष्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभीष्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, Third, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
तेनby him/thereby
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
अनुयुक्तःquestioned, asked
अनुयुक्तः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुयुक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, Third, Singular
महातपाःthe great ascetic
महातपाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहातपस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महत्great
महत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वाक्यम्speech, statement
वाक्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवाक्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
असंदिग्धम्unambiguous, doubtless
असंदिग्धम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअसंदिग्ध
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
पुष्कलार्थप्रदम्bestowing abundant meaning (rich in import)
पुष्कलार्थप्रदम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपुष्कलार्थप्रद
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
शुचिpure, holy
शुचि:
TypeAdjective
Rootशुचि
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
Bhishma (Bhīṣma)A
a great ascetic (mahātapāḥ)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal qualities of dharmic instruction: it should be authoritative (mahadvākya), unambiguous (asaṃdigdha), rich in practical meaning (puṣkalārtha-prada), and purifying in effect (śuci).
Bhishma frames a dialogue: after someone asks a question, a great ascetic responds, and Bhishma characterizes the reply as clear, meaningful, and pure—setting up the forthcoming teaching.