Shloka 27
Adhyāya 240: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman — The Inner Hierarchy and Restraint (इन्द्रिय-मनस्-बुद्धि-आत्म-क्रमः)
येनोपायेन शक्येत संनियन्तुं चल॑ मन: । तं च युक्तो निषेवेत न चैव विचलेत् ततः,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 जिस उपायसे चंचल मनको रोका जा सके, योगका साधक उसका सेवन करे और उस साधनसे वह कभी विचलित न हो
vyāsa uvāca | yenopāyena śakyeta saṃniyantuṃ calaṃ manaḥ | taṃ ca yukto niṣeveta na caiva vicalet tataḥ | sattvasaṃsevanād dhīro nidrām ucchettum arhati |
Vyāsa said: By whatever method the restless mind can be restrained, the disciplined practitioner should adopt that method and then not waver from it. By cultivating sattva (clarity and balance), a steadfast person becomes fit to cut off sleep (i.e., overcome dullness and lethargy) and remain wakeful in practice.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Choose an effective discipline for restraining the mind, practice it steadily without backsliding, and cultivate sattva so that lethargy and sleep (tamas) are overcome and sustained inner wakefulness becomes possible.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers practical yogic counsel: he advises the seeker to adopt whatever proven method controls the mind and to remain unwavering in that practice, highlighting sattva as the support for alertness and steadiness.