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Shloka 24

बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency

Mahābhārata 12.217

धृत्या देहान्‌ धारयन्तो बुद्धिसंक्षिप्तचेतस: । स्थानेभ्यो ध्वंसमानाश्र सूक्ष्मत्वात्‌ तदुपासते,कुछ योगीजन बुद्धिके द्वारा अपने चित्तको विषयोंकी ओरसे हटाकर आसनकी दृढ़तासे स्थिरता-पूर्वक देहको धारण करते हुए इन्द्रिय-गोलकोंसे सम्बन्ध त्यागकर सूक्ष्म बुद्धि होनेके कारण ब्रह्मकी उपासना करते हैं.

bhīṣma uvāca | dhṛtyā dehān dhārayanto buddhisaṃkṣiptacetasaḥ | sthānebhyo dhvaṃsamānāśrāḥ sūkṣmatvāt tad upāsate ||

قال بهيشما: إنّ بعض اليوغيين، بثباتٍ من عزمٍ باطني، يُمسكون الجسد قائمًا، وهم يسحبون العقل—وقد جُمِع وصُقِل بالتمييز—بعيدًا عن موضوعات الحواس. فإذا نزعوا اعتمادهم عن مقامات الجسد والحواس المعرّضة للاندثار، ولأن عقولهم قد صارت لطيفة، عبدوا «ذلك»—البراهمن الأعلى.

धृत्याby firmness/steadfastness
धृत्या:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootधृति
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
देहान्bodies
देहान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
धारयन्तःbearing/holding (while sustaining)
धारयन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootधृ
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
बुद्धि-संक्षिप्त-चेतसःwhose minds are restrained/contracted by intellect
बुद्धि-संक्षिप्त-चेतसः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootचेतस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्थानेभ्यःfrom the places/seats (bases)
स्थानेभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootस्थान
FormNeuter, Ablative, Plural
ध्वंसमानाःbreaking away/withdrawing (being dissolved/ceasing)
ध्वंसमानाः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootध्वंस
Formशानच् (present middle participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
आश्रयम्support/refuge (dependence)
आश्रयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआश्रय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सूक्ष्मत्वात्because of subtlety
सूक्ष्मत्वात्:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसूक्ष्मत्व
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
तत्that (Brahman/that principle)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपासतेthey worship/meditate upon
उपासते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउप-आस्
FormPresent (Lat), Atmanepada, Third, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
Y
yogins
B
Brahman (That)

Educational Q&A

True spiritual practice is described as sustaining embodied life with steadfastness while withdrawing the mind from sense-objects, abandoning reliance on perishable bodily-sensory supports, and turning subtle, refined intellect toward contemplation of Brahman.

In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he characterizes a class of yogins: they practice inner withdrawal and concentration, detach from the sensory ‘stations’ that decay, and engage in worshipful contemplation of the Supreme Reality.