Shloka 19
Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka
Grief
अथास्य नेष्टं मरणं स्थातुमिच्छेदिमां क्रियाम् सर्वगन्धान् रसांश्नैव धारयीत नराधिप
athāsya neṣṭaṁ maraṇaṁ sthātum icched imāṁ kriyām | sarvagandhān rasāṁś caiva dhārayīta narādhipa || nareśvara! yadi yogino mṛtyur abhīṣṭā na bhavet, iha jagati sthātum icchet, tadā iyaṁ kriyā kartavyā | pūrvoktavidhinā pañcabhūtaviṣayikāṁ dhāraṇāṁ kṛtvā pṛthivyādi-tattveṣu vijayaṁ prāpya sarvān gandhān rasān rūpādīn viṣayān ātmavaśe kuryāt ||
ଯାଜ୍ଞବଲ୍କ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ନରାଧିପ! ଯଦି ଯୋଗୀଙ୍କୁ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଅଭୀଷ୍ଟ ନୁହେଁ ଏବଂ ସେ ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ସ୍ଥିର ରହିବାକୁ ଚାହାନ୍ତି, ତେବେ ସେ ଏହି କ୍ରିୟା କରୁ। ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଗନ୍ଧ ଓ ରସ—ଏବଂ ରୂପ ଆଦି ବିଷୟକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ—ନିଜ ବଶରେ ଧାରଣ କରୁ।
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A yogin who wishes to continue living should cultivate mastery through dhāraṇā on the five elements and thereby subdue the sense-objects (smell, taste, form, etc.). Longevity is presented as an outcome of disciplined control over the body’s elemental basis and the mind’s sensory outward flow.
Yājñavalkya instructs a king, continuing an earlier exposition of yogic methods. He describes a specific practice: using prior elemental concentrations to conquer the earth-and-other principles and to bring sensory experience under command, as a means for a yogin who does not wish to die to remain in the world.