युधिष्ठिर उवाच सांख्ये योगे च मे तात विशेषं वक्तुमर्हसि। तव धर्मज्ञ सर्वं हि विदितं कुरुसत्तम॥
Yudhishthira said You should explain to me, O sire, what the difference is between the Sankhya and the Yoga systems of philosophy. O foremost one of Kuru's race, you know everything is known, O you who are conversant with all duties.
भीष्म उवाच सांख्याः सांख्यं प्रशंसन्ति योगा योगं द्विजातयः। वदन्ति कारणं श्रेष्ठं स्वपक्षोद्भावनाय व॥
Bhishma said The followers of Sankhya praise the Sankhya system and the Yogins praise the Yoga system. For fixing the superiority of their respective systems, each calls his own system to be better.
अनीश्वरः कथं मुच्येदित्येवं शत्रुकर्शन। वदन्ति कारणैः श्रेष्ठ्यं योगाः सम्यङ्मनीषिणः॥
Wise men devoted to Yoga point out proper and very good reasons, O crusher of enemies, for showing that one who does not believe in the existence of God cannot acquire Liberation.
वदन्ति कारणं चेदं सांख्याः सम्यग् द्विजातयः। विज्ञायेह गती: सर्वा विरक्तो विषयेषु यः॥ उर्ध्वं स देहात् सुव्यक्तं विमुच्येदिति नान्यथा। एतदाहुमहाप्राज्ञाः सांख्ये वै मोक्षदर्शनम्॥
Those twice-born ones, again, who are believers in the Sankhya doctrines forward good reasons for showing that a person by acquiring true knowledge of all objects, becomes dissociated from all earthly objects, and, after death, it is plain, becomes liberated and that it cannot be otherwise. Men of great wisdom have thus expounded the Sankhya philosophy of Liberation.
स्वपक्षे कारणं ग्राह्यं समये वचनं हितम्। शिष्टानां हि मतं ग्राह्यं त्वद्विधैः शिष्टसम्मतैः॥
When reasons are thus equally placed on both sides, those are assigned on that side which one is otherwise inclined to follow as one's own, should be accepted. Indeed, those words that are said on that side should be considered as wholesome. Good men may be found on both sides. Persons like you may adot either opinion.
प्रत्यक्षहेतवो योगा: सांख्या: शास्त्रविनिश्चयाः। उभे चैते मते तत्त्वे मम तात युधिष्ठिर॥
The evidences of Yoga are addressed to the direct perception of the senses; those of Sankhya are based on the scriptures. Both I systems of philosophy are approved by me, O Yudhishthira.
उभे चैते मते ज्ञाते नृपते शिष्टसम्मते। अनुष्ठिते यथाशास्त्रं नेयतां परमां गतिम्॥ तुल्यं शौचं तपोयुक्तं दया भूतेषु चानघ। व्रतानां धारणं तुल्यं दर्शनं न समं तयोः॥
agree with noth those systems of science, O king, so do the good and wise. If practised duly according to the instructions laid down, both would, O king, make a person acquire the highest end. In both systems purity is equally recommended as also mercy towards all creatures, O sinless one. In both, again, the observance of vows has been equally sanctioned. Only the scriptures which point out their paths are different.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच यदि तुल्यं व्रतं शौचं दया चात्र फलं तथा। न तुल्यं दर्शनं कस्मात् तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said If the vows, the purity, the mercy, and the fruits thereof recommended in both systems be the same, tell me, O grandfather, why then are not their scriptures the same?
भीष्म उवाच रागं मोहं तथा स्नेहं कामं क्रोधं च केवलम्। योगाच्छित्त्वा ततो दोषान् पञ्चैतान् प्राप्नुवन्ति तत्॥
Bhishma said By renouncing through the help of Yoga, these five faults, viz., attachment carelessness, affection, lust and anger one acquires Liberation.
यथा चानिमिषाः स्थूला जालं छित्त्वा पुनर्जलम्। प्राप्नुवन्ति तथा योगास्तत् पदं वीतकल्मषाः॥
As large fishes, breaking through the net pass into their own element, similarly, Yogins, become purged of all sins and acquire the happiness of Liberation.
