Shloka 15
Vānaprastha-vṛtti and the Transition toward the Fourth Āśrama (वानप्रस्थवृत्तिः चतुर्थाश्रमोपक्रमश्च)
साधक वाणीका संयम करके पृथ्वी, जल, तेज, वायु, आकाश, बुद्धि और अहंकार-सम्बन्धी सात धारणाओंको सिद्ध करता है। इनके विषयों (गन्ध, रस, रूप, स्पर्श, शब्द, अहंवृत्ति और निश्चय) से सम्बन्धित सात प्रधारणाएँ इनकी पार्श्ववर्तिनी एवं पृष्ठवर्तिनी हैं ।।
kramaśaḥ pārthivaṃ yac ca vāyavyaṃ khaṃ tathā payaḥ | jyotiṣo yat tadaiśvaryam ahaṅkārasya buddhitaḥ | avyaktasya tathaiśvaryaṃ kramaśaḥ pratipadyate ||
Wika ni Vyāsa: “Sa pamamagitan ng pagsasanay at pagpipigil sa pananalita, natatamo ng nagsasanay ang pitong dhāraṇā na may kaugnayan sa lupa, tubig, apoy, hangin, kalawakan, talino (buddhi), at ang damdaming-ako (ahaṃkāra). At may pitong pangunahing pagkapirmi na kaugnay ng mga paksa nito—amoy, lasa, anyo, haplos, tunog, pag-ikot ng pagkamakasarili, at paghatol—na wari’y nasa mga gilid at nasa likuran. Sa pagkakasunod, napapailalim sa kanya ang mga kapangyarihan ng lupa, tubig, apoy, hangin, kalawakan, saka ang ego at talino; at pagkatapos, ayon sa wastong ayos, naaabot din niya ang paghahari sa Di-Nahahayag (avyakta), ang maselang pinagmulan na lampas sa nakikitang kalikasan.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual progress is sequential: through restraint and disciplined practice, one gains mastery over the gross elements, then over the subtle inner faculties (ego and intellect), and finally realizes the Unmanifest. The verse reframes ‘power’ as self-mastery leading toward liberation rather than external control.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Vyāsa describes a yogic ascent. He outlines how a sādhaka, advancing step by step, transcends the elemental and psychological layers of experience and ultimately reaches the level of the avyakta.