Shloka 393

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणां निग्रहं च शाश्वृतं द्विजसत्तम । द्विजश्रेष्ठ! स्वाध्याय, मनोनिग्रह, सरलता और इन्द्रियनिग्रह--ये ब्राह्मणके लिये सनातनधर्म कहे गये हैं

Transliteration

indriyāṇāṃ nigrahaṃ ca śāśvataṃ dvijasattama | dvijaśreṣṭha! svādhyāyaḥ manonigrahaḥ saralatā ca indriyanigrahaś ca—ete brāhmaṇasya sanātanadharmāḥ kathitāḥ ||

Translation

The brāhmaṇa said: “O best of the twice-born, self-control of the senses is an everlasting discipline. O foremost brāhmaṇa—self-study of sacred learning, restraint of the mind, straightforward simplicity, and restraint of the senses: these are declared to be the eternal dharma of a brāhmaṇa.”

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणाम्: of the senses
• इन्द्रियाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निग्रहम्: restraint, control
• निग्रहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शाश्वतम्: eternal, perpetual
• शाश्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (a brāhmaṇa speaker)
• द्विज (twice-born; addressed brāhmaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the brāhmaṇa’s sanātana-dharma as disciplined inner and outer restraint: study/recitation of sacred knowledge (svādhyāya), control of the mind (manonigraha), simplicity and honesty (saralatā), and control of the senses (indriyanigraha).

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker instructs an addressed ‘best of the twice-born’ on the enduring ethical foundations of brāhmaṇa life, emphasizing self-discipline and truthful simplicity as the basis of dharma.