Shloka 33

भीष्मविक्रमदर्शनं तथा क्रौञ्चारुणव्यूहविधानम् | Bhīṣma’s Ascendancy and the Organization of the Krauñcāruṇa Formation

Devanagari script

धृत्या यया धारयते मन:प्राणेन्द्रियक्रिया: । योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात््विकी,हे पार्थ! जिस अव्यभिचारिणी धारणशक्तिसे मनुष्य ध्यानयोगके द्वारा मन, प्राण और इन्द्रियोंकी क्रियाओंको धारण करता है, वह धृति सात्त्विकी हैः

Transliteration

dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate manaḥ-prāṇendriya-kriyāḥ | yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī ||

Translation

O Partha, that steadfastness (dhṛti) by which a person, through the discipline of yoga and unwavering constancy, holds the mind, the vital breath (prāṇa), and the activities of the senses firmly under control—that steadfastness is sāttvika.

Word by Word

धृत्याby steadfastness

ययाby which

धारयतेholds/maintains

मनःmind

प्राणvital breath

इन्द्रियsenses

क्रियाःactivities/functions

योगेनby yoga (discipline)

अव्यभिचारिण्याunwavering/undeviating

धृतिःsteadfastness

साthat

पार्थO Partha (Arjuna)

सात्त्विकीsattvic (pure, of goodness)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna (Pārtha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sāttvika dhṛti is unwavering inner firmness that, through yogic discipline, restrains and sustains the mind, the life-breath, and the senses—supporting consistent ethical conduct without deviation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the dialogue on the battlefield, Arjuna is questioning and classifying qualities (here, types of steadfastness). This verse defines the sāttvika form as steady, yoga-grounded self-mastery.