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Shloka 23

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

तदेव च महास्रोतो विष्टम्भयति वारण: । तद्धद्‌ योगबलं लब्ध्वा व्यूहते विषयान्‌ बहून्‌

tadeva ca mahāsroto viṣṭambhayati vāraṇaḥ | taddhād yogabalaṃ labdhvā vyūhate viṣayān bahūn |

Mas, assim como um elefante pode barrar até uma corrente caudalosa e impedir que ela siga adiante, do mesmo modo, tendo alcançado a grande força nascida do yoga, o iogue refreia os muitos objetos dos sentidos e não é levado por sua corrente.

तत्that (it)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
महास्रोतःthe great stream/current
महास्रोतः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहास्रोतस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विष्टम्भयतिblocks/stops (causes to be checked)
विष्टम्भयति:
TypeVerb
Rootस्तम्भ्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active, 10 (causative)
वारणःan elephant
वारणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवारण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तत्that (it)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
indeed/for emphasis
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
योगबलम्the power of yoga
योगबलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयोगबल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
लब्ध्वाhaving obtained
लब्ध्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootलभ्
FormAbsolutive (त्वा), Active
व्यूहतेarrays/keeps at bay/holds off
व्यूहते:
TypeVerb
Rootव्यूह्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Middle
विषयान्sense-objects
विषयान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविषय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
बहून्many
बहून्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

V
vāraṇa (elephant)
M
mahāsrotaḥ (great stream/current)
Y
yogin (practitioner of yoga)

Educational Q&A

True mastery is not merely avoiding objects but gaining yogic strength that can check the powerful ‘current’ of sense-impulses; the disciplined mind does not flow outward into pleasures.

Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma and inner discipline, using a vivid simile: as an elephant can obstruct a strong river-current, so a yogin, empowered by yoga, restrains numerous sense-objects and their pull.