Shloka 21

Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma

Devanagari script

अथवा न प्रवर्तेत योगतनन्‍्त्रैरुपक्रमेत्‌ येन तन्त्रयतस्तन्त्रं वृत्ति: स्थात्‌ तत्‌ तदाचरेत्‌,अथवा यदि पूर्वोक्तरूपसे उसके भीतर ब्रह्म प्रकाशित न हो तो वह योगी योगप्रधान उपायोंद्वारा अभ्यास आरम्भ करे। जिस हेतुसे योगाभ्यास करते हुए योगीकी ब्रह्ममें ही स्थिति हो, वह उसी-उसीका अनुष्ठान करे

Transliteration

athavā na pravarteta yogatantrair upakramet | yena tantrayatas tantraṁ vṛttiḥ sthāt tat tad ācaret ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: إن لم يدخل المرءُ تلك الحال بطبيعته، فليبدأ إذن بآداب اليوغا ورياضاتها. وأيُّ طريقةٍ إذا مُورست كنظامٍ منضبط هدَّأت حركةَ العقل وأقامت صاحبها في البراهمان—فليتخذها بعينها ممارسةً له. فإن لم تُظهر الصورةُ المتقدمةُ البراهمان في الداخل، فعلى اليوغي أن يشرع في مجاهدةٍ متواصلة بوسائلَ محورها اليوغا، متبنّيًا تلك المراسم والالتزامات التي تُثبِّته راسخًا في البراهمان.

Word by Word

• {'athavā': 'or

• alternatively', 'na pravarteta': 'should not proceed/engage (naturally or spontaneously)', 'yoga-tantraiḥ': 'by the systematic disciplines/methods of yoga', 'upakramet': 'should begin

• should undertake', 'yena': 'by which

• through which', 'tantrayataḥ': 'of one who is disciplining/controlling

• practicing methodically', 'tantram': 'system

• disciplined procedure', 'vṛttiḥ': 'mental modification

• mode of functioning', 'sthāt': 'may stand

• may become steady/established', 'tat tat': 'that very (means), each such (practice) as applicable', 'ācaret': 'should practice

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahman
• yogin
• yoga

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

If direct inner realization does not arise, one should adopt systematic yogic discipline. The right practice is defined pragmatically: whatever method steadies the mind’s vṛttis and establishes one in Brahman should be undertaken.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on liberation and inner discipline, Bhishma advises the listener that when the higher state is not spontaneously attained, the seeker should begin structured yoga-practice and follow those observances that lead to stable absorption in Brahman.