Upanishads · Jābāladarśana 7.14
॥
Devanāgarī
प्रत्याहारः समाख्यातः साक्षाद्वेदान्तवेदिभिः । एवमभ्यसतस्तस्य न किंचिदपि दुर्लभम्
Transliteration (IAST)
pratyāhāraḥ samākhyātaḥ sākṣādvedāntavedibhiḥ | evamabhyasatastasya na kiṃcidapi durlabham
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्रत्याहारः समाख्यातःpratyāhāraḥ samākhyātaḥwithdrawal has been fully proclaimed
साक्षात् वेदान्त-वेदिभिःsākṣāt vedānta-vedibhiḥdirectly by knowers of Vedanta
एवम् अभ्यसतः तस्यevam abhyasataḥ tasyathus, for the one who so practices
न किंचित् अपि दुर्लभम्na kiṃcit api durlabhamnothing whatever is hard to attain
Translation
"Withdrawal has been fully proclaimed directly by knowers of Vedanta; for the one who so practices, nothing whatever is hard to attain."
Version
5f28172c8ca9 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The khanda ends with the same formula as the sixth: na kinchid api durlabham, "nothing whatever is hard to attain" (6.20). Of the perfections, and of what the yogic books themselves say of them, we have spoken there, and there is no need to repeat it. Let us instead look back over the whole seventh khanda, for it is short and forms a complete unit.
Withdrawal of the senses is defined in it in five ways, and it is worth listing them in order, for the list is instructive. The first: withdraw the senses by force (7.2). The second: see everything as brahman (7.2). The third: offer everything done to Him (7.3–7.4). The fourth: do ordinary, even self-interested deeds as worship (7.4–7.5). The fifth: lead the breath through the places of the body (7.5–7.12).
Five methods, and they do not reduce to one another: here is effort, and a change of seeing, and the dedication of deeds, and a bodily technique. The compiler, then, knew that people differ, and offered a choice. Of the five, I consider the fourth the best, and said so when reading the corresponding line. It alone is performable today and by anyone; it alone requires neither strength, nor a special vision, nor leisure.
And it too comes closest to what the Vaishnava side holds to be the sole necessity. The Gita says: mat-karma-krin mat-paramo mad-bhaktah sanga-varjitah... sa mam eti, "one who does deeds for Me, holds Me the Highest, is devoted to Me, free of attachment... he comes to Me" (11.55).
This verse is placed last in the Gita's chapter on the universal form, and is called by its commentators the essence of the whole book; and it is worth noting that the first thing named in it is not austerity and not knowledge, but mat-karma-krit, "one who does deeds for Me."