Shloka 50
Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse
पृथ्वीनाथ! नृपश्रेष्ठ) काम
bhīṣma uvāca | pṛthvīnātha nṛpaśreṣṭha kāmaṁ krodhaṁ śītoṣṇe varṣāṁ bhayaṁ śokaṁ śvāsaṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ priyān viṣayān durjayam asantoṣaṁ ghorāṁ tṛṣṇāṁ sparśaṁ nidrāṁ tathā durjayam ālasyam jitvā vītarāgo mahān uttama-buddhi-yukto mahātmā yogī svādhyāyaṁ ca dhyānaṁ ca sampādya buddhyā sūkṣmam ātmānaṁ sākṣātkurvanti || durgas tv eṣa mataḥ panthā brāhmaṇānāṁ vipaścitām | yaḥ kaścid vrajati hy asmin kṣemeṇa bharatarṣabha ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: O panginoon ng lupa, pinakamainam sa mga hari—pagkatapos mapagtagumpayan ang pagnanasa at galit; lamig at init; ulan; takot at dalamhati; ang ligalig na hininga; ang mga bagay ng pandama na minamahal ng tao; ang di-masupil na pagkadismaya; ang mabangis na pananabik; ang pang-akit ng paghipo; ang pagtulog; at ang matigas na katamaran—nagiging malaya siya sa pagkakapit. Ang yoging dakila ang kaluluwa, na may mataas at pinong talino, ay nagsasakatuparan ng sariling pag-aaral at pagninilay; at sa lakas ng pag-unawa at paghiwatig, tuwirang nasasaksihan ang maselang Sarili. Gayunman, O toro ng angkang Bharata, hinatulan ng marurunong na Brahmana na ang landas ng Yoga ay mahirap na tila kuta; tanging bihira ang nakakatawid dito nang ligtas at matagumpay.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Liberation-oriented yoga requires victory over inner enemies (desire, anger, discontent, craving) and bodily/mental pulls (sleep, laziness, attraction to sense-objects), along with endurance of opposites (cold/heat, rain, fear, grief). Through svādhyāya and dhyāna, guided by buddhi (discernment), the yogin gains direct realization of the subtle Self; however, the tradition acknowledges this path is exceptionally difficult and only rarely completed safely.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on the disciplines that lead to peace and the highest good. Here he describes the rigorous yogic path—its required conquests and practices—and adds a sober assessment: even learned Brahmanas call it hard to traverse, and only a few succeed.