Shloka 21
अलर्कोपाख्यानम् — Indriya-Nigraha and Yogic Victory
Mahābhārata 14.30
अलर्क उवाच दृष्टवा रूपाणि बहुशस्तानेव प्रतिगृध्यति । तस्माच्चक्षुर्हनिष्यामि निशितै: सायकैरहम्
alarka uvāca dṛṣṭvā rūpāṇi bahuśas tāneva pratigṛdhyati | tasmāc cakṣur haniṣyāmi niśitaiḥ sāyakair aham ||
អលរកៈ បាននិយាយថា៖ «ភ្នែកនេះ ក៏ដូចគ្នា—បានឃើញរូបរាងជាច្រើនដងហើយ ក៏នៅតែប្រាថ្នាចង់មើលវត្ថុដដែលៗម្ដងទៀត។ ដូច្នេះ ខ្ញុំនឹងបំផ្លាញភ្នែកនេះ ដោយព្រួញមុតរបស់ខ្ញុំ»។
अलर्क उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights indriya-nigraha (restraint of the senses): repeated seeing fuels renewed craving, so one must curb the sense-faculty that drives attachment. Alarka’s extreme resolve dramatizes the ethical point that unchecked perception can become a gateway to greed and bondage.
Alarka reflects on how the eye, after repeatedly viewing attractive objects, continues to long for them. In a radical act of renunciation, he declares he will destroy his own eye with sharp arrows to end the cycle of seeing and craving.