Shloka 21
Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ
Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel
वह इससे तृप्त न होनेके कारण विवेकदृष्टिसे वैराग्यको ही ग्रहण करता है, बुद्धिरूप नेत्रके खुल जानेके कारण जब वह कामोपभोग, रस और गन्धमें अनुरक्त नहीं होता तथा शब्द, स्पर्श और रूपमें भी उसका चित्त नहीं फँसता, तब वह सब कामनाओंसे मुक्त हो जाता है और धर्मका त्याग नहीं करता ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | sa etena atṛptaḥ san viveka-dṛṣṭyā vairāgyam eva gṛhṇāti | buddhi-rūpa-netrasya prabodhāt yadā sa kāmopabhogeṣu rase gandhe ca nānurajyate, śabda-sparśa-rūpeṣu ca tasya cittaṁ na sajjate, tadā sa sarva-kāmebhyo mucyate na ca dharmaṁ tyajati || sarva-tyāge ca yatate dṛṣṭvā lokaṁ kṣayātmakam | tato mokṣāya yatate nānupāyād upāyataḥ ||
毗湿摩说：当一个人对世间享乐仍不满足时，便以辨别之明（viveka）摄受离欲（vairāgya）。当智慧之“眼”开启，他不再执著于感官纵乐；不再贪恋味与香；其心亦不为声、触、色所缠缚。于是他脱离一切欲求，却并不舍弃达摩（dharma）。见诸世界皆为败坏无常，他努力在内心舍离一切；继而为解脱（mokṣa）而精进——不以不当之法，而以正当之法。如此，离欲渐次生起，他舍弃罪业，成为正直之人，最终证得至上解脱。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dispassion born of discernment frees one from desire: when the intellect awakens, the mind stops clinging to the sense-objects (sound, touch, form, taste, smell). One should renounce inwardly, see the world as perishable, and pursue liberation through proper means—without abandoning dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising on the path of liberation. He describes the psychological shift from dissatisfaction with pleasures to awakened discernment, leading to non-attachment, ethical steadiness, and finally the pursuit and attainment of moksha by right methods.