Shloka 54

Devanagari script

तेन सर्वानिवाप्रोति कामान्‌ यान्‌ मनसेच्छति । जीवके कल्याणका साधन है तप और उसका मूल है शम (मनोनिग्रह) तथा दम (इन्द्रियसंयम)। मनुष्य मनके द्वारा जिन-जिन अभीष्ट पदार्थोंकी पाना चाहता है उन सबको वह उस तपके द्वारा प्राप्त कर लेता है ।। ५३ ह || इन्द्रियाणां निरोधेन सत्येन च दमेन च । ब्रह्मण: पदमाप्रोति यत्‌ परं द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

indriyāṇāṃ nirodhena satyena ca damena ca | brahmaṇaḥ padam āpnoti yat paraṃ dvijasattama ||

Translation

The hunter said: “By restraining the senses, by truthfulness, and by self-control, one attains the supreme state of Brahman, O best of the twice-born. Such disciplined mastery over mind and senses is the root of true austerity and the sure path to the highest good.”

Word by Word

• {'indriyāṇām': 'of the senses', 'nirodhena': 'by restraint, suppression, checking', 'satyena': 'by truth, truthfulness', 'ca': 'and', 'damena': 'by self-control

• restraint of the sense-organs (dama)', 'brahmaṇaḥ': 'of Brahman

• of the Absolute', 'padam': 'state, abode, goal, station', 'āpnoti': 'attains, reaches', 'yat': 'which', 'param': 'supreme, highest', 'dvija-sattama': 'best of the twice-born (a respectful address to a Brahmin)'}

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyādha (the hunter)
• Dvijasattama (addressed Brahmin interlocutor)
• Brahman (the Absolute)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation-oriented dharma is grounded in inner discipline: restraining the senses (indriya-nirodha), practicing truthfulness (satya), and maintaining self-control (dama). These virtues are presented as direct means to attain the supreme state of Brahman.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vyādha’s instruction (often associated with the ethical teachings of the ‘Vyādha-gītā’ within Vana Parva), the hunter teaches a Brahmin that spiritual attainment does not depend on external status but on ethical and psychological mastery—especially control of senses and truthful conduct.