Shloka 8
Adhyāya 51: Kṛṣṇa’s Leave-Taking and Departure for Dvārakā (द्वारकागमनानुमति)
नदीपर्वतजालै श्व सर्वतः परिभूषितम् । विविधाभिस्तथा चाद्धिः सततं समलंकृतम्
nadī-parvata-jālaiś ca sarvataḥ paribhūṣitam | vividhābhis tathā cādbhiḥ satataṃ samalaṅkṛtam || idaṃ jagad ekaṃ brahma-vanaṃ; avyaktā prakṛtir asyādiḥ | pañca mahābhūtāni daśendriyāṇi caikaṃ manaḥ—iti ṣoḍaśa-viśeṣair asya vistāraḥ | idaṃ carācara-prāṇibhiḥ paripūrṇam | sūrya-candra-prabhṛtibhiḥ prakāśaiḥ prakāśitam | graha-nakṣatraiḥ suśobhitam | nadī-parvata-saṅghaiḥ sarvataḥ vibhūṣitam | nānā-vidhair adbhiḥ satataṃ alaṅkṛtam | etad eva sarva-bhūtānāṃ jīvanaṃ sarva-prāṇināṃ ca gatiḥ | asmin brahma-vane kṣetrajñaś carati ||
Dewa Vāyu bersabda: “Seluruh jagat ini adalah satu rimba Brahman. Awalnya ialah Prakṛti yang tak termanifest. Bentangnya terhampar melalui enam belas asas pembeda—lima mahābhūta, sepuluh indria, dan satu manas (batin). Ia penuh makhluk, yang bergerak maupun yang tak bergerak; diterangi cahaya matahari dan bulan; dihias planet-planet dan gugus bintang; dipermuliakan di segala penjuru oleh jalinan sungai dan jajaran gunung; serta senantiasa terhias oleh air dalam berbagai rupa. Inilah kehidupan semua makhluk dan jalan semua yang bernyawa. Di rimba Brahman ini Sang Kṣetrajña, Sang ‘Pengenal Medan’, berkelana.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a Sāṅkhya-like vision: the cosmos is ‘Brahman’s forest,’ arising from unmanifest Prakṛti and unfolding through elements, senses, and mind, while the kṣetrajña (conscious knower) moves within it as the witnessing principle. Ethical force: cultivate discernment between Nature’s changing display and the steady knower, supporting detachment and right understanding.
Vāyu-deva is instructing the listener by describing the world’s structure and beauty—sun, moon, stars, rivers, mountains, waters—then reframing it philosophically as a field of experience in which the kṣetrajña dwells and ‘wanders,’ guiding the audience toward metaphysical insight rather than mere description.