Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अलर्क उवाच श्रुत्वा तु विविधान्‌ शब्दांस्तानेव प्रतिगृध्यति । तस्माच्छोत्रं प्रति शरान्‌ प्रतिमुड्चाम्पहं शितान्‌,अलर्क बोले--यह श्रोत्र बारंबार नाना प्रकारके शब्दोंको सुनकर उन्हींकी अभिलाषा करता है, इसलिये मैं इन तीखे बाणोंको श्रोत्र-इन्द्रियके ऊपर चलाऊँगा

Transliteration

alarka uvāca śrutvā tu vividhān śabdāṁs tān eva pratigṛdhyati | tasmāc chrotraṁ prati śarān pratimuñcāmy ahaṁ śitān ||

Translation

Alarka said: “The ear, having heard sounds of many kinds, keeps craving for those very sounds again. Therefore I shall discharge these sharp arrows against the faculty of hearing.”

Word by Word

अलर्कःAlarka

उवाचsaid

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

तुbut/indeed

विविधान्various

शब्दान्sounds/words

तान्those (same)

एवonly/indeed

प्रतिगृध्यतिcraves/longs for

तस्मात्therefore/from that

श्रोत्रम्ear; organ of hearing

प्रतिtowards/against

शरान्arrows

प्रतिमुञ्चामिI discharge/let fly

अहम्I

शितान्sharp/keen

Speaker

अलर्क उवाच

Characters & Entities

Alarka

ear (śrotra)

sounds (śabda)

sharp arrows (śita-śara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Attachment begins at the level of the senses: repeated hearing of pleasing or varied sounds strengthens craving. The verse frames ethical self-mastery as restraining the sense-faculty itself, symbolically treating sense-indulgence as an enemy to be checked.

What is happening in the narrative?

Alarka reflects on how the ear becomes addicted to diverse sounds and declares his intent to ‘shoot’ sharp arrows at the organ of hearing—an intense, symbolic act expressing determination to conquer sensory desire through severe discipline.