तथैव वागुरां छित्त्वा बलवन्तो यथा मृगाः। प्राप्नुयुर्विमलं मार्ग विमुक्ताः सर्वबन्धनैः॥
As powerful animals breaking through the nets in which hunters catch them, enjoy the men happiness of freedom, so Yogins freed from all fetters, attain to the pure path that leads of Liberation.
लोभजानि तथा राजन् बन्धनानि बलान्विताः। छित्त्वा योगाः परं मागं गच्छन्ति विमलं शिवम्॥
Truly, O king, breaking through the fetter born of cupidity, Yogins, gifted with strength acquire the sinless and auspicious and high path of Liberation.
अबलाश्च मृगा राजन् वागुरासु तथा परे। विनश्यन्ति न संदेहस्तद्वद् योगबलादृते॥
Feeble animals, O king, entangled in nets, are, forsooth, destroyed. Such is the case with persons shorn of Yoga power.
बलहीनाश्च कौन्तेय यथा जालं गता झषाः। वधं गच्छन्ति राजेन्द्र योगास्तद्वत् सुदुर्बलाः॥
As weak fishes, O son of Kunti, fallen into the net, become entangled in it, so, O king, shorn of Yoga power meet with destruction.
यथा च शकुनाः सूक्ष्मं प्राप्य जालमरिंदम। तत्र सक्ता विपद्यन्ते मुच्यन्ते च बलान्विताः॥ कर्मजैर्बन्धनैर्बद्धास्तद्वद् योगाः परंतप। अबला वै विनश्यन्ति मुच्यन्ते च बलान्विताः॥
As birds, O chastiser of enemies, when entangled in the fine nets of fowlers, meet with their destruction, but if they are strong effect their escape, similarly, it is the case with Yogins, O chastiser of enemies, fettered by the bonds of action, they that are weak meet with destruction, while they who are strong break through them.
अल्पकश्च यथा राजन् वह्निः शाम्यति दुर्बलः। आक्रान्त इन्धनैः स्थूलैस्तद्वद् योगोऽबलः प्रभो॥
A small and weak fire, O king, is put out when large logs of timber are placed upon it. So the Yogin who is weak, O king, encounters ruin.
स एव च यदा राजन् वह्निर्जातबलः पुनः। समीरणगतः क्षिप्रं दहेत् कृत्स्नां महीमपि॥
The same fire, however, O king, when it becomes strong, would burn with the help of the wind the entire Earth.
तद्वज्जातबलो योगी दीप्ततेजा महाबलः। अन्तकाल इवादित्यः कृत्स्नं संशोषयेज्जगत्॥
Similarly, the Yogin when grown in strength, burning with energy, and endued with power is capable of scorching the entire Universe like the Sun that rises at the time of the universal dissolution.
दुर्बलश्च यथा राजन् स्रोतसा ह्रियते नरः। बलहीनस्तथा योगो विषयैर्व्हियतेऽवशः॥
As a weak man, O king, is carried away by a current, so is a weak Yogin helplessly carried away by objects of the senses.
तदेव च महास्रोतो विष्टम्भयति वारणः। तद्वद् योगबलं लब्ध्वा व्यूहते विषयान् बहून्॥
An elephant withstands a powerful current Similarly. a Yogin, having acquired Yogapower withstands all objects of the senses.
विशन्ति चावशाः पार्थ योगाद् योगबलान्विताः। प्रजापतीनृषीन् देवान् महाभूतानि चेश्वराः॥
Independent of all things, Yogins, gifted with Yoga-power and other lordly powers enter into the very lords of creation, the Rishis, the gods, and the great Beings in the universe.
न यमो नान्तकः क्रुद्धो न मृत्युीमविक्रमः। ईशते नृपते सर्वे योगस्यामिततेजसः॥
Neither Yama, nor the Destroyer, nor Death, himself of terrible power, when irate, ever succeeds in lording over the Yogin, O king, who is gifted with immeasurable energy.
