Shloka 12

Adhyaya 40 — The Yogin’s Impediments (Upasargas), Subtle Concentrations, and the Eight Siddhis

Sanskrit

समस्ताचारविभ्रंशाद् भ्रमः स परिकीर्तितः ।

आवर्त इव तोयस्य ज्ञानावर्तो यदाकुलः ॥

Transliteration

samastācāravibhraṃśād bhramaḥ sa parikīrtitaḥ | āvarta iva toyasya jñānāvarto yadākulaḥ ||

Translation

Die Abweichung von allem rechten Verhalten heißt „Verblendung“ (moha). Wenn der Wirbel des Wissens aufgewühlt wird, gleicht er einem Strudel im Wasser.

Word by Word

samasta-ācāra-vibhramśātfrom the collapse of all right conduct

bhramaḥdelusion, confusion

saḥthat (it)

parikīrtitaḥis proclaimed

āvartaḥa whirlpool

ivalike, as

toyasyaof water

jñāna-āvartaḥthe whirlpool of (disturbed) knowledge

yadāwhen

ākulaḥturbulent, agitated

Speakers

Unspecified in provided excerpt (within Markandeya Purana’s instructional dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

YogaAntaḥkaraṇa (mind) disciplineObstacles to meditationEthics (ācāra) as foundation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse ties epistemic clarity to ethical stability: when right conduct collapses, the mind’s ‘knowledge’ becomes a turbulent eddy—appearing as understanding but actually producing confusion.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily outside pañcalakṣaṇa’s cosmological-historical scope; it aligns with ancillary purāṇic instruction (dharma/yoga-śikṣā) rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Jñānāvarta’ suggests that even refined cognition can bind when it churns; the seeker must still the subtle movements of knowing itself, not merely gross distractions.