Shloka 26

Adhyāya 128 — Proposal to Restrain Keśava; Sātyaki’s Warning and Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Counsel

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणि महत्प्रेप्सुर्नियच्छेदर्थ धर्मयो: । इन्द्रियै्नियतैरबुद्धिर्वर्धतेडग्निरिवेन्धनै:

Transliteration

indriyāṇi mahat prepsur niyacched artha-dharmayoḥ | indriyaiḥ niyatair abuddhir vardhate 'gnir iva indhanaiḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشامبايانا: من تاقت نفسه إلى بلوغ منزلة عظيمة فليكبح حواسَّه، وليجعلها منضبطة في طلب الأَرثا (المال والرفاه) وفي ممارسة الدارما. فإذا أُخضِعت الحواس نمت البصيرة—كما يعلو لهيب النار إذا زُوِّدت بالوقود.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• महत्: great (goal)
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेप्सुः: desirous of obtaining
• प्रेप्सुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेप्सु (प्र-आप् धातोः इच्छार्थक-प्रत्ययान्तः)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नियच्छेत्: should restrain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्थे: in/with regard to wealth (worldly aims)
• अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• धर्मयोः: in/with regard to dharma (righteousness) (twofold sphere)
• धर्मयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• इन्द्रियैः: by/with the senses
• इन्द्रियैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नियतैः: restrained, controlled
• नियतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बुद्धिः: intellect, understanding
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्धते: grows, increases
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• इन्धनैः: by/with fuels (firewood)
• इन्धनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्धन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• indriyāṇi (the senses)
• artha
• dharma
• agni (fire)
• indhana (fuel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sense-restraint (indriya-nigraha) is presented as the foundation for attaining higher goals: when one governs the senses within the domains of artha (material life) and dharma (righteous conduct), discernment (buddhi) steadily grows, enabling right choice and steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva’s counsel-oriented context, Vaiśampāyana delivers a didactic maxim: he frames ethical preparation for great aims not as mere ambition, but as disciplined regulation of the senses so that one’s intellect becomes strong and luminous.