Shloka 15
Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization
लोकान् नदी: समुद्रांश्न दिश: शैलान् वनस्पतीन् । नरकिन्नररक्षांसि वयःपशुमृगोरगान् । अव्ययं च व्ययं चैव द्वयं स्थावरजजड्रमम्
lokān nadīḥ samudrāṁś ca diśaḥ śailān vanaspatīn | narakinnararakṣāṁsi vayaḥ-paśu-mṛgoragān | avyayaṁ ca vyayaṁ caiva dvayaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam | tad-anantaraṁ vai brahmā hi carācaraprāṇināṁ sṛṣṭiṁ karoti ||
Vyāsa dit : Brahmā fait naître les mondes — les fleuves et les océans, les directions, les montagnes et les plantes ; des êtres tels que les hommes, les Kinnaras et les Rākṣasas ; et toutes les créatures qui volent, marchent, rampent ou nagent : oiseaux, bétail, bêtes sauvages et serpents. Il produit aussi l’impérissable et le périssable : la création double de l’immobile et du mobile. Ainsi, lorsque les principes primordiaux sont mis en ordre, Brahmā devient l’agent par lequel l’ensemble des êtres, mobiles et immobiles, vient à se manifester.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a comprehensive, ordered view of creation: Brahmā is presented as the cosmic agent who manifests all categories of existence—geographical features, species, and supernatural classes—summarized as the twofold division of imperishable/perishable and immobile/mobile. Ethically, it supports a dharmic worldview in which life is interconnected within a structured cosmos, encouraging reverence and responsibility toward all beings.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vyāsa explains the scope of Brahmā’s creative activity. He enumerates the constituents of the universe—worlds and natural features, then various beings—culminating in the philosophical classification of reality into avyaya/vyaya and sthāvara/jaṅgama, framing later discussion on order, duty, and right conduct.