Shloka 55

Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga

Body-Relinquishment

Devanagari script

यं विनिद्रा जितश्वासा: सत्त्वस्था: संयतेन्द्रिया: । ज्योति: पश्यन्ति युञ्जानास्तस्मै योगात्मने नम:

Transliteration

yaṁ vinidrā jitaśvāsāḥ sattvasthāḥ saṁyatendriyāḥ | jyotiḥ paśyanti yuñjānās tasmai yogātmane namaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : Salutations au Soi suprême qui est le Yoga même, dont la forme lumineuse est vue directement par les yogins qui ont vaincu le sommeil, maîtrisé le souffle vital, contenu les sens et se sont établis dans la sattva pure par une discipline ininterrompue.

Word by Word

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विनिद्राः: free from sleep, sleepless (wakeful)
• विनिद्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनिद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जितश्वासाः: having conquered the breath (prāṇa-controlled)
• जितश्वासाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-श्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्त्वस्थाः: abiding in sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वस्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व-स्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संयतेन्द्रियाः: having restrained the senses
• संयतेन्द्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयत-इन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ज्योतिः: light, radiance
• ज्योतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पश्यन्ति: they see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• युञ्जानाः: engaging (in yoga), practicing
• युञ्जानाः: Karta
• Type: Participle
• Root: युज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Present (śatṛ), Ātmanepada (middle)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• योगात्मने: to the one whose essence is yoga / the Yoga-Self
• योगात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग-आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नमः: salutation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• yogins (yogajanas)
• Yoga-Atman (the Supreme Self as Yoga)
• jyotis (luminous form/light)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True spiritual vision arises from disciplined inner mastery: overcoming lethargy, regulating the breath, restraining the senses, and stabilizing the mind in sattva. Such yogic steadiness culminates in direct perception of the luminous Supreme Self, worthy of reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and higher aims, Bhishma offers a reverential statement praising the Supreme Reality realized by accomplished yogins. The verse functions as a devotional salute within a broader teaching on self-discipline and contemplative realization.