Shloka 5
अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory
Mahābhārata 14.30
अलर्क उवाच मनसो मे बल॑ जात॑ मनो जित्वा ध्रुवो जय: । अन्यत्र बाणान् धास्यामि शत्रुभि: परिवारित:
alarka uvāca: manaso me balaṁ jātaṁ, mano jitvā dhruvo jayaḥ | anyatra bāṇān dhāsyāmi śatrubhiḥ parivāritaḥ ||
अलर्क बोले—मुझे बल मन से ही प्राप्त हुआ है; इसलिए मन ही सबसे प्रबल है। मन को जीत लेने पर ही मेरी विजय ध्रुव हो सकती है। मैं इन्द्रियरूपी शत्रुओं से घिरा हूँ; अतः बाह्य शत्रुओं पर बाण न चलाकर, इन्हीं आन्तरिक शत्रुओं को अपने बाणों का लक्ष्य बनाऊँगा।
अलर्क उवाच
Educational Q&A
True and lasting victory is achieved by conquering the mind; the senses, when uncontrolled, function like inner enemies, so ethical effort should be directed first toward inner discipline rather than outward hostility.
Alarka declares a shift in his battle strategy from external conflict to inner conquest: he recognizes that he is besieged by the sense-faculties and resolves to ‘aim his arrows’—his effort and resolve—against these internal adversaries.