Shloka 24

Adhyāya 240: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman — The Inner Hierarchy and Restraint (इन्द्रिय-मनस्-बुद्धि-आत्म-क्रमः)

Devanagari script

योगसाधनामें अग्रसर होनेपर मोह, भ्रम और आवर्त आदि विष्न प्राप्त होते हैं। फिर दिव्य सुगन्ध आती है और दिव्य शब्दोंके श्रवण एवं दिव्य रूपोंके दर्शन होते हैं। नाना प्रकारके अद्भुत रस और स्पर्शका अनुभव होता है। इच्छानुकूल सर्दी और गर्मी प्राप्त होती है तथा वायुरूप होकर आकाशमें चलने-फिरनेकी शक्ति आ जाती है ।। प्रतिभामुपसर्गाश्चाप्युपसंगृह योगत: । तांस्तत्त्वविदनादृत्य आत्मन्येव निवर्तयेत्‌,सत्त्वसंसेवनाद धीरो निद्रामुच्छेत्तुमरहति । विद्वानोंने योगके जो काम, क्रोध, लोभ, भय और पाँचवाँ स्वप्र--ये पाँच दोष बताये हैं उनका पूर्णतया उच्छेद करे। इनमेंसे क्रोधको शम (मनोनिग्रह) के द्वारा जीते, कामको संकल्पके त्यागद्वारा पराजित करे तथा धीर पुरुष सत्वगुणका सेवन करनेसे निद्राका उच्छेद कर सकता है प्रतिभा बढ़ जाती है। दिव्य भोग अपने आप उपस्थित हो जाते हैं। इन सब सिद्धियोंको योगबलसे प्राप्त करके भी तत्त्ववेत्ता योगी उनका आदर न करे; क्योंकि ये सब योगके विघ्न हैं। अत: मनको उनकी ओरसे लौटाकर आत्मामें ही एकाग्र करे

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | pratibhām upasargāś cāpy upasaṃgṛhya yogataḥ | tāṃs tattvavid anādṛtya ātmany eva nivartayet | sattvasaṃsevanād dhīro nidrām ucchettum arhati |

Translation

Vyāsa said: Having gathered (and recognized) the extraordinary manifestations and impediments that arise from yoga—such as heightened brilliance and other supernormal occurrences—the knower of truth should not prize them. Turning away from them, he should bring the mind back and rest it in the Self alone. By cultivating sattva, the steady and discerning practitioner becomes fit to cut off sleep (torpor) and remain wakefully established in inner discipline. (For such powers and enjoyments, though they may appear, are obstacles on the path and must not divert one from self-realization.)

Word by Word

प्रतिभाम्insight, intuition

उपसर्गान्obstacles, impediments

चand

अपिalso, even

उपसंगृह्यhaving restrained/collected (them)

योगतःfrom/through yoga; by yoga

तान्those (obstacles/siddhis)

तत्त्वविद्knower of truth

अनादृत्यhaving disregarded

आत्मनिin the Self

एवindeed, only

निवर्तयेत्should turn back/withdraw (the mind)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Ātman (the Self)

Yoga

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even if yoga produces brilliance, powers, or unusual experiences, a truth-knower should not cling to them. They are distractions; the mind must be withdrawn from them and fixed in the Self. Cultivating sattva supports wakeful clarity and helps overcome torpor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vyāsa’s instruction within Śānti Parva, the discussion turns to the yogin’s inner path: as practice deepens, various extraordinary phenomena may arise. Vyāsa frames these as impediments and advises the practitioner to disregard them and re-center attention on the Ātman, using sattva to sustain alertness.