Yājñavalkya’s response to Gārgī’s inquiry offers a potent image of the transformative potential unlocked through steadfast dhāraṇā. He states that the yogī, “united with dhāraṇā,” – “dhārayā yuktaḥ” – attains the “param-pada” – “supreme footstep,” a metaphor for the highest state of liberation. This achievement is characterized by “asharira” – “incorporeal,” signifying a dissolution of the individual self, the ātman, into the boundless reality of Parabrahman. Crucially, this state is not merely a theoretical understanding but a direct, experiential identification, “saakshaat parabrahman swarūpavan” – “directly manifested as the form of supreme Brahman.” This verse powerfully illustrates the goal of Yoga, where the subtle body, through the stabilization of prāṇa and manas through dhāraṇā, transcends the limitations of duality and merges with the ultimate reality. The yogi, having successfully navigated the initial stages of practice, becomes, in essence, Brahman itself.