Shloka 11
Śarīrin, Buddhi, and the Limits of Sense-Perception (इन्द्रियबुद्धिशरीरिविचारः)
तस्य तत् पूर्वसंरुद्धमात्मन: षष्ठमान्तरम् । स्फुरिष्यति समुदशभ्रान्ता विद्युदम्बुधरे यथा,इस प्रकार प्रयत्न करनेसे जो इन्द्रियोंसहित मन कुछ देरके लिये स्थिर हो जाता है, वही फिर अवसर पाकर जैसे बादलोंमें बिजली चमक उठती है, उसी प्रकार पुनः बारंबार विषयोंकी ओर जानेके लिये चंचल हो उठता है
tasya tat pūrvasaṃruddham ātmanaḥ ṣaṣṭham antaram | sphuriṣyati samudaśabhrāntā vidyud ambudhare yathā ||
Sekalipun dengan usaha sebelumnya pikiran beserta indria telah ditahan dan dibuat tenang untuk sesaat, ia akan menyala kembali ketika menemukan celah—seperti kilat yang tiba-tiba menyambar di dalam awan. Demikian pula pikiran berulang kali gelisah dan melesat menuju objek-objek indria; sebab itu kewaspadaan dan disiplin yang berkesinambungan diperlukan dalam pengendalian diri.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Temporary restraint is not final victory: even a mind subdued by effort can surge back toward sense-objects when an opportunity arises. Therefore one must practice sustained vigilance (apramāda), repeated restraint, and steady discipline rather than trusting a brief calm.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he explains the practical difficulty of inner governance. Using the image of lightning flashing in a cloud, he describes how the mind—counted as the ‘sixth’ alongside the five senses—can suddenly become active again after having been checked, and thus needs ongoing training.