Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 12
Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga
Adhyātma-Upadeśa
सर्वैरपि गुणैरविंद्वान् व्यतिषक्तो न लिप्यते | जलबिन्दुर्यथा लोल: पद्मिनीपत्रसंस्थित:
sarvair api guṇair avindvān vyatiṣakto na lipyate | jalabindur yathā lolaḥ padminīpatrasaṁsthitaḥ ||
ພະວາຍຸເທວະກ່າວວ່າ: ແມ່ນແຕ່ບຸກຄົນຈະຖືກຫ້ອມລ້ອມ ແລະພົວພັນກັບຄຸນລັກສະນະ ແລະເງື່ອນໄຂທຸກປະການກໍຕາມ, ຖ້າຢູ່ໂດຍບໍ່ຍຶດຕິດ ກໍບໍ່ຖືກເປື້ອນ. ເຫມືອນຢອດນ້ຳທີ່ສັ່ນໄຫວ ວາງຢູ່ເທິງໃບບົວ ບໍ່ເກາະຕິດໃບນັ້ນ—ສະນັ້ນແຫຼະ ຜູ້ຮູ້ທັນຢູ່ໃນໂລກ ໂດຍບໍ່ຖືກປົ່ນເປື້ອນດ້ວຍການສຳຜັດຂອງໂລກ.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should live amidst the guṇas and worldly contacts without inner clinging; true freedom is to remain unstained—like water on a lotus leaf—by practicing non-attachment and self-governance.
Vāyu-deva instructs through a vivid simile: although a person may be surrounded by many influences and qualities, he need not be morally or spiritually tainted if he does not grasp or identify with them.