Shloka 15
Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)
साधक वाणीका संयम करके पृथ्वी, जल, तेज, वायु, आकाश, बुद्धि और अहंकार-सम्बन्धी सात धारणाओंको सिद्ध करता है। इनके विषयों (गन्ध, रस, रूप, स्पर्श, शब्द, अहंवृत्ति और निश्चय) से सम्बन्धित सात प्रधारणाएँ इनकी पार्श्ववर्तिनी एवं पृष्ठवर्तिनी हैं ।।
kramaśaḥ pārthivaṃ yac ca vāyavyaṃ khaṃ tathā payaḥ | jyotiṣo yat tadaiśvaryam ahaṅkārasya buddhitaḥ | avyaktasya tathaiśvaryaṃ kramaśaḥ pratipadyate ||
Dengan mengekang ucapan, sang pencari menyempurnakan tujuh dhāraṇā yang berkaitan dengan bumi, air, api, angin, ruang, intelek, dan rasa-aku. Tujuh pradhāraṇā yang berhubungan dengan objek-objeknya—bau, rasa, rupa, sentuhan, bunyi, gerak rasa-aku, dan ketetapan—disebut berada di sisi-sisi dan di belakangnya. Demikian ia, setahap demi setahap, memperoleh kewibawaan atas daya-daya bumi, air, api, angin, ruang, rasa-aku, dan intelek; lalu, menurut urutan, meraih pula kedaulatan atas Yang Tak-Termanifest (avyakta), Brahman yang halus melampaui yang terindra.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual progress is sequential: through restraint and disciplined practice, one gains mastery over the gross elements, then over the subtle inner faculties (ego and intellect), and finally realizes the Unmanifest. The verse reframes ‘power’ as self-mastery leading toward liberation rather than external control.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Vyāsa describes a yogic ascent. He outlines how a sādhaka, advancing step by step, transcends the elemental and psychological layers of experience and ultimately reaches the level of the avyakta.