Shloka 21
कर्मनाशाभावः, गर्भे जीवप्रवेशः, आचारधर्मोपदेशः
Karma’s Non-Extinction, Jīva’s Entry into the Embryo, and Instruction on Conduct-Dharma
अतो नियम्यते लोक: प्रच्यवन् धर्मवर्त्मसु । यश्च योगी च मुक्तश्चन स एतेभ्यो विशिष्यते
ato niyamyate lokaḥ pracyavan dharmavartmasu | yaś ca yogī ca muktaś ca na sa etebhyo viśiṣyate ||
ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಧರ್ಮಮಾರ್ಗಗಳಿಂದ ಜಾರುವವರನ್ನು ಲೋಕವು ನಿಯಂತ್ರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದರೆ ಯೋಗಿಯೂ ಮುಕ್ತನೂ ಆಗಿರುವವನು ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಧರ್ಮಾತ್ಮರ ಸಾಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಎಣಿಸಲ್ಪಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ; ಅಂತರಂಗ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಧಿತ ನಿಯಮಾಚರಣೆಯಿಂದ ಅವನು ವಿಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾಗಿರುತ್ತಾನೆ.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts external regulation with inner realization: society must restrain those who deviate from dharma, but the truly liberated yogin is distinguished by self-mastery and freedom from bondage, surpassing conventional righteousness rooted mainly in rule-following.
A brahmin speaker offers a moral reflection: when people fall from dharma’s path, social control becomes necessary; yet the highest exemplar is the yogin who is liberated, whose conduct arises from realized insight rather than mere external constraint.