भीष्म उवाच भूतानां परिसंख्यानं भूयः पुत्र निशामय। द्वैपायनमुखाद् भ्रष्टं श्लाघया परयानघ॥ दीप्तानलनिभः प्राह भगवान् धूमवर्चसे। ततोऽहमपि वक्ष्यामि भूयः पुत्र निदर्शनम्॥
Bhishma said Do you, O son, O sinless one, listen once more, with feeling of great pride, to the words given vent to by the Island-born Rishi on the subject of the enumeration of the principles. Like a blazing fire, the great Rishi said these words to his son who took after a fire wrapped in smoke. Instructed by what he said, I also, O son, shall again explain to you that certain knowledge.
भूमेः स्थैर्यं गुरुत्वं च काठिन्यं प्रसवार्थता। गन्धो गुरुत्वं शक्तिश्च संघातः स्थापना धृतिः॥
The properties of earth are immobility, weight, hardness, productiveness, scent, density, capacity to absorb all sorts of scents, cohesion, habitableness, and that attribute of the mind which is called patience.
अपां शैत्यं रसः क्लेदो द्रवत्वं स्नेहसौम्यता। जिह्वा विस्यन्दनं चापि भौमानां श्रपणं तथा॥
The properties of water are coolness, taste, moisture, liquidity, softness, agreeableness, tongue, fluidity, capacity to the congealed, and power to melt all earthy products.
अग्नेर्दुर्धर्षता ज्योतिस्ताप: पाकः प्रकाशनम्। शोको रागो लघुस्तैक्ष्ण्यं सततं चोर्ध्वभासिता॥
The properties of fire are irresistible energy, inflammability, heat, capacity to soften, light, sorrow, disease, speed, fury, and upward motion.
वायोरनियमस्पर्शी वादस्थानं स्वतन्त्रता। बलं शैघ्यं च मोक्षं च कर्म चेष्टाऽऽत्मता भवः॥
The properties of the wind are touch that is neither hot nor cool, power to help the organs of speech, independence, strength, celerity, power to help all kinds of discharge, power to raise other objects, breaths inhaled and exhaled, life, and birth.
आकाशस्य गुणः शब्दो व्यापित्वं च्छिद्रतापि च। अनाश्रयमनालम्बमव्यक्तमविकारिता॥ अप्रतीघातिता चैव भूतत्वं विकृतानि च। गुणा: पञ्चाशतं प्रोक्ताः पञ्चभूतात्मभाविताः॥
The properties of space are sound, extension, capacity of being enclosed, absence of refuge, power of being unmanifest, capacity for modification, incapacity for resistance, material cause for producing the sense of hearing, and the unoccupied parts of the human body. These are the fifty properties, as declared, which form the essences of the five elementary entities.
धैर्योपपत्तिर्व्यक्तिश्च विसर्गः कल्पना क्षमा। सदसच्चाशुता चैव मनसो नव वै गुणाः॥
Patience, reasoning, remembrance, forgetfulness or error, imagination, endurance, inclination towards good, inclination towards evil, and restlessness,-are the properties of the mind.
इष्टानिष्टविपत्तिश्च व्यवसाय: समाधिता। संशयः प्रतिपत्तिश्च बुद्धेः पञ्चगुणान् विदुः।१०।।
Destruction of both good and evil thoughts, perseverance, concentration, decision, and ascertainment of all things depending upon direct evidence, form the five properties of the understanding.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथं पञ्चगुणा बुद्धिः कथं पञ्चेन्द्रिया गुणाः। एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व सूक्ष्मज्ञानं पितामह॥
Yudhisthira said How can the understanding be said to have five properties? How again, can the five senses be described as properties. Explain to me, O grandfather, all this abstruse topic.
भीष्म उवाच आहुः षष्टिं बुद्धिगुणान्वै भूतविशिष्टा नित्यविषक्ताः। भूतविभूतीश्चाक्षरसृष्टाः पुत्र न नित्यं तदिह वदन्ति॥
Bhishma said The understanding is said to possess altogether sixty properties, for the understanding includes the five clements. All those properties exist in the Soul. The Vedas say, O son, that the elements, their properties, are all created by Him who is above all decay. These entities, therefore, are not eternal.
तत्पुत्र चिन्ताकलिलं तदुक्तमनागतं वै तव सम्प्रतीह। भूतार्थतत्त्वं तदवाप्य सर्वं भूतप्रभावाद् भव शान्तबुद्धिः।।
The theories contradicting the Revelation which have in the previous Verses, O son, been placed before you, are all defective in the eye of reason. Minding, however, in this world all that I have said to you about the Supreme Brahma, do you after acquiring the power which the knowledge of Brahma offers, seek to acquire tranquillity of heart.