Shloka 30
अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्
Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas
यत् तत् सूक्ष्ममविज्ञेयमव्यक्तमचलं ध्रुवम् । इन्द्रियैरिन्द्रियार्थश्व सर्वभूतैश्न॒ वर्जितम् ।।
yat tat sūkṣmam avijñeyam avyaktam acalaṃ dhruvam | indriyair indriyārthaiś ca sarvabhūtaiś ca varjitam || sa hy antarātmā bhūtānāṃ kṣetrajña iti ca kathyate | triguṇavyatirikto vai puruṣa iti kalpitaḥ ||
那罗陀说道：此真实者微妙，超越寻常所知，未显（avyakta）、不动而恒常——超越诸根、根境与一切众生——却安住为每一众生的内在自我。故称“知田者”（kṣetrajña）。又因超越三德（guṇa），亦被观为“补卢沙”（puruṣa）。此教以辨别为伦理之本：真我并非变易的身心聚合，而是超越诸质的恒定见证；解脱在于认清此一分别。
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the true Self is the subtle, unmanifest, unchanging reality beyond senses and all objects; as the indwelling witness it is called kṣetrajña, and because it transcends sattva-rajas-tamas it is termed puruṣa. Ethical and spiritual clarity arises from distinguishing this Self from the changing body-mind.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation and metaphysics, Nārada is explaining to his listener the nature of the highest principle: the inner Self of all beings, described through philosophical epithets (avyakta, dhruva, kṣetrajña, puruṣa) to guide contemplation and discernment.