Shloka 26
सप्तहोतृ-विधानम् एवं इन्द्रिय–मनःसंवादः
The Seven Hotṛs and the Debate of Senses and Mind
वैमनस्यं गतानां च जन्तूनामल्पचेतसाम् | अस्मदर्थ कृते कार्य दृश्यते प्राणधारणम्,जो मनरहित हुए मन्दबुद्धि प्राणी हैं, उनमें भी हमारे लिये ही कार्य किये जानेपर प्राण- धारण देखा जाता है
vaimanasyaṃ gatānāṃ ca jantūnām alpacetasām | asmadarthaṃ kṛte kārye dṛśyate prāṇadhāraṇam ||
意気消沈して内なる平衡を失った愚鈍な生きもののあいだにさえ、なお、われらのために何らかの務めが引き受けられるとき、命を保とうとする本能が見て取れる。心は微妙な倫理の真実を示す――生きとし生けるものは自分のためだけに耐え行うのではなく、義務や依存、あるいは他者の必要に応じて、しばしば生命と努力を守るほうへと引き寄せられるのである。
मन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that the impulse to preserve life and continue effort persists even in beings who are mentally weakened or despondent, especially when responsibility or a task is connected to the needs of others—suggesting an ethical dimension of endurance rooted in duty and relational obligation.
The speaker identified as 'Mind' (मन) reflects on observable behavior in living beings: despite low understanding and inner discouragement, they still keep themselves alive and carry on when a work is to be done for 'our' sake—using this as an illustrative point in a broader moral-philosophical discourse.