Shloka 8
नारद–शुक संवादः (Nārada–Śuka Dialogue): Tyāga, Saṃyama, and Vyakta–Avyakta Viveka
द्विगुणं योगकृत्यं तु योगानां प्राहुरुत्तमम् । सगुणं निर्गुणं चैव यथा शास्त्रनिदर्शनम्,योगका मुख्य साधन दो प्रकारका बताया गया है--सगुण और निर्गुण (सबीज और निर्बीज)। ऐसा ही शास्त्रोंका निर्णय है
dviguṇaṁ yogakṛtyaṁ tu yogānāṁ prāhur uttamam | saguṇaṁ nirguṇaṁ caiva yathā śāstra-nidarśanam ||
Yājñavalkya said: “The highest discipline of yoga is declared to be twofold. It is taught, in accordance with the testimony of the scriptures, as (1) saguṇa—practice supported by qualities and a focal support, and (2) nirguṇa—practice beyond qualities, without such support.”
याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yoga-practice is presented as having two supreme modes: saguṇa (with attributes/support, often involving a chosen form, mantra, or ‘seed’) and nirguṇa (beyond attributes/support, oriented to attributeless realization). This twofold classification is asserted to rest on śāstric authority.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation-oriented dharma, the sage Yājñavalkya is explaining yogic discipline. Here he pauses to classify the principal means of yoga into two types—saguṇa and nirguṇa—framing the teaching as consistent with established scriptural doctrine.