Shloka 61
Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse
नागान् नगान् यक्षगणान् दिशश्व गन्धर्वसंघान् पुरुषान् स्त्रियश्न । परस्पर प्राप्प महान्महात्मा विशेत योगी न चिराद् विमुक्त:,महात्मन्! योगसिद्ध महात्मा पुरुष यदि चाहे तो तुरंत ही मुक्त होकर महान् परब्रह्मके स्वरूपको प्राप्त कर लेता है अथवा वह अपने योगबलसे भगवान् ब्रह्मा, वरदायक विष्णु, महादेवजी, धर्म, छः मुखोंवाले कार्त्तिकेय, ब्रह्माजीके महानुभाव पुत्र सनकादि, कष्ट-दायक तमोगुण, महान् रजोगुण, विशुद्ध सत्त्वगुण, मूल प्रकृति, वरुणपत्नी सिद्धिदेवी, सम्पूर्ण तेज, महान् धैर्य, ताराओंसहित आकाशमें प्रकाशित होनेवाले निर्मल तारापति चन्द्रमा, विश्वेदेव, नाग, पितर, सम्पूर्ण पर्वत, भयंकर समुद्र, सम्पूर्ण नदी-समुदाय, वन, मेघ, नाग, वृक्ष, यक्ष, दिशा, गन्धर्वगण, समस्त पुरुष और स्त्री--इनमेंसे प्रत्येकके पास पहुँचकर उसके भीतर प्रवेश कर सकता है
bhīṣma uvāca |
nāgān nagān yakṣagaṇān diśaś ca gandharvasaṅghān puruṣān striyaś ca |
parasparaṃ prāpya mahān mahātmā viśet yogī na cirād vimuktaḥ ||
Bhishma said: “The great-souled yogin, having attained mastery, may swiftly become liberated. Or, moving from one order of beings to another, he can reach and enter into serpents, mountains, hosts of Yakshas, the directions, companies of Gandharvas, and even men and women—passing among them at will by the power of yoga.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yogic mastery can yield extraordinary powers (such as moving among and ‘entering’ various beings or realms), but the higher aim is swift liberation (vimukti). The verse contrasts siddhi-like capacities with the superior goal of moksha.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and spiritual disciplines, Bhishma describes the capacities of a perfected yogin: he may quickly attain liberation, or—by yogic power—move through different classes of beings and realms, reaching and entering them at will.