Shloka 14
श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः
Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma
यथा चाल्पेन माल्येन वासितं तिलसर्षपम् । न मुज्चति स्वकं गन्ध॑ तद्वत् सूक्ष्मस्य दर्शनम्
yathā cālpena mālyena vāsitaṃ tilasarṣapam | na muñcati svakaṃ gandhaṃ tadvat sūkṣmasya darśanam ||
毗湿摩说：“正如芝麻或芥子之油，即便只以小小花鬘略加熏染，也不肯舍弃其本有之气；同样，凭些微用功，既不能除去过失，也不能证得对‘微妙者’（梵，Brahman）的见地。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Small, superficial effort does not uproot ingrained tendencies or faults; likewise, direct realization of the Subtle Reality (Brahman) requires sustained, deeper practice rather than minimal or occasional attempts.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma continues advising the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in the broader frame) using a homely analogy: just as sesame/mustard retains its own smell despite light perfuming, a person’s inner defects and the highest realization are not transformed by slight effort.