12.247
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
bhūtānāṃ guṇasaṅkhyānaṃ bhūyaḥ putra niśāmaya। dvaipāyanamukhādbhraṣṭaṃ ślāghayā parayānagha ॥12-247-1॥
O son, once more listen to the enumeration of the qualities of beings, as praised and narrated by Dvaipāyana, O sinless one of supreme virtue.
dīptānalanibhaḥ prāha bhagavāndhūmravarcase. tato'hamapi vakṣyāmi bhūyaḥ putra nidarśanam ॥12-247-2॥
The venerable one, shining like fire, spoke to Dhūmravarcas. Then, my son, I too will again give an example.
bhūmeḥ sthairyaṃ pṛthutvaṃ ca kāṭhinyaṃ prasavātmatā। gandho gurutvaṃ śaktiśca saṅghātaḥ sthāpanā dhṛtiḥ ॥12-247-3॥
The qualities of earth are steadiness, expansiveness, hardness, generative nature, smell, heaviness, power, aggregation, support, and firmness.
apāṃ śaityaṃ rasaḥ kledo dravatvaṃ snehasaumyatā| jihvā viṣyandinī caiva bhaumāpyāsravaṇaṃ tathā ॥12-247-4॥
The qualities of water are coldness, taste, moisture, fluidity, unctuousness, and gentleness; the tongue is that which flows, and likewise, exudation pertains to earth and water.
agner durdharṣatā tejas tāpaḥ pākaḥ prakāśanam। śaucaṃ rāgo laghu staikṣṇyaṃ daśamaṃ ca ūrdhvabhāgitā ॥12-247-5॥
The qualities of Agni are invincibility, brilliance, heat, ripening, illumination, purity, color, lightness, sharpness, the tenth, and upward movement.
vāyoraniyamaḥ sparśo vādasthānaṃ svatantratā। balaṃ śaighryaṃ ca mohaśca ceṣṭā karmakṛtā bhavaḥ ॥12-247-6॥
The qualities of wind are lack of restraint, touch, the source of sound, independence, strength, swiftness, delusion, activity, and existence arising from actions.
ākāśasya guṇaḥ śabdo vyāpitvaṃ chidratāpi ca। anāśrayamanālambamavyaktamavikāritā ॥12-247-7॥
The qualities of space are sound, pervasiveness, having holes, being without support, without resting on anything, unmanifest, and unchangeable.
apratīghātatā caiva bhūtatvaṃ vikṛtāni ca। guṇāḥ pañcāśataṃ proktāḥ pañcabhūtātmabhāvitāḥ ॥12-247-8॥
Non-obstructiveness, elemental nature, and modifications are the fifty qualities said to be endowed with the nature of the five elements.
calopapattirvyaktiśca visargaḥ kalpanā kṣamā| sadasaccāśutā caiva manaso nava vai guṇāḥ ||12-247-9||
Movement, origination, manifestation, emission, imagination, forbearance, existence, non-existence, and swiftness are indeed the nine qualities of the mind.
iṣṭāniṣṭavikalpaś ca vyavasāyaḥ samādhitā। saṃśayaḥ pratipattiś ca buddhau pañceha ye guṇāḥ ॥12-247-10॥
Here, in the intellect, the five qualities are: desire, aversion, alternation, determination, concentration, doubt, and understanding.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kathaṃ pañcaguṇā buddhiḥ kathaṃ pañcendriyā guṇāḥ। etanme sarvamācakṣva sūkṣmajñānaṃ pitāmaha ॥12-247-11॥
O grandsire, tell me all this subtle knowledge: How are the fivefold qualities of intellect, and how are the qualities of the five senses?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
āhuḥ ṣaṣṭiṃ bhūtaguṇān vai; bhūtaviśiṣṭā nityaviṣaktāḥ। bhūtaviṣaktāś cākṣarasṛṣṭāḥ; putra na nityaṃ tadiha vadanti ॥12-247-12॥
It is said that there are sixty elemental qualities; those endowed with elements are always bound to them. Those bound to the elements are created from the imperishable. O son, that is not considered eternal here.
tatputra cintākalitaṃ yadukta; manāgataṃ vai tava sampratīha. bhūtārthatattvaṃ tadavāpya sarvaṃ; bhūtaprabhāvādbhava śāntabuddhiḥ ॥12-247-13॥
That son, whose mind is troubled by what has been said and what has come to your mind, is now here. Having realized the true nature of all reality, be of peaceful mind, free from the influence of beings.
