Shloka 24
बलीन्द्रसंवादः — Kāla, Anityatā, and the Limits of Agency
Mahābhārata 12.217
धृत्या देहान् धारयन्तो बुद्धिसंक्षिप्तचेतस: । स्थानेभ्यो ध्वंसमानाश्र सूक्ष्मत्वात् तदुपासते
bhīṣma uvāca | dhṛtyā dehān dhārayanto buddhisaṃkṣiptacetasaḥ | sthānebhyo dhvaṃsamānāśrāḥ sūkṣmatvāt tad upāsate ||
Wika ni Bhishma: May ilang yogin na, sa tibay ng loob, pinananatili ang katawan habang iniuurong ang isip—na pinagsama at pinino ng pag-unawa—palayo sa mga bagay ng pandama. Inaalis nila ang pag-asa sa mga himpilan ng katawan at mga pandama na madaling maglaho; at sapagkat naging maselan ang kanilang talino, sinasamba nila ang “Yaon”—ang Kataas-taasang Brahman.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True spiritual practice is described as sustaining embodied life with steadfastness while withdrawing the mind from sense-objects, abandoning reliance on perishable bodily-sensory supports, and turning subtle, refined intellect toward contemplation of Brahman.
In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he characterizes a class of yogins: they practice inner withdrawal and concentration, detach from the sensory ‘stations’ that decay, and engage in worshipful contemplation of the Supreme Reality.