Shloka 12

Adhyāya 240: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman — The Inner Hierarchy and Restraint (इन्द्रिय-मनस्-बुद्धि-आत्म-क्रमः)

Devanagari script

सिध्यन्ति चास्य सर्वार्था विज्ञानं च प्रवर्तते । सम: सर्वेषु भूतेषु लब्धालब्धेन वर्तयन्‌,सत्त्वसंसेवनाद धीरो निद्रामुच्छेत्तुमरहति । विद्वानोंने योगके जो काम, क्रोध, लोभ, भय और पाँचवाँ स्वप्र--ये पाँच दोष बताये हैं उनका पूर्णतया उच्छेद करे। इनमेंसे क्रोधको शम (मनोनिग्रह) के द्वारा जीते, कामको संकल्पके त्यागद्वारा पराजित करे तथा धीर पुरुष सत्वगुणका सेवन करनेसे निद्राका उच्छेद कर सकता है इतना ही नहीं, इनसे साधक के सभी मनोरथ सिद्ध होते हैं तथा उसे विज्ञानकी भी प्राप्ति होती है। योगीको चाहिये कि वह सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें समान भाव रक्खे। जो कुछ भी मिले या न मिले, उसीसे संतोषपूर्वक निर्वाह करे। पापोंको धो डाले तथा तेजस्वी, मिताहारी और जितेन्द्रिय होकर काम और क्रोधको वशमें करके ब्रह्मपदको पानेकी इच्छा करे

Transliteration

sidhyanti cāsya sarvārthā vijñānaṃ ca pravartate | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu labdhālabdhena vartayan, sattvasaṃsevanād dhīro nidrām ucchettum arhati |

Translation

Vyāsa said: By such discipline, all a seeker’s aims are fulfilled and true discernment begins to operate. Remaining even-minded toward all beings, and sustaining oneself with contentment whether one gains or does not gain, the steadfast person—by cultivating sattva—becomes fit to cut off sleep (i.e., lethargy and heedlessness). Thus the yogic life is marked by equality toward creatures, freedom from agitation over outcomes, and the inner clarity that arises from purity and self-mastery.

Word by Word

सिध्यन्तिare accomplished

चand

अस्यof him / of this (person)

सर्वार्थाःall aims/purposes

विज्ञानम्discriminative knowledge

चand

प्रवर्ततेarises / proceeds

समःequal-minded

सर्वेषुin all

भूतेषुbeings

लब्धालब्धेनby what is obtained or not obtained

वर्तयन्conducting himself / living

सत्त्वसंसेवनात्from the practice/association of sattva

धीरःthe steadfast man

निद्राम्sleep

उच्छेत्तुम्to cut off / to eliminate

अर्हतिis able / deserves

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cultivate sattva and equanimity: when one remains impartial toward all beings and is content in gain and non-gain, higher discernment (vijñāna) awakens and the practitioner becomes capable of overcoming sleep-like inertia and heedlessness, leading to the fulfillment of spiritual aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Vyāsa continues a didactic passage describing the marks and results of yogic conduct—impartiality toward beings, contentment with outcomes, and the arising of realized knowledge.