Shloka 25
Adhyāya 240: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman — The Inner Hierarchy and Restraint (इन्द्रिय-मनस्-बुद्धि-आत्म-क्रमः)
कुर्यात् परिचयं योगे त्रैकाल्ये नियतो मुनि: । गिरिश्ज्ञे तथा चैत्ये वृक्षाग्रेषु च योजयेत्
kur yāt paricayaṃ yoge traikālye niyato muniḥ | giriśṛṅge tathā caitye vṛkṣāgreṣu ca yojayet | sattvasaṃsevanād dhīro nidrām ucchettum arhati |
Vyāsa said: A disciplined sage should cultivate steady familiarity with yoga at the three junctions of time (morning, midday, and evening). He should apply himself to practice on mountain-peaks, at sacred shrines, and on the tops of trees—places that foster solitude and alertness. By sustained reliance on sattva (clarity and purity), a steadfast person becomes fit to cut off sleepiness and lethargy, thereby removing obstacles that hinder self-mastery and inner realization.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Regular, time-disciplined yoga practice—especially at the three daily junctions—combined with cultivating sattva (clarity and purity) enables a practitioner to overcome drowsiness and other inner obstacles, strengthening self-mastery.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and inner governance, Vyāsa gives practical guidance for a sage’s yogic regimen: when to practice (three times daily), where to practice (secluded, elevating places), and what inner quality supports success (sattva), culminating in the ability to cut off sleepiness.