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Shloka 1936

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

वैद्युतो अग्निरिवाकाशे दृश्यते55त्मा तथा55त्मनि । वह योगी अपने अन्तःकरणमें धूमरहित प्रज्वलित अग्नि, दीप्तिमान्‌ सूर्य तथा आकाशमें चमकती हुई बिजलीकी ज्योतिके समान प्रकाशस्वरूप आत्माका दर्शन करता है

vaidyuto 'gnir ivākāśe dṛśyate ātmā tathātmani |

Dijo Vyāsa: Así como el relámpago o el fuego se ven fulgurar en el cielo abierto, así el Sí mismo es contemplado dentro del Sí mismo. En la contemplación yóguica, el yogui percibe el Ser interior como pura radiancia: como un fuego ardiente sin humo, como el sol resplandeciente y como el rayo que brilla en el firmamento; señal de una mente aclarada y afirmada por la disciplina.

वैद्युतःlightning-like
वैद्युतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवैद्युत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अग्निःfire
अग्निः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
आकाशेin the sky
आकाशे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआकाश
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
दृश्यतेis seen, appears
दृश्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
FormPresent, Atmanepada (Passive usage), Third, Singular
आत्माthe Self
आत्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
आत्मनिin the Self
आत्मनि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
A
Agni (fire)
Ā
Ākāśa (sky/space)
V
Vidyut (lightning)
Ā
Ātman (Self)

Educational Q&A

The Self is luminous and can be directly realized through yoga: when the mind is purified and concentrated, awareness turns inward and the yogin experiences the Ātman as self-revealing light—independent of external objects—symbolized by fire, sunlike brilliance, and lightning.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Vyāsa describes the contemplative experience of a yogin. The verse uses vivid natural images (fire/lightning in the sky) to convey how the inner Self becomes perceptible in deep meditation.