आत्मनां च सहस्राणि बहूनि भरतर्षभ। योगः कुर्याद् बलं प्राप्य तैश्च सर्वैर्महीं चरेत्॥
The Yogin, acquiring Yoga-power, can create thousands of bodies and with them walks over the Earth.
प्राप्नुयाद् विषयांश्चैव पुनश्चोग्रं तपश्चरेत्। संक्षिपेच्च पुनस्तात सूर्यस्तेजोगुणानिव॥
Some amongst them enjoy objects of the and again practise the austerest penances, and once again, like the Sun withdraw themselves from such penances. senses
बलस्थस्य हि योगस्य बन्धनेशस्य पार्थिव। विमोक्षप्रभविष्णुत्वमुपपन्नमसंशयम्॥
The Yogin, who is gifted with strength and whom fetters bind not, certainly succeeds in acquiring Liberation.
बलानि योगप्राप्तानि मयैतानि विशाम्पते। निदर्शनार्थं सूक्ष्माणि वक्ष्यामि च पुनस्तव॥
I have now described to you, O king, on all these powers of Yoga. I shall once more tell you what the subtile powers of Yoga are with their marks.
आत्मनश्च समाधाने धारणां प्रति वा विभो। निदर्शनानि सूक्ष्माणि शृणु मे भरतर्षभ।॥
Hear, O chief of Bharata's race, the subtile marks of the meditation and the concentration of the Soul.
अप्रमत्तो तथा धन्वी लक्ष्यं हन्ति समाहितः। युक्तः सम्यक् तथा योगी मोक्षं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयम्॥
As a bowman who is careful and attentive succeeds in striking the aim, so the Yogin with absorbed soul, forsooth, acquires Liberation.
स्नेहपूर्णे यथा पात्रे मन आधाय निश्चलम्। पुरुषो युक्त आरोहेत् सोपानं युक्तमानसः॥ युक्तस्तथायमात्मानं योगः पार्थिव निश्चलम्। करोत्यमलमात्मानं भास्करोपमदर्शनम्॥
As a man, fixing his mind on a vessel full of some liquid carefully ascends a flight of steps, so the Yogin, fixed and absorbed in his soul, purifies it and marks it as effulgent as the Sun.
यथा च नावं कौन्तेय कर्णधारः समाहितः। महार्णवगतां शीघ्रं नयेत् पार्थिवसत्तम॥ तद्वदात्मसमाधानं युक्त्वा योगेन तत्त्ववित्। दुर्गमं स्थानमाप्नोति हित्वा देहमिमं नृप॥
As a boat, O son of Kunti, who is tossed on the bosom of the sea is very soon taken by a careful boatman to the other shore, so the man of knowledge by fixing his soul in concentration, acquires Liberation, which is so difficult to acquire, after renouncing his body, O king.
सारथिश्च यथा युक्त्वा सदश्वान् सुसमाहितः। देशमिष्टं नयत्याशु धन्विनं पुरुषर्षभ॥ तथैव नृपते योगी धारणासु समाहितः। प्राप्नोत्याशु परं स्थानं लक्षं मुक्त इवाशुगः॥
As a careful charioteer, O king, having yoked good horses takes the car warrior to where he likes, even so the Yogin, O king, careful in concentration, soon attains to the highest spot like an arrow shot off the bow reaching the object aimed at.
प्रवेश्यात्मनि चात्मानं योगी तिष्ठति योऽचलः। पापं हन्ति पुनीतानां पदमाप्नोति सोऽजरम्॥
The Yogin who stay immovably after having entered his self into the soul, dissipates his sins and gets at that indestructible spot which is the possession of those who are pious.
