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Shloka 23

नारद–शुक संवादः (Nārada–Śuka Dialogue): Tyāga, Saṃyama, and Vyakta–Avyakta Viveka

संयतात्मा भयात्‌ तेषां न पात्राद्‌ बिन्दुमुत्सूजेत्‌ तथैवोत्तरमागम्य एकाग्रमनसस्तथा

yājñavalkya uvāca | saṃyatātmā bhayāt teṣāṃ na pātrād bindum utsṛjet | tathaivottaram āgamya ekāgramanasas tathā |

संयतात्मा भयात्तेषां न पात्राद्बिन्दुमुत्सृजेत् । तथैवोत्तरमागम्य एकाग्रमनसस्तथा ॥

संयतात्माself-controlled (one whose mind/self is restrained)
संयतात्मा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसंयत-आत्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भयात्from fear
भयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootभय
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पात्रात्from the vessel/bowl
पात्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootपात्र
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
बिन्दुम्a drop
बिन्दुम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबिन्दु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उत्सृजेत्would let fall/should release
उत्सृजेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्-√सृज्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तथाthus/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
उत्तरम्the higher (state)/the further step
उत्तरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootउत्तर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आगम्यhaving reached/attaining
आगम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-√गम्
FormGerund (Lyap), Parasmaipada (usage)
एकाग्रमनसःof one whose mind is one-pointed
एकाग्रमनसः:
TypeAdjective
Rootएकाग्र-मनस्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
तथाso/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Y
Yājñavalkya
P
pātra (oil vessel/bowl)
T
taila (oil, implied by the simile)
S
sopāna/śreṇī (stairway/steps, implied)
A
asi (sword, implied by the simile)
S
samādhi (meditative absorption, implied by the explanation)

Educational Q&A

The core teaching is unwavering mental steadiness: a perfected yogin maintains one-pointed concentration and does not fall from samādhi even under fear or external threat, because the senses are restrained and the mind remains unshaken.

Yājñavalkya uses a vivid simile: a person climbing steps with a bowl full of oil is threatened by sword-wielding men, yet he does not spill a drop. This illustrates how an advanced yogin, having reached a higher yogic state, remains steady and undistracted despite disturbances.