Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 5
The Earth Laughs at World-Conquering Kings; Yuga-Dharma and the Remedy for Kali
समुद्रावरणां जित्वा मां विशन्त्यब्धिमोजसा । कियदात्मजयस्यैतन्मुक्तिरात्मजये फलम् ॥ ५ ॥
samudrāvaraṇāṁ jitvā māṁ viśanty abdhim ojasā kiyad ātma-jayasyaitan muktir ātma-jaye phalam
Tras conquistar la tierra ceñida por el mar, estos reyes orgullosos entran por la fuerza en el océano, como si fueran a someter también las aguas. ¿De qué sirve un autocontrol dirigido a la explotación política? El verdadero fruto del dominio de sí es la liberación espiritual (moksha).
FAQs
This verse teaches that true victory is inner conquest—mastery over one’s own mind and senses—and that even liberation (mukti) is merely a fruit of such self-conquest.
He uses a poetic comparison: as one may ‘conquer’ and enter the physical ocean by force, similarly one may speak of entering the Absolute—yet the real measure of spiritual success is not external power but inner mastery.
Prioritize discipline over display: regulate habits, speech, and desires, and cultivate steady sādhana—because inner control is the root from which peace and spiritual freedom arise.