Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

वेदेषु चाष्टगुणिनं योगमाहुर्मनीषिण: । सूक्ष्ममष्टगुणं प्राहुनेंतरं नृपसत्तम,नृपश्रेष्ठ! मनीषी पुरुषोंका कहना है कि वेदमें स्थूल और सूक्ष्म दो प्रकारके योगोंका वर्णन है। उनमें स्थूल योग अणिमा आदि आठ प्रकारकी सिद्धि प्रदान करनेवाला है और सूक्ष्म योग ही (यम, नियम, आसन, प्राणायाम, प्रत्याहार, धारणा, ध्यान और समाधि--इन आठ गुणों (अंगों) से युक्त है; दूसरा नहीं

Transliteration

vedeṣu cāṣṭaguṇinaṃ yogam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ | sūkṣmam aṣṭaguṇaṃ prāhur na itaraṃ nṛpasattama ||

Translation

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच—वेदेषु चाष्टगुणिनं योगमाहुर्मनीषिणः। सूक्ष्ममष्टगुणं प्राहुर् नेतरं नृपसत्तम॥ नृपश्रेष्ठ, मनीषिणो वदन्ति—वेदेषु योगो द्विविधः, स्थूलश्च सूक्ष्मश्च। तत्र स्थूलो योगः अणिमाद्यष्टसिद्धिप्रदः; सूक्ष्म एव तु यम-नियम-आसन-प्राणायाम-प्रत्याहार-धारणा-ध्यान-समाधिरूपैः अष्टाङ्गैः युक्तः; नान्यः॥

Word by Word

वेदेषुin the Vedas

चand

अष्टगुणिनम्eightfold / possessing eight गुणs

योगम्yoga

आहुःthey say / have said

मनीषिणःthe wise (sages)

सूक्ष्मम्subtle (yoga)

अष्टगुणम्eightfold / consisting of eight गुणs

प्राहुःthey declare

नnot

इतरम्other (than that)

नृपसत्तमO best of kings

Speaker

याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yājñavalkya

nṛpasattama (addressed king)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes two ‘eightfold’ yogas: a gross form associated with attaining the eight siddhis (like aṇimā), and a subtle form identified as the true eight-limbed discipline (yama through samādhi). It implicitly prioritizes inner ethical-meditative transformation over the pursuit of powers.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Yājñavalkya addresses a king and clarifies competing notions of ‘eightfold yoga,’ steering the listener away from power-oriented practice and toward the classical inward path of restraint, discipline, meditation, and absorption.