Shloka 19
Adhyāya 214: Tapas Redefined—Perpetual Discipline, Hospitality, and the Ethics of Eating (तपः-निरूपणम्, विघसाशी-अतिथिप्रिय-धर्मः)
मध्ये च हृदयस्यैका शिरा तत्र मनोवहा । शुक्रे संकल्पजं नृणां सर्वगात्रै्विमुड्चति
madhye ca hṛdayasyaikā śirā tatra manovahā | śukre saṅkalpajaṃ nṛṇāṃ sarvagātrair vimucyati ||
ភីṣ្មៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «នៅកណ្ដាលបំផុតនៃបេះដូង មានសរសៃ (nāḍī) តែមួយ ឈ្មោះ ‘Manovahā’ ជាអ្នកនាំចិត្ត។ ពេលបុរសបង្កើតសង្កల్పកើតពីកាមប្រាថ្នា វាធ្វើឲ្យវីរ្យរងឥទ្ធិពល ដកយកពីអវយវៈទាំងអស់ ហើយបណ្ដាលឲ្យហូរចេញ»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links mental intention (saṅkalpa), especially desire-oriented resolve, with bodily processes, implying an ethical lesson: mastery of the mind is crucial for mastery of the senses and for brahmacarya/self-restraint.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he explains a traditional mind–body mechanism: a ‘manovahā’ channel in the heart is said to transmit mental resolve and thereby affect the movement and discharge of semen throughout the body.