Shloka 23
जनक–ब्राह्मणसंवादः
Viṣaya, Mamatva, and Self-Mastery
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि मनो नित्यं मनो<न्तरे | मनो मे निर्जितं तस्माद् वशे तिष्ठति नित्यदा,मैं मनमें आये हुए मन्तव्य विषयोंका भी अपने सुखके लिये अनुभव करना नहीं चाहता, इसलिये मेरे द्वारा जीता हुआ मन सदा मेरे वशमें रहता है
janaka uvāca | nāham ātmārtham icchāmi mano nityaṁ mano'ntare | mano me nirjitaṁ tasmād vaśe tiṣṭhati nityadā ||
Janaka said: “I do not desire, for my own pleasure, even the experiences and objects of thought that arise within the mind. Therefore my mind—having been conquered by me—remains always under my control.”
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
True mastery is not merely avoiding external pleasures but relinquishing even inner, mental enjoyments sought for personal gratification; by such detachment the mind becomes subdued and remains under one’s governance.
King Janaka is speaking as a teacher-figure, describing his inner discipline: he refuses to indulge even subtle mental objects for his own happiness, and thus declares that his mind has been conquered and stays continually under control.