Shloka 25
Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)
वे मुक्तकी भाँति विचरनेवाले
te muktakī-bhānti vicarṇevāle, siddhāḥ, śānta-cittāḥ, jitendriyāḥ, brahma-tejasā dīdyamānāḥ, sarvatra ghūmṇevāle ca antardhāna-vidyā-jñāḥ āsan. adṛśya-rahaṇevāle cakra-dhārī siddhaiḥ saha te vicaranti, saṃbhāṣante, ca teṣām eva saha ekānte niṣīdanti sma. yathā vāyuḥ kvacid anāsaktaḥ san sarvatra pravahati, tathā te sarvatra anāsakta-bhāvena svacchandatayā vicaranti sma. maharṣiḥ kāśyapaḥ teṣāṃ uparyuktaṃ mahimānaṃ śrutvaiva teṣāṃ samīpaṃ jagāma. taṃ samāsādya medhāvī sa tadā dvija-sattamaḥ, caraṇau dharma-kāmo 'sya tapasyī su-samāhitaḥ, pratipede yathā-nyāyaṃ dṛṣṭvā tan mahad adbhutam.
Mereka bergerak laksana insan yang telah merdeka—para siddha yang sempurna, berhati tenteram, menaklukkan indria, dan menyala oleh cahaya brahman. Mengembara ke segala penjuru, mereka mengetahui ilmu menghilang. Bersama para siddha pemegang cakra yang tak kasatmata, mereka berjalan, bercakap, dan duduk bersama di tempat sunyi. Sebagaimana angin mengalir ke mana-mana tanpa melekat pada apa pun, demikian pula mereka berkelana dengan bebas, tanpa keterikatan. Mendengar kemuliaan itu saja, resi Kaśyapa mendatangi mereka. Setelah mendekat, pertapa cerdas itu—terutama di antara kaum dwija, menghendaki dharma, dan teguh dalam pemusatan—bersujud di kaki sang siddha menurut tata yang patut, tercengang oleh pemandangan yang luar biasa.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
True spiritual attainment is marked less by display and more by inner qualities—calm mind, mastery of the senses, and above all non-attachment. The siddhas’ freedom is compared to the wind: moving everywhere without clinging. Kaśyapa’s proper bowing shows that even great learning should be joined with humility and reverence toward realized beings.
A group of siddhas, capable of invisibility and moving freely, are described as wandering and meeting in secluded places. Hearing of their extraordinary state, the sage Kaśyapa approaches them and, following proper etiquette, bows at the feet of the siddha, amazed by what he sees.