Shloka 3
Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि बुद्धया संयम्य यत्नत: । सर्वतो निष्पतिष्णूनि पिता बालानिवात्मजान्
indriyāṇi pramāthīni buddhyā saṁyamya yatnataḥ | sarvato niṣpatiṣṇūni pitā bālān ivātmajān ||
Vyāsa says: With steady effort, one should restrain the turbulent senses by means of discernment. Like a father who keeps his young sons under control, so should a person bring into mastery those senses that rush out in every direction toward their objects.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches indriya-nigraha (mastery of the senses): the senses are naturally restless and forceful, so one must deliberately restrain them through buddhi (discriminating intellect), with sustained effort, as a responsible guardian would restrain and guide children.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers instruction on inner discipline. He uses a domestic analogy—father and young sons—to make the ethical point vivid: unchecked senses run toward objects from every side, and the seeker must govern them firmly yet wisely.