Shloka 133
अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory
Mahābhārata 14.30
अन्यान् बाणान् समीक्षस्व यैस्त्वं मां सूदयिष्यसि । जिह्दा बोली--अलर्क! ये बाण मुझे किसी प्रकार नहीं छेद सकते। ये तो तुम्हारे ही मर्मस्थानोंको बींधेंगे। मर्मस्थानोंके बिंध जानेपर तुम्हीं मरोगे। अतः दूसरे प्रकारके बाणोंका प्रबन्ध सोचो, जिनकी सहायतासे तुम मुझे मार सकोगे
anyān bāṇān samīkṣasva yais tvaṃ māṃ sūdayiṣyasi |
“Consider other arrows—those by which you might truly slay me.” Then the Tongue said: “Alarka, these arrows cannot pierce me in any way. They will instead strike your own vital points; and when those marmas are wounded, you yourself will die. Therefore, devise other arrows, by whose aid you could kill me.”
अलर्क उवाच
Educational Q&A
Acting with anger or ignorance can rebound upon oneself; one must examine one’s means and their consequences. The verse, reinforced by the narrative gloss, warns that misdirected violence harms the aggressor by striking his own ‘vital points’—a moral lesson in discernment and responsibility.
Alarka challenges the opponent to identify arrows that could actually kill. The accompanying explanation states that the current arrows cannot pierce the opponent; instead they will wound Alarka’s own marmas, leading to his death, so he is urged to devise a different means if he truly intends to slay.