Shloka 3
Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि बुद्धया संयम्य यत्नत: । सर्वतो निष्पतिष्णूनि पिता बालानिवात्मजान्,जैसे पिता अपने छोटे पुत्रोंको काबूमें रखता है, उसी प्रकार मनुष्यको चाहिये कि वह सब विषयोंपर टूट पड़नेवाली अपनी प्रमथनशील इन्द्रियोंका बुद्धिके द्वारा यत्नपूर्वक संयम करके उन्हें वशमें रखे
indriyāṇi pramāthīni buddhyā saṁyamya yatnataḥ | sarvato niṣpatiṣṇūni pitā bālān ivātmajān ||
ヴィヤーサは言う。「たゆまぬ努力をもって、識別の智慧により、荒れ狂う感官を制御せよ。父が幼い息子たちを抑え導くように、人もまた、あらゆる方向へ対象を追って走り出す感官を自らの支配下に置くべきである。」
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches indriya-nigraha (mastery of the senses): the senses are naturally restless and forceful, so one must deliberately restrain them through buddhi (discriminating intellect), with sustained effort, as a responsible guardian would restrain and guide children.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers instruction on inner discipline. He uses a domestic analogy—father and young sons—to make the ethical point vivid: unchecked senses run toward objects from every side, and the seeker must govern them firmly yet wisely.