Shloka 18
Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse
कर्मजैर्बन्धनैर्बद्धास्तद्वद् योगा: परंतप । अबला वै विनश्यन्ति मुच्यन्ते च बलान्विता:
karmajair bandhanair baddhās tadvad yogāḥ parantapa | abalā vai vinaśyanti mucyante ca balānvitāḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô fléau des ennemis, ceux qui sont liés par les entraves nées de leurs propres actes se trouvent, de la même manière, contraints aussi par leurs disciplines (yogas). Les faibles périssent assurément, tandis que ceux qui ont de la force sont délivrés.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bondage arises from karma, and even spiritual disciplines can feel like constraints; only those with inner strength—steadfastness, self-control, and resilience—can use discipline to transcend bondage and attain freedom, while the weak succumb to ruin.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and liberation. Here he contrasts weakness and strength in the context of karmic bondage and yogic practice, emphasizing that liberation requires sustained inner power rather than mere intention.