Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization
लोकान् नदी: समुद्रांश्न दिश: शैलान् वनस्पतीन् । नरकिन्नररक्षांसि वयःपशुमृगोरगान् । अव्ययं च व्ययं चैव द्वयं स्थावरजजड्रमम्
lokān nadīḥ samudrāṁś ca diśaḥ śailān vanaspatīn | narakinnararakṣāṁsi vayaḥ-paśu-mṛgoragān | avyayaṁ ca vyayaṁ caiva dvayaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam | tad-anantaraṁ vai brahmā hi carācaraprāṇināṁ sṛṣṭiṁ karoti ||
Vyāsa berkata: Brahmā melahirkan segala alam—sungai dan lautan, segala arah, gunung-ganang dan tumbuh-tumbuhan; makhluk seperti manusia, Kinnara dan Rākṣasa; serta segala yang terbang, berjalan, merayap atau berenang—burung, ternakan, binatang liar dan ular. Baginda juga menghasilkan yang tidak binasa dan yang binasa: ciptaan dua rupa, yang tidak bergerak dan yang bergerak. Maka setelah prinsip-prinsip asal tersusun, Brahmā menjadi perantara yang melaluinya seluruh perhimpunan makhluk—bergerak dan tidak bergerak—menjelma ke alam nyata.
व्यास उवाच
The verse teaches a comprehensive, ordered view of creation: Brahmā is presented as the cosmic agent who manifests all categories of existence—geographical features, species, and supernatural classes—summarized as the twofold division of imperishable/perishable and immobile/mobile. Ethically, it supports a dharmic worldview in which life is interconnected within a structured cosmos, encouraging reverence and responsibility toward all beings.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vyāsa explains the scope of Brahmā’s creative activity. He enumerates the constituents of the universe—worlds and natural features, then various beings—culminating in the philosophical classification of reality into avyaya/vyaya and sthāvara/jaṅgama, framing later discussion on order, duty, and right conduct.