Shloka 54

Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment

Devanagari script

जितासनो जितश्वास: प्रत्याहृतषडिन्द्रिय: । हरिभावनया ध्वस्तरज:सत्त्वतमोमल: ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

jitāsano jita-śvāsaḥ pratyāhṛta-ṣaḍ-indriyaḥ hari-bhāvanayā dhvasta- rajaḥ-sattva-tamo-malaḥ

Translation

One who has conquered posture and breath, and by pratyāhāra draws the six senses inward, by contemplation of Hari destroys the stains of rajas, sattva, and tamas.

Synonyms

• जितासनः: one who has mastered the sitting posture
• जितासनः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त, √जि) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘जित’ + ‘आसन’ (having conquered the posture/seat)

• जितश्वासः: one who has controlled the breath
• जितश्वासः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त, √जि) + श्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त) + तत्संबद्ध-नाम (breath)

• प्रत्याहृत-षट्-इन्द्रियः: whose six senses are withdrawn (restrained)
• प्रत्याहृत-षट्-इन्द्रियः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्याहृत (कृदन्त, √हृ with प्रति-आ-) + षट् (संख्या) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘षडिन्द्रिय’ = षट् + इन्द्रिय (six senses) (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समास-आधार), समस्तपदं ‘प्रत्याहृतषडिन्द्रिय’ = whose six senses are withdrawn; कृदन्त (क्त)

• हरि-भावनया: by meditation on Hari
• हरि-भावनया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + भावना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘हरिभावना’ = हरौ भावना (meditation on Hari)

• ध्वस्त-रजः-सत्त्व-तमः-मलः: whose impurity of rajas, sattva, and tamas is destroyed
• ध्वस्त-रजः-सत्त्व-तमः-मलः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वस्त (कृदन्त, √ध्वंस्/ध्वस्) + रजस् + सत्त्व + तमस् + मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः—‘रजःसत्त्वतमोमल’ (the impurity of rajas, sattva, tamas) + ‘ध्वस्त’ (destroyed) = whose impurity of the guṇas is destroyed; कृदन्त (क्त)

Purport

The preliminary activities of the way of yoga are āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, etc. Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra was to attain success in those preliminary actions because he was seated in a sanctified place and was concentrating upon one objective, namely the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Hari). Thus all his senses were being engaged in the service of the Lord. This process directly helps the devotee to get freedom from the contaminations of the three material modes of nature. Even the highest mode, the material mode of goodness, is also a cause of material bondage, and what to speak of the other qualities, namely passion and ignorance. Passion and ignorance increase the material propensities of hankering for material enjoyment, and a strong sense of lust provokes the accumulation of wealth and power. One who has conquered these two base mentalities and has raised himself to the platform of goodness, which is full of knowledge and morality, cannot also control the senses, namely the eyes, the tongue, the nose, the ear and touch. But one who has surrendered himself unto the lotus feet of Lord Hari, as above mentioned, can transcend all influences of the modes of material nature and be fixed in the service of the Lord. The bhakti-yoga process, therefore, directly applies the senses to the loving service of the Lord. This prohibits the performer from engaging in material activities. This process of turning the senses from material attachment to the loving transcendental service of the Lord is called pratyāhāra, and the very process is called prāṇāyāma, ultimately ending in samādhi, or absorption in pleasing the Supreme Lord Hari by all means.

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Hari

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about controlling the senses (pratyāhāra)?

This verse describes withdrawing the six senses from their objects and fixing them through meditation on Hari, showing that sense-control becomes effective when centered on devotion to the Lord.

Why is Dhṛtarāṣṭra described as mastering posture and breath in Canto 1 Chapter 13?

Because after leaving home for renunciation, he practiced yogic discipline—steady posture, regulated breath, and withdrawal of the senses—so his mind could remain fixed on Hari.

Practical application of meditating on Hari in modern life?

Regularly bring the senses back from distractions and anchor attention in remembrance of the Lord—through japa, prayer, and mindful restraint—so inner agitation (rajas/tamas) gradually weakens.