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Shloka 23

नारद–शुक संवादः (Nārada–Śuka Dialogue): Tyāga, Saṃyama, and Vyakta–Avyakta Viveka

संयतात्मा भयात्‌ तेषां न पात्राद्‌ बिन्दुमुत्सूजेत्‌ तथैवोत्तरमागम्य एकाग्रमनसस्तथा

yājñavalkya uvāca | saṃyatātmā bhayāt teṣāṃ na pātrād bindum utsṛjet | tathaivottaram āgamya ekāgramanasas tathā |

Dijo Yājñavalkya: “Un hombre dueño de sí, aun cuando ellos lo atemoricen, no dejaría caer del recipiente ni una sola gota. Así como quien sube una escalera sosteniendo un cuenco lleno de aceite, y aunque muchos hombres con espadas en mano lo amenacen y lo aterren, no derrama una gota por miedo—del mismo modo el yogui que ha alcanzado el estado superior del yoga, con la mente concentrada en un solo punto, no vacila del samādhi. Por la firmeza de los indriya y por la mente inconmovible, permanece imperturbable. Tales son las señales para comprender a un muni perfeccionado en el yoga.”

संयतात्माself-controlled (one whose mind/self is restrained)
संयतात्मा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसंयत-आत्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भयात्from fear
भयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootभय
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पात्रात्from the vessel/bowl
पात्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootपात्र
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
बिन्दुम्a drop
बिन्दुम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबिन्दु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उत्सृजेत्would let fall/should release
उत्सृजेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्-√सृज्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तथाthus/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
उत्तरम्the higher (state)/the further step
उत्तरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootउत्तर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आगम्यhaving reached/attaining
आगम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-√गम्
FormGerund (Lyap), Parasmaipada (usage)
एकाग्रमनसःof one whose mind is one-pointed
एकाग्रमनसः:
TypeAdjective
Rootएकाग्र-मनस्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
तथाso/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Y
Yājñavalkya
P
pātra (oil vessel/bowl)
T
taila (oil, implied by the simile)
S
sopāna/śreṇī (stairway/steps, implied)
A
asi (sword, implied by the simile)
S
samādhi (meditative absorption, implied by the explanation)

Educational Q&A

The core teaching is unwavering mental steadiness: a perfected yogin maintains one-pointed concentration and does not fall from samādhi even under fear or external threat, because the senses are restrained and the mind remains unshaken.

Yājñavalkya uses a vivid simile: a person climbing steps with a bowl full of oil is threatened by sword-wielding men, yet he does not spill a drop. This illustrates how an advanced yogin, having reached a higher yogic state, remains steady and undistracted despite disturbances.