Shloka 56
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
ध्वस्तमायागुणोदर्को निरुद्धकरणाशय: । निवर्तिताखिलाहार आस्ते स्थाणुरिवाचल: । तस्यान्तरायो मैवाभू: सन्न्यस्ताखिलकर्मण: ॥ ५६ ॥
dhvasta-māyā-guṇodarko niruddha-karaṇāśayaḥ nivartitākhilāhāra āste sthāṇur ivācalaḥ tasyāntarāyo maivābhūḥ sannyastākhila-karmaṇaḥ
With the surge of māyā’s guṇas destroyed, he will restrain senses and mind, cease all intake of food, and sit unmoving like a mountain. May no obstacle arise for one who has renounced all actions.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra had attained, by the yogic process, the stage of negation of all sorts of material reaction. The effects of the material modes of nature draw the victim to indefatigable desires of enjoying matter, but one can escape such false enjoyment by the yogic process. Every sense is always busy in searching for its food, and thus the conditioned soul is assaulted from all sides and has no chance to become steady in any pursuit. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was advised by Nārada not to disturb his uncle by attempting to bring him back home. He was now beyond the attraction of anything material. The material modes of nature (the guṇas ) have their different modes of activities, but above the material modes of nature is a spiritual mode, which is absolute. Nirguṇa means without reaction. The spiritual mode and its effect are identical; therefore the spiritual quality is distinguished from its material counterpart by the word nirguṇa. After complete suspension of the material modes of nature, one is admitted to the spiritual sphere, and action dictated by the spiritual modes is called devotional service, or bhakti. Bhakti is therefore nirguṇa attained by direct contact with the Absolute.
FAQs
This verse describes true restraint: the senses and mind are checked (niruddha-karaṇāśayaḥ), and one becomes steady and unmoved, indicating serious yogic and renunciant discipline.
Because he had withdrawn from material involvement and sensory activity, becoming fixed in austerity and inner control—showing the firmness of his renunciation after leaving home.
Practice deliberate restraint—reduce sense-driven habits, simplify consumption, and cultivate steady daily sādhana—so the mind becomes less reactive and more fixed on spiritual goals.