Shloka 16
अव्यक्त–पुरुष–विवेकः (Discrimination of Avyakta/Prakṛti and Puruṣa) — Yājñavalkya’s Anvīkṣikī to Viśvāvasu
न शृणोति न चाप्राति न रंस्यति न पश्यति । न च स्पर्श विजानाति न संकल्पयते मन:
na śṛṇoti na cāprāti na raṃsyati na paśyati | na ca sparśaṃ vijānāti na saṃkalpayate manaḥ ||
瓦西什塔说道：当一个人既不闻声，也不嗅香；既不尝味，也不见色；甚至连触觉也不再登记——当心中不起任何意向与造作——那时，他如木段般安住，远离对任何对象的“我所”执取与寻常的自我觉知；智者便宣说：他已证得自身清净本性，安立于瑜伽。
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse describes yogic absorption characterized by the cessation of sensory engagement and the stopping of mental ‘saṃkalpa’ (constructive intention). When the mind no longer appropriates experiences with egoic ownership, the wise call this abiding in one’s pure nature and being truly ‘yoga-yukta’.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Vasiṣṭha is explaining to the listener the marks of inner realization: a state where the senses do not pull the person outward and the mind does not fabricate intentions, indicating deep meditative steadiness and freedom from identification with objects.