Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
जैसे प्रत्यक्ष दर्शनमें ये तीन हेतु हैं, उसी प्रकार अन्यान्य ज्ञान और ज्ञेयमें भी तीन-तीन हेतु जानने चाहिये। ज्ञान और ज्ञातव्य विषयोंके बीचमें किसी ज्ञानेन्द्रियके अतिरिक्त मन नामक एक दूसरा गुण भी रहता है, जिससे यह जीवात्मा किसी विषयमें भले-बुरेका निश्चय करनेके लिये विचार करता है ।।
yathā pratyakṣa-darśane ime trayo hetavaḥ, tathā anyeṣv api jñāna-jñeyayoḥ trīn trīn hetūn vijānīyāt. jñāna-jñātavya-viṣayayoḥ madhye indriyebhyaḥ pṛthag manaḥ nāma dvitīyo guṇaḥ api tiṣṭhati, yena ayam jīvātmā viṣayeṣu śubha-aśubha-viniścayārthaṃ vicārayati. dvādaśas tv aparaḥ tatra buddhiḥ nāma guṇaḥ smṛtaḥ, yena saṃśaya-pūrveṣu boddhavyeṣu vyavasyati.
毗湿摩说道:“正如直接知觉依赖三种因由,其他诸般认识以及所应认识之对象,也当各自承认三种因由。于知识与其对象之间,除诸感官之外,尚有一因名为‘心’(意);凭此,个体之我为判定一事之善恶而思惟。又复有一因——第十二者——忆称为‘ बुद्धि ’(buddhi,智):凭此,当对须理解之事生起疑惑时,人便能达至确定的结论。”
भीष्य उवाच
Cognition is explained through distinct inner faculties: the mind (manas) deliberates about an object—especially regarding good and bad—while the intellect (buddhi) resolves doubt and reaches a firm determination. This analysis extends the idea that knowledge depends on multiple causal factors, not merely the senses.
In Shanti Parva’s instructional discourse, Bhishma continues a philosophical explanation to Yudhishthira, classifying the components involved in knowing. He distinguishes the roles of the senses, mind, and intellect as part of a broader enumeration of factors (guṇas/tattvas) used to understand ethical judgment and certainty.