नाभ्यां कण्ठे च शीर्षे च हृदि वक्षसि पार्श्वयोः। दर्शने श्रवणे चापि घ्राणे चामितविक्रम॥ स्थानेष्वेतेषु यो योगी महाव्रतसमाहितः। आत्मना सूक्ष्ममात्मानं युङ्क्ते सम्यग्विशाम्पते।॥ स शीघ्रमचलप्रख्यं कर्म दग्ध्वा शुभाशुभम्। उत्तमं योगमास्थाय यदीच्छति विमुच्यते॥
That Yogin who, carefully practises high vows, properly unites, O king, his sentiency with the self Soul in the navel, the throat, the head, the heart, the chest, the sides, the eye, the ear, and the nose, burns all his mountain-like acts good and bad, and having recourse to excellent Yoga acquires Liberation.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आहारान् कीदृशान् कृत्वा कानि जित्वा च भारत। योगी बलमवाप्नोति तद् भवान् वक्तुमर्हसि॥
Yudhishthira said You should tell me, O grandfather, what the kinds of diet are by taking which, and what the things are by conquering which, the Yogin, O Bharata, gains Yoga-power.
भीष्म उवाच कणानां भक्षणे युक्तः पिण्याकस्य च भारत। स्नेहानां वर्जने युक्तो योगी बलमवाप्नुयात्॥
Engaged, O Bharata, in subsisting upon broken grains of rice and sodden cakes of sesame, and abstaining from oil and butter, the Yogin gains Yoga-power.
भुजानो यावकं रूक्षं दीर्घकालमरिंदम्। एकाहारो विशुद्धात्मा योगी बलमवाप्नुयात्॥
By subsisting for a long time on powdered barely unmixed with any liquid, and by taking only one meal a day, the Yogin, of purified soul gains Yoga-power.
पक्षान् मासानृतूंश्चैतान् संवत्सरानहस्तथा। अप:पीत्वा पयोमिश्रा योगी बलमवाप्नुयात्॥
By drinking only water mixed with milk, first only once during the day, then once during a fortnight, then once during a month, then once during three months, and then once during a whole year, the Yogin gains Yogapower.
अखण्डमपि वा मांसं सततं मनुजेश्वर। उपोष्य सम्यक् शुद्धात्मा योगी बलमवाप्नुयात्॥
By abstaining entirely from meat, О king, the Yogin of purified soul acquires power.
कामं जित्वा तथा क्रोधं शीतोष्णे वर्षमेव च। भयं शोकं तथा श्वासं पौरुषान् विषयांस्तथा॥ अरतिं दुर्जयां चैव घोरां तृष्णां च पार्थिवा स्पर्श निद्रां तथा तन्द्री दुर्जयां नृपसत्तम॥ दीपयन्ति महात्मानः सूक्ष्ममात्मानमात्मना। वीतरागा महाप्राज्ञा ध्यानाध्ययनसम्पदा॥
By subjugating lust, and anger, and heat, and cold and rain, and fear, and anger, and heat, and cold and rain, and fear, and grief, and the breath, and all sounds that are agreeable to inen, and objects of the senses, and the uneasiness, so difficult to conquer, that is uneasiness, so difficult to conquer, that is created by abstention from sexual connection, and thirst which is so terrible, O king, and the pleasures of touch and sleep, and procrastination that is almost unconquerable, O be. of kings, great Yogins, shorn of attachments and endued with great wisdom, helped by their understanding, and equipt with wealth of contemplation and study, cause the subtile soul to stand in all its glory.
दुर्गस्त्वेष मतः पन्था ब्राह्मणानां विपश्चिताम्। यः कश्चिद् व्रजति ह्यस्मिन् क्षेमेण भरतर्षभ॥
This high path of learned Brahmanas is highly difficult to tread. No one can walk along this path with ease.
यथा कश्चिद् वनं घोरं बहुसर्पसरीसृपम्। श्वभ्रवत् तोयहीनं च दुर्गमं बहुकण्टकम्॥
That path is like a dreadful forest which is full of numberless snakes and crawling vermin, with pits everywhere, without water for satisfying one's thirst, and full of thorns, and inaccessible on that account.
