Shloka 52

Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse

Devanagari script

अभक्तमटवीप्रायं दावदग्धमहीरुहम्‌ । पन्थानं तस्कराकीर्ण क्षेमेणाभिपतेद्‌ युवा

Transliteration

abhaktamaṭavīprāyaṁ dāvadagdhamahīruham | panthānaṁ taskarākīrṇaṁ kṣemeṇābhipated yuvā ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେପରି ଜନଶୂନ୍ୟ ଅଟବୀ ପରି, ଦାବାନଳରେ ଗଛ ଦଗ୍ଧ, ଏବଂ ପଥ ତସ୍କରରେ ଆକୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ—ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଆହାର ଅପ୍ରାପ୍ୟ ଓ ଯାତ୍ରା କଠୋର-ବିପଦଜନକ—ଏମିତି ମାର୍ଗକୁ କେବଳ କେହି ବିରଳ ଯୁବକ ହିଁ କ୍ଷେମରେ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରିପାରେ; ସେହିପରି ଯୋଗମାର୍ଗର ଆଶ୍ରୟ ନେଇ କେବଳ କେହି ବିରଳ ଦ୍ୱିଜ ହିଁ କୁଶଳରେ ଆଗେଇପାରେ।

Word by Word

• अभक्तम्: without food; where food is unavailable
• अभक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-भक्त (भक्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अटवी-प्रायम्: mostly consisting of forest; forest-like
• अटवी-प्रायम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अटवी + प्राय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दाव-दग्ध-महीरुहम्: having trees burnt by a forest-fire
• दाव-दग्ध-महीरुहम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दाव + दग्ध + महीरुह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पन्थानम्: path; road
• पन्थानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्थन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्कर-आकीर्णम्: infested/filled with robbers
• तस्कर-आकीर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तस्कर + आकीर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्षेमेण: safely; with safety
• क्षेमेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अभिपतेत्: might traverse/approach; could go along
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√पत्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युवा: a young man
• युवा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• forest (aṭavī)
• forest fire (dāva)
• trees (mahīruha)
• robbers (taskara)
• path/road (panthāna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that genuine progress in Yoga is rare and demanding: like safely crossing a perilous, foodless, fire-scorched forest-road infested with robbers, the yogic path is full of obstacles and requires exceptional steadiness, discipline, and discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhishthira, Bhishma uses a vivid simile: only an uncommon young traveler can safely traverse a terrifying wilderness-road; likewise, only a rare qualified person can move competently along the yogic discipline because it is beset with many difficulties.