Shloka 16

Śarīrin, Buddhi, and the Limits of Sense-Perception (इन्द्रियबुद्धिशरीरिविचारः)

Devanagari script

मनसा क्लिश्यमानस्तु समाधानं च कारयेत्‌ । न निर्वेद॑ मुनिर्गच्छेत्‌ कुयादिवात्मनो हितम्‌,ध्यानके समय मनमें कितना ही क्लेश क्‍यों न हो, साधकको उससे ऊबना नहीं चाहिये; बल्कि और भी तत्परताके साथ मनको एकाग्र करनेका प्रयत्न करना चाहिये। ध्यानयोगी मुनिको सर्वथा अपने कल्याणका ही प्रयत्न करना चाहिये

Transliteration

manasā kliśyamānas tu samādhānaṃ ca kārayet | na nirvedaṃ munir gacchet kuryād iva ātmano hitam ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Even when the mind is afflicted and strained, one should still bring it to steadiness and cultivate concentration. A sage should not fall into despondency; rather, he should act only for his own true welfare—persisting in the discipline that leads to inner good.

Word by Word

[{'term''manasā', 'definition': 'with/in the mind

mentally (instrumental of manas)'}, {'term''kliśyamānaḥ', 'definition': 'being troubled, afflicted, strained (present passive participle of √kliś)'}, {'term': 'tu', 'definition': 'but

indeed (emphatic/contrastive particle)'}, {'term''samādhānam', 'definition': 'settling, composure

concentration, collectedness (samādhi in the sense of mental steadiness)'}, {'term''kārayet', 'definition': 'should cause to be done

should bring about, should cultivate (causative optative of √kṛ)'}, {'term''na', 'definition': 'not'}, {'term': 'nirvedam', 'definition': 'dejection, disgust, despair

loss of heart'}, {'term''muniḥ', 'definition': 'sage

contemplative practitioner'}, {'term''gacchet', 'definition': 'should go to

should fall into (optative of √gam)'}, {'term''kuryāt', 'definition': 'should do

should undertake (optative of √kṛ)'}, {'term''iva', 'definition': 'as if

indeed (often softening or emphasizing the statement)'}, {'term''ātmanaḥ', 'definition': 'of oneself

of the self (genitive of ātman)'}, {'term''hitam', 'definition': 'benefit, welfare, true good'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

muni (sage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When meditation becomes difficult and the mind feels pained or restless, one should not give up in discouragement; instead, one should deliberately re-establish composure and continue the practice that leads to one’s true welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhishma advises the listener that spiritual practice requires endurance: even under mental strain, the practitioner should renew concentration and avoid despair.