Shloka 19
Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)
जलरूपमिवाकाशे तथैवात्मनि पश्यति । अपां व्यतिक्रमे चास्य वह्लिरूपं प्रकाशते
jalarūpam ivākāśe tathaivātmani paśyati | apāṁ vyatikrame cāsya vahlirūpaṁ prakāśate ||
ພຣະວະຍາສະກ່າວວ່າ: «ດັ່ງກັບວ່າອາກາດທັງປວງເປັນນໍ້າລ້ວນໆ ລາວເຫັນທຸກສິ່ງໃນຮູບນໍ້າ; ແລະໃນທໍານອງດຽວກັນ ລາວປະສົບອາຕະມັນເປັນນໍ້າ—ນີ້ເກີດຂຶ້ນເມື່ອລາວຈົ່ງໃຈຢູ່ກັບທາດນໍ້າ. ແລ້ວເມື່ອສະພາບນໍ້ານັ້ນຈາງຫາຍ ໃນການຈົ່ງໃຈທາດໄຟ ໄຟລ້ວນໆກໍສ່ອງສະຫວ່າງໃຫ້ລາວເຫັນທົ່ວທຸກທີ່».
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse describes how concentrated meditation on a particular element (water, then fire) can so saturate perception that the meditator experiences the world—and even the sense of self—in that elemental form; when that state ceases, a new elemental perception arises. It highlights the mind’s power to shape experience and the disciplined progression of yogic concentration.
Vyāsa is explaining a yogic process of dhāraṇā: first the practitioner holds the water-element in awareness, seeing space and the inner self as water; afterward, when the water-concentration dissolves, he takes up the fire-element and perceives fire shining everywhere.