Shloka 10

अव्यक्त–पुरुष–विवेकः (Discrimination of Avyakta/Prakṛti and Puruṣa) — Yājñavalkya’s Anvīkṣikī to Viśvāvasu

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यो निवर्त्य मनसा शुचि: । दशद्वादशभिर्वापि चतुर्विशात्‌ परं तत:

Transliteration

indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyo nivartya manasā śuciḥ | daśadvādaśabhir vāpi caturviśāt paraṃ tataḥ ||

Translation

ବସିଷ୍ଠ କହିଲେ—ମନକୁ ଶୁଚି କରି ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନ ଯୋଗୀ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ବିଷୟରୁ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାହାର କରିବ। ତାପରେ ‘ଦଶ’ ଓ ‘ଦ୍ୱାଦଶ’ ଭାବେ ଉପଦିଷ୍ଟ ଅନ୍ତଃଶାସନ/ପ୍ରେରଣା ଦ୍ୱାରା, ମୁନିମାନେ ଯାହାକୁ ଆତ୍ମସ୍ୱରୂପ କହିଛନ୍ତି ସେଇ ଅଜର ଆତ୍ମାକୁ ଚତୁର୍ବିଂଶତି ତତ୍ତ୍ୱସମୁଦାୟ (ପ୍ରକୃତି ଓ ତାହାର ବିକାର) ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରାଇ, ପ୍ରକୃତିପର ପରମ ପୁରୁଷ—ପରମାତ୍ମାଙ୍କ ଦିଗକୁ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତ କରିବ।

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः: from the objects of the senses
• इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रियार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• निवर्त्य: having withdrawn/turned back
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शुचिः: pure (one)
• शुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दशद्वादशभिः: by ten and twelve (i.e., by groups of ten and twelve)
• दशद्वादशभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशद्वादश
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• चतुर्विंशात्: from the twenty-four (principles)
• चतुर्विंशात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विंशति
• Form: Feminine, Ablative, Singular

• परम्: beyond/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• indriyas (senses)
• manas (mind)
• ātman (self)
• prakṛti (nature)
• caturviṃśati-tattvāni (twenty-four principles)
• puruṣa/paramātman (Supreme Person/Supreme Self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Purify the mind and practice sense-withdrawal; then use disciplined inner methods to turn awareness from prakṛti’s twenty-four principles toward the transcendent Puruṣa/Paramātman—i.e., move from sensory engagement to metaphysical realization.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation, Vasiṣṭha is teaching a yogic-śāstric method: restrain the senses, refine the mind, and contemplate the self as distinct from prakṛti, directing oneself toward the Supreme.