Shloka 54

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियैरिन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तमानैरनिग्रहै: । तैरयं ताप्यते लोको नक्षत्राणि ग्रहैरिव,वशमें न होनेके कारण विषयोंमें रमनेवाली इन्द्रियोंसे यह संसार उसी भाँति कष्ट पाता है, जैसे सूर्य आदि ग्रहोंसे नक्षत्र तिरस्कृत हो जाते हैं

Transliteration

indriyair indriyārtheṣu vartamānair anigrahaiḥ | tair ayaṃ tāpyate loko nakṣatrāṇi grahair iva ||

Translation

Vidura says: When the senses, unrestrained, keep moving among their objects, they scorch the world. In the same way that the planets (like the Sun and others) outshine and eclipse the stars, uncontrolled sense-impulses overpower what is subtle and good in a person and bring suffering to life.

Word by Word

इन्द्रियैःby the senses

इन्द्रियार्थेषुin the objects of the senses

वर्तमानैःengaging/operating (being active)

अनिग्रहैःunrestrained

तैःby those (senses)

अयम्this

ताप्यतेis tormented / is afflicted

लोकःworld

नक्षत्राणिstars/constellations

ग्रहैःby the planets

इवlike/as

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

indriya (senses)

indriyārtha (sense-objects)

loka (world/people)

nakṣatra (stars)

graha (planets, including Sun etc.)

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?

Uncontrolled senses, constantly chasing their objects, become a source of suffering; therefore indriya-nigraha (restraint and governance of the senses) is essential for ethical and stable life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers moral counsel (nīti) in the tense lead-up to war, warning that lack of self-restraint—especially indulgence in sense-pleasures—destroys clarity and well-being, just as bright planets eclipse the stars.