अभक्तमटवीप्रायं दावदग्धमहीरुहम्। पन्थानं तस्कराकीण क्षेमेणाभिपतेद् युवा॥
Indeed, the path of Yoga is like a road along which no food is available, which runs through a desert having all its trees burnt down in a fire, and which is unsafe for being infested with bands of robbers. Very few young men can pass safely through it.
योगमार्ग तथाऽऽसाद्य यः कश्चिद् व्रजते द्विजः। क्षेमेणोपरमेन्मार्गाद् बहुदोषो हि स स्मृतः॥
Like such a path few Brahmanas can walk along the Yoga-path with ease and comfort. That man who, having followed this path, ceases to go forward is considered as guilty of many faults.
सुस्थेयं क्षुरधारासु निशितासु महीपते। धारणासु तु योगस्य दुःस्थेयमकृतात्मभिः॥
Men of purified souls, O king, can stay with ease upon Yoga-contemplation which is like the sharp edge of razor. Persons of impure souls, however, cannot stay on it.
विपन्ना धारणास्तात नयन्ति न शुभां गतिम्। नेतृहीना यथा नावः पुरुषानर्णवे नृप॥
When Yoga-contemplation is disturbed or. otherwise obstructed, it can never take the Yogin to an auspicious and even as a vessel which is without a captain cannot take the passengers to the other shore.
यस्तु तिष्ठति कौन्तेय धारणासु यथाविधि। मरणं जन्मदुःखं च सुखं च स विमुञ्चति॥
That man, O son of Kunti, who practises Yoga-contemplation according to due rites succeeds in renouncing off both birth and death, and happiness and sorrow.
नानाशास्त्रेषु निष्पन्नं योगेष्विदमुदाहृतम्। परं योगस्य यत् कृत्यं निश्चितं तद् द्विजातिषु॥
All this that I have told you has been stated in the various treatises on Yoga. The highest fruits of Yoga are seen in persons of the twiceborn order.
परं हि तद् ब्रह्म महन्महात्मन् ब्रह्माणमीशं वरदं च विष्णुम्। भवं च धर्मं च षडाननं च यद् ब्रह्मपुत्रांश्च महानुभावान्॥ तमश्च कष्टं सुमहद् रजश्च सत्त्वं विशुद्धं प्रकृति परां च। सिद्धिं च देवीं वरुणस्य पत्नी तेजश्च कृत्स्नं सुमहच्च धैर्यम्॥ ताराधिपं खे विमलं सतारं विश्वांश्च देवानुरगान् पितॄश्च। शैलांश्च कृत्स्नानुदधींश्च घोरान् नदीश्च सर्वाः सवनान् घनांश्च॥ नागान् नगान् यक्षगणान् दिशश्च गन्धर्व संघान् पुरुषान् स्त्रियश्च। परस्परं प्राप्य महान्महात्मा विशेत योगी न चिराद् विमुक्तः॥
That highest fruit is oneness with Brahma. The great Yogin, endued with greatness, can enter into, and come out of, at his will, Brahman himself who is the lord of all gods, and the born-giving Vishnu, and Bhava, and Dharma, and the six-faced Kartikeya, and the (spiritual) sons of Brahman, the quality of Darkness that is productive of much pain, and that of Ignorance, and that of Goodness which is pure, and Nature which is the highest, and the goddess Siddhi who is the wife of Varuna, and all sorts of energy, and all-enduring patience, and the bright lord of stars in the sky with the stars twinkling all around, and the Vishvas, and the snakes, and the Pitris, and all the mountains and hills, and the great and terrible oceans, and all the rivers, and the clouds charged with rain and serpents, and trees, and Yakshas, and the cardinal and subsidiary points of the horizon, and the Gandharvas, and all male persons and all female ones also.
कथा च येयं नृपते प्रसक्ता देवे महावीर्यमतौ शुभेयम्। योगी स सर्वानभिभूय मान् नारायणात्मा कुरुते महात्मा॥
This topic, "O king, about the Supreme Being of mighty energy should be considered as auspicious.” The Yogin has Narayana for his soul. Lording over all things, the great Yogin is capable of creating all things.