Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच भूतानां गुणसंख्यानं भूयः पुत्र निशामय द्वैपायनमुखाद्भ्रष्टं श्लाघया परयानघ
AI Translation: Bhishma said: O son, listen again to the enumeration of the qualities of beings, which has fallen from the mouth of Dvaipāyana, O sinless one, with great praise.
दीप्तानलनिभः प्राह भगवान्धूम्रवर्चसे ततोऽहमपि वक्ष्यामि भूयः पुत्र निदर्शनम्
AI Translation: The Blessed One, who was like a blazing fire, said to Dhumavarcas: Then I too shall speak again, O son, as an example.
भूमेः स्थैर्यं पृथुत्वं च काठिन्यं प्रसवात्मता गन्धो गुरुत्वं शक्तिश्च संघातः स्थापना धृतिः
M. N. Dutt: 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 विष्यन्दिनी चैव भौमाप्यास्रवणं तथा
M. N. Dutt: 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 तेजस्तापः पाकः प्रकाशनम् शौचं रागो लघुस्तैक्ष्ण्यं दशमं चोर्ध्वभागिता
M. N. Dutt: The properties of fire are irresistible energy, inflammability, heat, capacity to soften, light, sorrow, disease, speed, fury, and upward motion.
वायोरनियमः स्पर्शो वादस्थानं स्वतन्त्रता बलं शैघ्र्यं च मोहश्च चेष्टा कर्मकृता भवः
M. N. Dutt: 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 छिद्रतापि च अनाश्रयमनालम्बमव्यक्तमविकारिता
AI Translation: The quality of space is sound, pervasion, and also hollowness. It is without support, without basis, unmanifest, and without change.
अप्रतीघातता चैव भूतत्वं विकृतानि च गुणाः पञ्चाशतं प्रोक्ताः पञ्चभूतात्मभाविताः
AI Translation: Non-resistance, and also the state of being an element, and the modifications, The qualities are said to be fifty, characterized by the five elements and the self.
चलोपपत्तिर्व्यक्तिश्च विसर्गः कल्पना क्षमा सदसच्चाशुता चैव मनसो नव वै गुणाः
M. N. Dutt: Patience, reasoning, remembrance, forgetfulness or error, imagination, endurance, inclination towards good, inclination towards evil, and restlessness,-are the properties of the mind.
इष्टानिष्टविकल्पश्च व्यवसायः समाधिता संशयः प्रतिपत्तिश्च बुद्धौ पञ्चेह ये गुणाः
M. N. Dutt: 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
M. N. Dutt: 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.
Supplementary Passages:
12.247.11 For 11ab, M1.5-7 subst.: *697 एतेभ्य एते निर्वृत्ताः स्वगुणायात्मनोपि वा
भीष्म उवाच आहुः षष्टिं भूतगुणान्वै; भूतविशिष्टा नित्यविषक्ताः भूतविषक्ताश्चाक्षरसृष्टाः; पुत्र न नित्यं तदिह वदन्ति
M. N. Dutt: 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 चिन्ताकलितं यदुक्त;मनागतं वै तव संप्रतीह भूतार्थतत्त्वं तदवाप्य सर्वं; भूतप्रभावाद्भव शान्तबुद्धिः
M. N. Dutt: 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.