Shloka 44

Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse

Devanagari script

भुज्जानो यावकं रूक्ष॑ दीर्घकालमरिंदम । एकाहारो विशुद्धात्मा योगी बलमवाप्नुयात्‌,शत्रुदमन नरेश! जो दीर्घकालतक एक समय जौका रूखा दलिया खाता है, वह योगी शुद्धचित होकर योगबलकी प्राप्ति कर सकता है

Transliteration

bhujjāno yāvakaṁ rūkṣaṁ dīrghakālam ariṁdama | ekāhāro viśuddhātmā yogī balam avāpnuyāt ||

Translation

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಓ ಶತ್ರುದಮನ ನರೇಶ್ವರನೇ! ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲ ರುಕ್ಷ ಯವದ ಗಂಜಿಯನ್ನು ದಿನಕ್ಕೆ ಒಂದೇ ಬಾರಿ ಆಹಾರವಾಗಿ ಸೇವಿಸಿ, ಅಂತರಂಗ ಶುದ್ಧಿಯೂ ನಿಯಮವೂ ಕಾಪಾಡುವವನು ಯೋಗಿಯಾಗಿ ಯೋಗಾಭ್ಯಾಸಜನಿತ ಬಲವನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯಬಲ್ಲನು.

Word by Word

भुज्जानःeating

यावकम्barley (food)

रूक्षम्dry, ununctuous

दीर्घकालम्for a long time

अरिंदमO foe-subduer

एकाहारःhaving one meal (a day)

विशुद्धात्माpure-souled, purified in mind

योगीa yogin

बलम्strength, power

अवाप्नुयात्may obtain, could attain

शत्रुदमनO subduer of enemies

नरेशO king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (addressed as ariṁdama / nara-īśa, i.e., Yudhishthira in context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sustained austerity—simple food, moderation (one meal a day), and inner purity—can generate yogic strength; true power is cultivated through disciplined restraint rather than indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs the king on dharma and right conduct; here he gives a practical example of ascetic regimen, explaining how long-term regulated living supports yogic attainment and inner power.