Shloka 21

कर्मनाशाभावः, गर्भे जीवप्रवेशः, आचारधर्मोपदेशः

Karma’s Non-Extinction, Jīva’s Entry into the Embryo, and Instruction on Conduct-Dharma

Devanagari script

अतो नियम्यते लोक: प्रच्यवन्‌ धर्मवर्त्मसु । यश्च योगी च मुक्तश्चन स एतेभ्यो विशिष्यते

Transliteration

ato niyamyate lokaḥ pracyavan dharmavartmasu | yaś ca yogī ca muktaś ca na sa etebhyo viśiṣyate ||

Translation

ଏହି କାରଣରୁ ଧର୍ମପଥରୁ ଖସିପଡୁଥିବା ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କୁ ସମାଜ ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରଣ କରେ। ଯେ ଯୋଗୀ ଏବଂ ମୁକ୍ତ, ସେ ସାଧାରଣ ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମାମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମାତ୍ର ଗଣ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ; ଅନ୍ତର୍ମୁକ୍ତି ଓ ସିଦ୍ଧ ନିୟମାଚରଣରେ ସେ ବିଶେଷ ଭାବେ ଦୃଶ୍ୟମାନ।

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore, hence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः

• नियम्यते: is restrained/controlled
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम्
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Karmani (passive), 3, singular

• लोकः: people; the world
• लोकः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रच्यवन्: deviating, falling away
• प्रच्यवन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्यव् (प्र + च्यव्)
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• धर्मवर्त्मसु: in the paths of dharma
• धर्मवर्त्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मवर्त्मन्
• Form: neuter, locative, plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• योगी: a yogin
• योगी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मुक्तः: liberated, freed
• मुक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• एतेभ्यः: from these; than these
• एतेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, plural

• विशिष्यते: is distinguished/excels
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशिष् (वि + शिष्)
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Kartari, 3, singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts external regulation with inner realization: society must restrain those who deviate from dharma, but the truly liberated yogin is distinguished by self-mastery and freedom from bondage, surpassing conventional righteousness rooted mainly in rule-following.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brahmin speaker offers a moral reflection: when people fall from dharma’s path, social control becomes necessary; yet the highest exemplar is the yogin who is liberated, whose conduct arises from realized insight rather than mere external constraint.