Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial
चित्रकेतुरुवाच भगवन् किं न विदितं तपोज्ञानसमाधिभि: । योगिनां ध्वस्तपापानां बहिरन्त: शरीरिषु ॥ २३ ॥
citraketur uvāca bhagavan kiṁ na viditaṁ tapo-jñāna-samādhibhiḥ yogināṁ dhvasta-pāpānāṁ bahir antaḥ śarīriṣu
King Citraketu said: O great lord Aṅgirā, because of austerity, knowledge and transcendental samādhi, you are freed from all the reactions of sinful life. Therefore, as a perfect yogī, you can understand everything external and internal regarding embodied, conditioned souls like us.
This verse states that yogīs purified of sin through austerity, knowledge, and samādhi can know what is within and without embodied beings—implying extraordinary spiritual perception.
In his distress, Citraketu addresses the sage as fully capable of knowing all matters, acknowledging the sage’s yogic realization and asking for guidance and understanding.
By adopting disciplined living (tapas), studying sacred wisdom (jñāna), and practicing regular meditation (samādhi), one gradually purifies the mind and gains clearer insight into self and others.