Shloka 13

अग्निवंशवर्णनम् (Agni-vaṃśa-varṇana) / The Genealogy and Function of Agni

Devanagari script

यथास्वं ग्राहकाण्येषां शब्दादीनामिमानि तु । इन्द्रियाणि यदा देही धारयन्निव तप्यते,अपने-अपने विषयोंका अतिक्रमण न करके इन शब्द आदि विषयोंको ग्रहण करनेवाली इन इन्द्रियोंको जब आत्मा अपने वशमें करता है, तब मानो वह तपस्या करता है

Transliteration

yathāsvaṃ grāhakāṇy eṣāṃ śabdādīnām imāni tu | indriyāṇi yadā dehī dhārayann iva tapyate ||

Translation

ഈ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ ശബ്ദാദി തത്തത്ത വിഷയങ്ങളേ ഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു. ദേഹധാരി ആത്മാവ് അവയെ പരിധി ലംഘിക്കാതെയായി നിയന്ത്രിച്ച് പിടിച്ചുനിര്‍ത്തുമ്പോൾ, അത് തപസ്സു ചെയ്യുന്നതുപോലെ തന്നെയാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

यथाas, according to

स्वम्one's own (proper sphere)

ग्राहकाणिgrasping, apprehending

एषाम्of these

शब्दादीनाम्of sound etc. (sense-objects)

इमानिthese

तुbut, indeed

इन्द्रियाणिsense-organs

यदाwhen

देहीthe embodied self

धारयन्restraining, holding

इवas if

तप्यतेpractises austerity / is heated (i.e., performs tapas)

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

Characters & Entities

vyādha (the hunter, speaker)

dehī (the embodied self)

indriyāṇi (the senses)

śabda (sound) and other sense-objects

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True austerity is not merely external hardship; it is the disciplined restraint of the senses so that each engages only its proper object without excess or transgression. Mastery over sensory impulses is presented as a form of tapas and a foundation for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva’s dialogue where the hunter (Vyādha) instructs on dharma, he explains that controlling the senses—preventing them from running after objects beyond proper limits—is itself an austerity, emphasizing inner ethical discipline over outward display.