Shloka 53
श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः
Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma
ये तु च्युता: सिद्धलोकात् क्रमेण तेषां गति यान्ति तथा<<नुपूर्व्या जीवा: परे तद्धलतुल्यरूपा: स्वं स्वं विधि यान्ति विपर्ययेण
ye tu cyutāḥ siddhalokāt krameṇa teṣāṃ gatiṃ yānti tathānupūrvyāḥ | jīvāḥ pare taddhalatulyarūpāḥ svaṃ svaṃ vidhiṃ yānti viparyayeṇa ||
毗湿摩说：“从悉达界（Siddha-loka）坠落者，依其应有次第而下行；而其他具备相当修持之力的有身众生，也会一步一步由一界迁至一界，渐次上升，终而得与诸悉达同一之行程。但若不具此资粮——由于其性向相违——便将循相反的轨迹，抵达各自的归趣。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual destiny (gati) follows one’s inner discipline and disposition: those with yogic strength progress through realms in an ordered ascent and can regain the Siddhas’ path, while those lacking such steadiness move in a contrary direction toward lower or different outcomes.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma and liberation-oriented conduct, he explains a cosmological-ethical principle: beings may fall from a perfected realm, yet through comparable practice they can again rise stepwise; otherwise, due to contrary tendencies, they reach different destinations.