Shloka 9
जनक–सुलभा संवादः
Janaka–Sulabhā Dialogue on Mokṣa and Non-attachment
केवलं पज्चविंशं च चतुर्विशं न पश्यति । बुध्यमानो यदा55त्मानमन्यो5हमिति मन्यते
kevalaṁ pañcaviṁśaṁ ca caturviṁśaṁ na paśyati | budhyamāno yadātmānam anyo 'ham iti manyate ||
婆悉吒说道：当人开始趋向觉悟之时，便不再如实见第二十四谛与第二十五谛；反而堕入“我乃他者（异于真我）”之念。由此错认生起，道德之明亦随之失落，因为所谓“知者”把真我误作陌生而分离的身份。
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that even when one begins to ‘wake up’ intellectually, one may still fail to discern the true distinction between the 24 principles (the psycho-physical field) and the 25th (the witnessing Self). The error is the thought “I am other,” i.e., misidentifying the Self as a separate ego-entity, which sustains ignorance and undermines right conduct.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vasiṣṭha speaks as a teacher, using Sāṅkhya-style categories (24/25 tattvas) to diagnose a subtle confusion in seekers: partial awakening can still leave one trapped in dualistic self-notions, preventing direct insight into the Self.